The Broncos are continuing to work on making changes to the coaching staff after a late-season collapse.
It appears the team is close to hiring Joe Baker and Bill Johnson to the defensive staff. Both were in Denver late last week for interviews with coach Mike Shanahan and could soon work with new assistant head coach of defense Jim Bates, who replaced fired defensive coordinator Larry Coyer on Thursday.
Baker would likely take over as linebackers coach and Johnson would coach the defensive line with incumbent coach Jacob Burney. Baker, who coached with Bates in Green Bay in 2005, was a defensive quality control coach for St. Louis last season and worked with the linebackers. Johnson was the defensive line coach in Atlanta.
In the biggest potential coaching shake-up since Shanahan took over in 1995, the Broncos fired defensive line-tackles coach Andre Patterson on Tuesday and linebackers coach Kirk Doll is not expected back. If he does return, it is not expected to be as linebackers coach.
All of Denver’s assistants are signed through at least 2007 and will be paid for next season if they are not hired elsewhere.
There also are indications there will be a reshuffling of offensive coaches. Receivers coach Steve Watson could be moved to another position within the organization, and offensive assistant Jeremy Bates, the son of Jim Bates, is likely to become a position coach.
The team also is expected to hire a special-teams coach with Ronnie Bradford taking another role on the coaching staff.
Former Jacksonville special-teams coach Pete Rodriguez, who has worked with Shanahan in the past, is a possible a candidate, but there hasn’t been any movement toward hiring Rodriguez.
Staff writer Mike Klis contributed to this report.
Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
