Klis: Marvin Lewis should step up for Vance Joseph's progress The Denver Post Mike Klis Friday, January 23, 2015

It's time for Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis to step up and be heard on behalf of his defensive backs coach, Vance Joseph.

This isn't about the Broncos. This is about Joseph, the former University of Colorado backup quarterback, getting the promotion he has earned and deserves.

Joseph is in hot demand, and not just by the Broncos. The San Francisco 49ers wanted to give Joseph not only their defensive coordinator position but also a title as assistant head coach. The 49ers were the team that gave Joseph his first NFL coaching job in 2005.

The Broncos want Joseph to become their defensive coordinator, which would reunite him with head coach Gary Kubiak. Joseph was Kubiak's secondary coach in Houston from 2011-13.

If the Bengals did the right thing, Joseph would have a tough decision to make. Not surprisingly given their history, the Bengals have denied Joseph to interview with the Broncos and the 49ers. And yet the Bengals are not sending out an announcement that Joseph has been promoted.

This is the wrong stance for a candidate of any color much less a minority. In the week our nation is honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and his work for racial equality, the Bengals are denying Joseph, an African-American, his right for a career advancement.

Does the NFL, which has proved to be slow to understand the magnitude of social issues, understand the injustice here? Perhaps the league is simply too preoccupied with that all-important matter of deflated footballs.

The league has instituted a Rooney Rule that demands teams interview minority candidates for head coaching positions, yet it also gives teams the right to deny

minority candidates a chance for advancement. It's a policy that smacks of hypocrisy.

Supposedly it's Mike Brown, the Bengals' owner, who is denying Joseph, but I have my doubts. Joseph has been on the Bengals coaching staff for only one year. We've all witnessed how Brown has operated the Bengals, who haven't won a playoff game in 26 years. What can he know about the quality of defensive back coaches?

Lewis, the Bengals' head coach who is an African-American, needs to lend Joseph his support.

The promotion from position coach to coordinator is a huge deal. The way the NFL works, offensive and defensive coordinators become top head coach candidates. Rarely does a position coach make the jump to head coach. Mike Tomlin was a defensive backs coach for seven years before he got one year as a defensive coordinator. Which was good enough for the Steelers to make him a head coach. And Tomlin, an African-American, has proven to be a very good coach.

There's a reason they call it the Rooney Rule. Lewis should know better than anybody that the Rooneys and the Steelers are paradigms of doing things right. In 1995, Lewis had finished up his fifth season as the Steelers' linebackers coach. The Baltimore Ravens — Pittsburgh's most intense NFL rival — then offered him a promotion to defensive coordinator, and the Rooneys and coach Bill Cowher did not stand in his way.

After six years with the Ravens, Lewis became defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins in 2002, and it was from there that he was hired to become the Bengals' head coach.

Lewis was once in the same position Joseph is in now.

Vance Joseph remains on Denver Broncos' wish list The Denver Post Mike Klis Friday, January 23, 2015 GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Broncos continue to monitor the Vance Joseph situation. It appears Joseph, the Cincinnati Bengals' defensive backs coach and former Colorado Buffaloes backup quarterback, remains Denver's top choice for defensive coordinator.

To date, the Bengals have not granted Joseph permission to interview.

If Joseph doesn't become available, the Broncos' backup list of defensive coordinator candidates includes Wade Phillips, their own linebackers coach Richard Smith, former Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith and Baltimore Ravens inside linebackers coach Don "Wink" Martindale.

"I don't know who our defensive coordinator is going to be, but we all want Rod Woodson to be our defensive backs coach," said Broncos Pro Bowl cornerback Chris Harris.

Woodson worked with the Broncos as a coaching intern during the 2014 offseason and training camp. A Hall of Fame cornerback and safety, Woodson was instrumental in bringing along rookie Bradley Roby this season.

"That's a great group of guys they have back there," said Woodson, who has media commitments with the Pro Bowl.

Bears are Broncos strong. Make that six former Broncos coaches who are now coaching in Chicago after the Bears hired Jason George to be their new strength and conditioning coach.

George was a longtime assistant to Broncos strength and conditioning coach Luke Richesson.

Besides Fox as the head coach, other Bears coaches who 11 days ago were employed by the Broncos are offensive coordinator Adam Gase, special-teams

coordinator Jeff Rodgers, offensive line coach Dave Magazu and assistant special-teams coach Derius Swinton.

