Could Broncos' next coaching hire impact their chances of roping in Aaron Rodgers?
The Denver Broncos suffered a frustrating loss to the Chiefs on Saturday to end their season. They followed it up by firing head coach Vic Fangio the next day. This marks the beginning of another new era in 2022 as the franchise tries to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season.
But the discussion in Denver is bigger than just the one surrounding the head coach role. The quarterback position needs a massive upgrade and is also a key reason why Fangio stood little chance of success in his three seasons with the Broncos.
Aaron Rodgers is the golden goose of all potential options. Yet Denver will have to fill the head coaching vacancy before it has a chance to negotiate with the Green Bay Packers about a Rodgers trade.
The Denver Broncos until we sign Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. https://t.co/lBvmaLNLU7
Should they make a hire with Rodgers in mind? Or should they just hire their top candidate?
Do the Denver Broncos need to hire a head coach with Aaron Rodgers in mind?
This is a fascinating discussion because there is no way of getting into Rodgers' head. He may not even want a trade once the season is over. If he does, he could also say no to Denver. So there is a lot of risk involved by making a decision based on what he might like.
Yet there are some options that may seem more appealing to the quarterback. Most notable would be hiring Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. He has been with the team since 2019 and Rodgers may win his second MVP award in Hackett's offense.
Hiring him would be a no-brainer in the pursuit of Rodgers. Denver could even have a situation where they land Hackett and Rodgers and sign Davante Adams. Of course, Green Bay would not want this to happen. That could mean not doing business with the Broncos and also placing a franchise tag on Adams.
Other potential targets could be Doug Pederson, Byron Leftwich and Kellen Moore, if the Broncos think Rodgers wants to work with a former quarterback. Yet again, there is no way of knowing what he wants. Having an offensive-minded coach just seems to be a better option based on how Rodgers has meshed with Matt LaFleur.
Vic Fangio’s answer to my question about what separates the other teams in the AFC West from the Broncos.
He opened by saying, “Those other three teams have top-shelf quarterbacks, which is obvious to everybody."
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The Broncos' ultimate decision will surely weigh into Rodgers' decision to accept a potential trade to Denver or not. But Hackett may be the only obvious choice in this scenario. Otherwise, the Broncos can hire just about anyone and have their talent on offense as the main selling point.
Rodgers pairing up with the likes of Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy could be enough of a selling point after years in Green Bay without the front office doing much to upgrade the receiver position. Adams is a notable exception, and even he didn't start to really take off until a few years ago.
The Broncos need to hire a head coach first and that means getting their top pick. There are just too many questions surrounding Rodgers to cater to him when he is not even on the team. But getting an offensive-minded coach would not be the worst thing, especially considering the problems the Broncos have had for years.