Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the season. Submit questions to Ryan here.
Why did Vic Fangio intentionally throw the game instead of let Drew Lock win it? We all know he’s an awful coach and was going to be fired but he really has to go out that way? Good riddance.
— Steve, Forks, Wash.
Not sure what ol’ Steve is referring to, but we’ll play along anyway. On the Broncos’ final drive against Kansas City, they started at their 25-yard line. First play — Lock 25 yards to Tim Patrick. Fourth play — Lock 28 yards to Jerry Jeudy. Sixth play — Lock incompletion to the end zone. Seventh play — Lock incompletion inside the 5-yard line.
Did Fangio take the football out of Lock’s hands by electing to kick the field goal on fourth-and-9 from the Chiefs’ 13 with 4:37 to go? Yes, but Lock also had two plays to get the first down or touchdown. As I wrote in Sunday’s paper, I would have gone for it on fourth down.
Now that we know we’re getting the No. 9 pick, who do you think the Broncos should take? I know the popular move would be a quarterback like Kenny Pickett or Malik Willis, but I’d like to see Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd. We need help in the middle of the defense (something that’s been an issue for years) and he could be a cornerstone there. Maybe pick up someone later on like Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum.
— Peter Drake, Denver
In the midst of the head-coaching search, it is time to shift some of the focus to the NFL draft. The Broncos have the ninth pick for the second consecutive year; they selected cornerback Pat Surtain II last year.
I’m of the opinion the Broncos won’t have the ninth pick, that they will trade it to acquire a veteran quarterback.
Pickett from Pittsburgh and Willis from Liberty were both viewed in-person this season by general manager George Paton. He might be able to trade down and still be able to draft either player.
Lloyd was a first-team All-America selection who had 110 tackles, including a whopping 22 for lost yardage. Crum had 20 touchdowns and six interceptions for Kent State.
Are they doing something about ownership? Will there be any news about it next week?
— Jeff Davis, Aurora
Eventually, Jeff. Long story short, the Broncos are waiting for the right-of-first-refusal claim filed by the estate of late owner Edgar Kaiser to be decided by a Denver judge before revealing their ownership transition plan.
With the ownership situation in flux, who could we attract? Do we promote offensive line coach Mike Munchak to head coach and keep Ed Donatell to run the defense?
— Steve Hershey, Scottsdale, Ariz.
As of Monday night, the Broncos had requested to speak with eight candidates, which means the team will have to stack up interviews once the candidates’ playoff games are completed this weekend.
Paton said on Sunday that no current assistant is a candidate to replace Vic Fangio and it will be up to the new coach to decide which coaches he wants to retain.
For a head start, try to get Aaron Rodgers now, then scan the horizon for talent coming up. Then start with new ideas. Call plays no one expects. Be daring, be tough, stop dancing on the field, stop pointing on first downs. Play to win, not show off your routines.
— Terry Bellomo, Aurora
I like the way Terry thinks. While searching for a coach during the day, Paton should be calling the Packers at night to work out the particulars of a Rodgers deal. Unfortunately, thatap not likely while Green Bay is still playing.
Terry does have a little bit of “Get Off My Dang Lawn,” which is fine, but he’s absolutely right about the Broncos needing an offense that threatens opponents more often with out-of-the-box plays.
I have two suggestions more than a question. 1. Draft a top-10 quarterback. 2. Hire an offensive-minded head coach aged 35-55.
— Jerry Meyer, Black Hawk
1. The Broncos have the ninth pick so if they stay put and want a quarterback, they can get one. I just don’t expect them to have a first-round pick.
2. Among the eight candidates the Broncos filed interview requests for on Monday, only Dallas’ Kellen Moore (age 33) doesn’t fall within Jerry’s preferred age range, but four of the candidates are offensive coordinators, including Moore.
Ryan, I’m wearing my George Paton hat today. Here’s what I propose. The Broncos go after Aaron Rodgers and/or Russell Wilson and propose a three-year contract for either paying $110 million. The Seahawks or Packers get their pick of Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater, a first-round pick and two second-rounders. What do you think? Am I GM material?
— Joe D., Erie
Hire this man! Three years, $110 million ($36.6 million average) would be a bargain. Bridgewater is a free agent so he wouldn’t be a part of a trade, but Lock can be — he could be a holdover starter in Seattle until it figures out its future or be Jordan Love’s back-up in Green Bay. As for the two firsts and two seconds, I would spread those out over the next several years, like firsts in ’22 and ’24, seconds in ’23 and ’25 so the Broncos aren’t robbed of all their premium draft picks.
Garett Bolles has regressed, Dalton Risner and Lloyd Cushenberry haven’t progressed and the offensive line, even acknowledging all the personnel changes, has played poorly overall. While most of this is on the players, it doesn’t seem like Mike Munchak has been the ‘O-Line Whisperer’ the Broncos thought they were hiring. Whatap his future?
— Greg, Estes Park
Munchak’s future is in the hands of the next coach. But it wasn’t a great year for the offensive line. They’ve spent a lot of money and draft picks on the line with disappointing results. Bolles and Cushenberry regressed in their play and Risner was average for the second consecutive year. Right guard Quinn Meinerz was a bright spot.
Moving forward, Bolles’ contract locks him in at left tackle for 2022, I think Meinerz should stay at guard and try veteran Graham Glasgow at center. That leaves left guard (Risner or somebody else) and right tackle (if the Broncos opt not to re-sign Bobby Massie).
How and why does a new head coach help the Broncos land an elite veteran quarterback? And doesn’t an imminent sale dissuade coaching candidates from committing just as much as the lack of a stable quarterback? George Paton’s best shot at keeping his job may be locking in a star quarterback so how about we let Russell Wilson choose his offensive coordinator and keep Vic Fangio for the stability and calling the defense?
— Brian Giebel, Plattsvegas, N.Y.
Brian filed this question before Fangio was fired on Sunday morning. I don’t know if a new head coach will help the Broncos acquire a veteran quarterback. The Broncos are confident the impending ownership transition will not impact the coaching search but we’ll see. Paton’s future will be tied to two moves — hiring the right coach to replace Fangio and solving the quarterback riddle.