Meanwhile, the Broncos did hire former Bears special-teams coordinator and Arvada native Joe DeCamillis.

The Cowboy way. It was startling the difference each Pro Bowl team took to practice Thursday at Luke Air Force Base. Cris Carter's team coached by John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens basically walked through formations and plays.

Michael Irvin's team coached by Jason Garrett and the Dallas Cowboys opened with a team stretch, ran through competitive receiver-defensive back drills, moved crisply from station to station and finished with group jumping jacks.

Broncos Aqib Talib and Ryan Clady are with the Carter-Harbaugh team; Harris, T.J. Ward, Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, C.J. Anderson and Emmanuel Sanders are with the Irvin-Garrett team.

Rick Dennison hiring a stroke of genius by Broncos The Denver Post Mike Klis Friday, January 23, 2015 GLENDALE, Ariz. — If he talked more, more people might know Rick Dennison is one of the NFL's smartest men.

Then again, the fact Dennison doesn't talk much is just one reason he's so smart.

There are others. His father was the University of Montana's president for 20 years, so smarts is in Dennison's blood. While playing tight end at Colorado State, Dennison, 56, got his master's degree in engineering.

He was smart enough to put all that education aside and pick up the linebacker position for the Broncos from 1982-90.

It is said football isn't rocket science, which is too bad because Dennison, who is returning for his second term as the Broncos' offensive coordinator, might be the only one who would know what's going on. Dennison cannot build rockets, exactly, but he was once part of a program whose task was to shoot them down.

It was 1989, and Dennison was winding down his playing career. A year earlier, Martin Marietta was awarded a bid to build a complex part for President Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" project. The purpose was to neutralize any thought the former Soviet Union had of launching nuclear missiles at our country.

As Dennison stood off a makeshift football field Thursday at Luke Air Force Base, where he is helping coach one of the Pro Bowl teams, he was asked about his rocket-science acumen.

"(Former coach) Dan Reeves put together a group of players getting ready to transition (out of football)," Dennison said. "I wound up working on a Star Wars project for about three months with Martin Marietta. It was fun, a blast the stuff they did. They were working on Stars Wars where they were trying to get something into outer space with lasers so they could knock down nuclear bombs."

Dennison was more lucky than smart to have come along at about the same Gary Kubiak did as a backup Broncos quarterback in the 1980s. Then again, Dennison was smart enough to follow Kubiak around.

When Kubiak became the Broncos' offensive coordinator in 1995, Dennison got his coaching start as an offensive assistant. When Kubiak left to become the Houston Texans' head coach in 2006, Dennison stayed on and accepted a promotion to Kubiak's offensive coordinator role from 2006-08, before the two reconnected in Houston from 2010-13 and again in 2014 with the Baltimore Ravens.

When Kubiak took the Broncos' head coaching job Sunday night, Dennison naturally followed him back to Denver, where he and wife Hayley will bring along their three young children.

"Gary's always done it right," Dennison said of his allegiance. "He understands the game very well, but he also treats people right."

With the Broncos, Dennison and Kubiak must make two major adjustments. One is with the offensive line, which will have to become nimbler of foot and lighter in scale to function in the zone-blocking, running scheme.

It helps that Dennison was in on the decision to take left tackle Ryan Clady with the No. 12 pick in the 2008 draft. But Clady might be the only ideal fit up front.

"We've never not run the zone, but we've not excluded anything else from what we do," Dennison said.

To help in the offensive front transition, Kubiak and Dennison also are bringing along tight ends coach Brian Pariani, who was with the Broncos from 1995-2005, and also coached in Houston from 2006-13 and this past season in Baltimore.

"There is a philosophy and continuity and a system that we've been using year in and year out, and we've been using it for a long time," Pariani said. "Once you begin to do that with Gary, he begins to find the right pieces for that system. That's why he's a great head coach and great offensive coordinator. It all starts with the run, and everything else grows out of that."

Which leads to the other adjustment for the Broncos' offensive coaching staff. This one is with their quarterback, Peyton Manning. Even if Manning comes back for his

fourth Broncos season as expected, he won't be bringing along the type of mobility preferred in Kubiak's offensive system.

