Sean Payton could lure former coach from the media to join him on Broncos

Sean Payton didn’t coach in the NFL this past season. Now he’s looking to add a noted defensive mind to the Broncos coaching staff who has been out of the league for much longer.

It is safe to say that Sean Payton has inherited quite the challenge in joining the team in the Mile High City. The last time the Denver Broncos were in the postseason, they were hoisting a Lombardi Trophy after besting the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

There would be a 9-7 finish the following year (after a 4-0 start). The past six seasons, the Broncos have finished below .500 each year, own a combined 35-63 record and have resided in the AFC West basement three straight seasons and four times since 2017.

Denver Broncos interested in Rex Ryan

If the Broncos are going to get back to reaching the postseason, it’s going to take more than improved play from quarterback Russell Wilson. Hence the team’s interest in an experienced defensive mind that has experience as not only as a coordinator but an NFL head coach.

Rex Ryan won a Super Bowl ring with 2000 Baltimore Ravens (XXXV) as the club’s defensive line coach. His last stint in the NFL was as head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 2015-16. The current ESPN NFL analyst would replace Ejiro Evero, who is now Frank Reich’s defensive coordinator with the Panthers.

This past season, only six teams in the league allowed fewer total yards per game than the Broncos. The club also ranked 10th in the NFL against the run. The team allowed on 32 offensive touchdowns in 17 contests. The Broncos limited nine of its first 12 opponents to fewer than 20 points before things got ugly later in the year. It’s safe to say there’s some talent to work with on this side of the ball.

Payton was successful in the Big Easy due not only to the play of quarterback Drew Brees but defenses that stressed physical play and opportunistic football. That pretty much sums up Rex Ryan, who was actually the last head coach to get the New York Jets (2009 and 2010) to the postseason. His defensive track record speaks for itself, to say the least.