"You know, Matt Schaub didn't either, and he was able to do it," Dennison said about the former Texans quarterback. "There's enough variety in the offense that we'll figure it out. You always want to work to the players' strengths."

Smart guy. Come to think of it, there aren't many rocket scientists occupying NFL locker rooms. Relating to players is more important to coaching success than smarts.

How has a guy so smart related to NFL players all these years?

"I'm not that smart," Dennison said, grinning.

He said no more as he hopped on the bus.

Pondering Peyton Manning, since it's never too early to look ahead (right?) The Denver Post Benjamin Hochman Friday, January 23, 2015

As John Elway spoke, all I could hear was the teacher from Charlie Brown.

"But I also want to emphasize," said the Broncos GM, when asked about Peyton Manning, "there are 52 other guys that we've got to worry about here. And I think that we win this thing as a team, womp womp womp womp womp womp."

If a football team doesn't have a solid quarterback, it isn't winning the Super Bowl. Look at the NFL's "Final Four" this season — Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, Andrew Luck. Yes, there are the occasional 2000 Ravens, so defensively dominant that Trent Dilfer can game-manage and manage to win a ring. And yes, I'm not literally dismissing the importance of, like, every other Bronco. But come on, it's all about the quarterback in the National Football League. Its importance is disproportionate to every other position's importance.

That said, here are some Peyton-y thoughts, heading into 2015:

• How much does Peyton Manning have to change his approach this coming season? Does he need to lighten his work load, notably physically? Should he be on football's equivalent to a pitch count? Clearly, we've seen him play at a stupendously high level in the first couple months of the past couple seasons — and then, PFM sometimes became FPM. He's the smartest dude in the game — but is he smart enough to accept the fact that overworking his body could actually be a negative? This next season isn't about stats. This next season isn't about status. This next season is all about how a 39-year-old quarterback can crack the code, beat the system, and figure out the best possible strategy to making the playoffs, but also peak in the playoffs. I think he will have to approach this season in a different way than any other season before.

• Who's the boss? Peyton? Kubiak? Rick Dennison? Mona? When it comes to play-calling, who has final say? Manning famously audibles audibles at that the line of

scrimmage. Kubiak's offenses historically set up in the huddle. How much freedom will Peyton get in this offense? So many questions!

Also, for those who truly wonder, the boss on "Who's The Boss" was, as scientifically proven, Angela.

• The more I think about this, the more I think Manning's pride actually affected the outcome of the season. I re-watched the play in the December 14 San Diego game, when Manning hurt his quad. He rolled right and threw a 12-yard pass to Emmanuel Sanders, and while commentator Phil Simms talked about Sanders, Simms interrupted himself to say: "Man, watch Peyton Manning walking back to the huddle, head down, taking his time."

What a harbinger for things to come, huh? Yes, Denver won the game, yes Manning is resilient. But I just don't understand — if the 38-year-old QB was in that much pain, why he played the meaningless game against the Raiders, and even why he played the previous game against the Bengals.

The answer, I suppose, is pride, right?

• It's fashionable in this town to hate on Brock Osweiler. Yes, he's bungled a couple appearances. And yes, he looks identical to the hate-able Twilight guy Robert Pattinson. But it's funny how we just dismiss any possibility that Osweiler might actually be good. He was a second-round pick for a reason. You can't completely judge a guy on a small sample size of work. And he doesn't get the reps of a starter in practice. Point being, I'm fine with keeping Brock around, seeing if he'll start in 2016 — clearly, he has the body, arm and skill-set for a Kubiak offense.

I'm not guaranteeing anything here with "Edward." I'm just saying that we can't just write him off — look, if Denver had drafted Russell Wilson instead of him, Russell Wilson wouldn't have played in the NFL yet either.

I will say this — just like Elway missed games in his final season, my guess is Manning will likely not start all 16 games this fall. So we'll get to see the "Brockness Monster" in action at some point.

• This is a fascinating comparison of Peyton in 2013 and Tom Brady in 2014, as we head into the Patriots Super Bowl appearance against the same opponent, Seattle.

It looks at where they were most accurate and inaccurate during the season, heading into the big game.

• Can we please please stop making reference to "Peyton's Place?" It's a forgotten book and movie from the 1950s (and TV show from the 1960s). People who read Peyton's Place don't even remember Peyton's Place. Just because it was once a thing doesn't mean you need to force it into print. And really, only way punny references work is if we actually get the reference — and this coming from a guy who makes obscure 1990s rap references thrice daily.

CHEW ON THIS

• Important: can we please figure out a way to stop referring to the replacements for Pro Bowlers as Pro Bowlers? They're not! The Pro Bowlers are the fortunate few chosen to be on the Pro Bowl team. That's it — those are the Pro Bowlers. When 63 percent of those players drop out of the game because their finger hurts, the players added to the team aren't their Pro Bowl-y equals. These are replacements. So ladies, if C.J. Anderson comes up to you at the bar, all suave, and says, "Hi there, I'm C.J. Anderson, I'm on the Broncos AND I'm a Pro Bowler," you stop him right there and say, "Uh-uh C.J.! You're a Pro Bowl alternate! Gimme Le'Veon Bell's number!"

• The famed Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan joined The Denver Post's online program "The Sports Show" to discuss Deflate-gate (Ball-ghazi?). You can watch the whole segment here, but I'll share some of my favorite points by Ryan:

"Everyone knows the right team won the game," Ryan says, "but that doesn't absolve Bill Belichick of a crime here.

"I totally endorse suspension. He is incorrigible. He skated away much too easily with a fine and draft choice in 'Spygate.' He didn't learn any lesson. He didn't make any change in his M.O. He's an amazingly brazen envelope pusher.

"Roger Goodell has to come down on Bill Belichick. And I would think a suspension of, I don't know, three games at least, next year is warranted."

• NASCAR's Jeff Gordon is going to retire after the 2015 season, as we all learned on Twitter Thursday, a floating stick on the river of Deflate-gate tweets. I saw that

Gordon's Twitter handle is @JeffGordonWeb. I now kinda wanna switch mine to @HochmanTheNet.

• Important shootout win by the Avalanche against the Bruins last night. I really like what the @avalanche Twitter handle does after each win — it takes suggestions for the best headline about the game. All you have to do is tweet the hashtag #AvsHeader. The winning headline goes on the front of the team's website. Super-fun.

• Finally, happy 47th birthday to chef Guy Fieri, who frosted his tips in 1999 and was like, "I'm good."

Briefs: Broncos LB Von Miller looks at Pro Bowl as chance to end well The Denver Post Troy Renck Friday, January 23, 2015

The Pro Bowl never provided the goal, not for a Broncos team built to return to the Super Bowl. Denver fell short, then parted ways with its coach, leaving 11 Pro Bowlers a testament to talent but unfinished business.

Eight Broncos will be featured in Sunday's Pro Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., with quarterback Peyton Manning (thigh), receiver Demaryius Thomas (ankle) and tight end Julius Thomas (ankle) not participating because of injuries.

Team Michael Irvin made Von Miller the first Bronco drafted Wednesday, taking him with the 14th overall pick.

"The intensity has definitely picked up (with the new format)," Miller said. "The season for me didn't end the way I wanted it to. We didn't get a lot of pass rush. There was a lot of chipping and double teams, and I'm not expecting that here. So I'm looking forward to ending this season on a good note and leave it all on the field and get ready for a great offseason."

Team Cris Carter selected Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib. Left tackle Ryan Clady was assigned to Team Carter, creating an opportunity for him to block Ware and Miller.

"Reset button" for Ball. Running back C.J. Anderson turned opportunity into a Pro Bowl berth. His emergence coincided with a lost season for former starter Montee Ball.

Ball's attempt to replace Knowshon Moreno derailed in training camp when he underwent an emergency appendectomy. He played only one series in the exhibition season and never gained traction before injuring his groin Oct. 5 against Arizona. He returned five weeks later and reinjured it at St. Louis and was ultimately placed on injured reserve.

"It was a smart move on their part. They had to make a move," Ball said recently, his first comments on being shut down.

Ball appeared to tweak his leg on a pass route against the Rams, went back in, then limped off. He said he had no regrets about how it unfolded or playing in the game.

"I felt like I was ready against St. Louis," said Ball, who finished the season with 172 yards on 55 carries. "I followed the training room staff's plan well. Unfortunately, I got hurt again."

Everything has changed for Ball. He will be fighting for playing time in a crowded backfield, though coach Gary Kubiak's zone-blocking offense is running back-friendly and often relies on multiple options.

Ball said he is prepared for the challenge. He plans to play at 210 pounds next season after bulking up 10 pounds for training camp last season.

"I will push the reset button and work even harder to come back ready," Ball said. "I will be ready."

Lessons learned: Broncos need to plan for Peyton Manning’s decision ESPN.com Jeff Legwold Friday, January 23, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Over 17 games, five months and more than a few bumps, injuries and dilemmas along the way, the Denver Broncos discovered some things about themselves and why they didn’t earn a return trip to the Super Bowl. Today, is the sixth installment of a week-long look at those lessons, both good and bad, as they began with such high hopes in September only to be so cruelly disappointed in January. Quarterback Peyton Manning changed the tenor of the Broncos' offseason in the few seconds it took him to say "I can’t say that" following their Jan. 11 playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Asked to re-affirm a statement he made following a Christmas Eve practice -- that he planned to return in '15 "if the Broncos will have me," -- Manning stepped back from that following the loss to the Colts, saying he couldn’t say if he planned to return next season.

And for a lot of folks, it is the thequestion hanging over the team. Manning will be 39 next season, and his play suffered down the stretch as the Broncos couldn’t answer the moves defenses made against him at times. And in the Broncos’ playoff loss, he did several un-Manning-like things, like check out of called plays to go with lower-percentage throws up the sidelines, which is exactly what the Colts wanted him to do. Too many he looked frustrated, almost fed up as the team around him lacked "fire," as John Elway referred to it, and the Broncos ran the ball just six times in the second half of a game they trailed by just four points at halftime. So, from a football perspective, if the does return, Manning and the new coaching staff will have some ground to cover. New head coach Gary Kubiak, for one, has made no secret the Broncos will be serious about running the ball and making it a consistent, viable part of the offense. In talking about what he believes the construction of a Super Bowl team looks like, Kubiak made it clear. "I think being physical in this league wins consistently, so that's something I believe in, and that gets back to running the ball," Kubiak said. "And it should only

help a quarterback when you're able to run the ball well and play-pass and those types of things ... So, I mean, I think it's always got to be a part of what you're doing if you expect to be a physical football team." Should Manning return, he has to be on board for that to make it work. Kubiak has also said he would build an offense to suit Manning, as he would for any of his quarterbacks -- that the Broncos won’t try to make Manning do things that don’t suit his game. Manning would also have the freedom to run the offense at the line of scrimmage as he always has, but he and Kubiak would have to be on the same page as to how the running game fits what they’re doing. For example, the Broncos had four games this season with fewer than 20 rushing attempts, including a season-low 10 attempts in the Nov. 16 loss in St. Louis. In Kubiak’s two playoff seasons as Houston Texans’ coach, the team had just one game in those two years combined with fewer than 20 rushing attempts -- none in 2011, one in 2012 (16 carries). And in Kubiak’s almost eight full seasons as the team’s head coach, the Texans never had a game with 10 rushing attempts -- 12 was the fewest in a game in that span, in 2007. But that’s all based on Manning coming back. And as far as Manning coming back, Kubiak and Elway have said they will give Manning plenty of space, and time, to make his decision. The only deadline involved is March 9, which is the last day of the league year and when Manning's $19 million salary is guaranteed for the 2015 season. Elway has also said he has "52 other guys" to worry about as well as Manning. The team will eye a revamping of the offensive line, which Manning would certainly like, and with 17 scheduled free agents -- restricted and unrestricted combined -- most of the focus in free agency for the Broncos will be their attempts to sign their own players. But the bottom line is if Manning comes back, it will be to a slightly different offense, and if he doesn’t return the Broncos say they need to be prepared for that as well. As Elway put it; "I also want to emphasize there’s 52 other guys we’ve got to worry about here. And I think we build this thing as a team ... sure, we do want Peyton’s input, I do want to understand Peyton’s side of it, what he wants to do, but really there is 52 other guys on this roster, 10 guys on the practice squad, and now guys

we’ve signed to future contracts. And those guys are really, really important, too. This organization is important."

Friends hope that friends can help win Super Bowls ESPN.com Jeff Legwold Friday, January 23, 2015 ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- In all the words that have been written or spoken about friendship, the simplicity of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend," might be the bottom line. And in the NFL, people hire their friends all of the time, familiarity being a powerful lure for folks trying to make high-risk decisions into low-risk ones. But those who hire a friend must also be prepared to fire a friend. Which brings us to John Elway and Gary Kubiak. Elway is the Denver Broncos' executive vice president of football operations/general manager who hired Kubiak as the 15th head coach in the franchise’s history. The two really didn't need an interview to get the lowdown on each other.

They have been friends for more than three decades, since both were rookie quarterbacks for the Broncos in 1983. They’re former roommates and Kubiak was Elway’s offensive coordinator for four seasons. Elway, many who know him believe, has wanted Kubiak to be the coach since Pat Bowlen and Joe Ellis hired Elway in 2011 to resurrect the Broncos. If it goes well, it is the kind of homecoming, put-the-band-back-together story Bowlen always endorsed when he ran the day-to-day operations of the team. If it doesn’t work out, well … “We don't talk about risk," Kubiak said this week. “We understand the business. We understand it's a battle every day and it's stressful. But we have great respect for each other. We know it's going to be tough. But it's going to be fun being tough with somebody with that you know he had so much confidence in, so much trust in, as a football mind. And what John's done here in a brief period of time with this organization has been tremendous for me." Since the Broncos and John Fox "parted ways" the day after the Broncos’ playoff loss to theIndianapolis Colts, Elway has said he and Fox disagreed on how the team would take the next step, from playoff contender to title winner. And while Fox did not address that thought in his news conference in Chicago on Monday, there are those who believe he wanted a little more say on personnel matters, or at least be kept in the loop. Fox also balked at potential coaching staff changes.

Of all the things Elway said following Fox’s departure, the phrase "like-minded," might have been one of the most important. In short, there may be no more like-minded person for Elway when it comes to football than Kubiak. “Gary’s done it, he’s seen it. He understands, he’s been there; he’s won a world championship with Mike [Shanahan]," said Elway, when asked why Kubiak is the right coach to take the Broncos to the next level. "And so he’s seen it. He’s been with the Baltimore Ravens, who have won several world championships. He’s seen how they do it. ... We talked about comments that this is a place that it’s win a championship or nothing. That’s how it’s always been. Nothing’s changing there. That’s what Pat Bowlen wants. And that’s why it’s great that Gary’s experience here being a Denver Bronco, he understands that." And there you have it. Kubiak understands that Elway’s goal and the Bowlen family’s goal is to win a Super Bowl. Sure, that’s everybody’s stated goal in the NFL, but to state the goal is one thing, to part ways with a coach who won four consecutive division titles to go with 46 regular-season games in four years is another. Still, like a lot of things you ask Kubiak about, he is unfazed by that thought. And when you’ve spent as much time with Elway as Kubiak has, he knows it’s just a given with his boss. “John's the most competitive human being I've ever been around, whether you're playing cards or ping pong, it doesn't matter," Kubiak said. “And that's not going to change. I think I'm very competitive, too. That's probably why we're still standing in this league because if you're not, you're not going to hang out for very long. I think this will be 31 or 32 years for me in the National Football League and I'm sure it's the same, well, it would be the same for John. So, just to get together and battle together every day is something that is very special and something I look forward to." The jury is out, until games get played and seasons go by, as to whether it works the way Elway and Kubiak want it to -- long-time friends help win Super Bowl trophy for Bowlen -- but Kubiak, more than anyone else the Broncos could have hired, knows exactly what he has signed up for. As he said: “I want to be part of expectations."

Broncos contact Wade Phillips ESPN.com Jeff Legwold Friday, January 23, 2015 ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Having been rebuffed in their attempt to hire their first choice for defensive coordinator, the Denver Broncos continued to reach into their past to round out Gary Kubiak's coaching staff.

The team has contacted former Broncos head coach and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, multiple sources said Thursday. The move comes as the Broncos have been unable to secureCincinnati Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph as their defensive coordinator.

The Bengals have blocked Joseph from taking the job because he is under contract. By league rules, the only time an assistant coach under contract cannot be prevented from taking a new job is the move from coordinator to head coach.

The Broncos interviewed Joseph for the team's head-coaching job two days before team officials met Kubiak in Houston on Sunday. Kubiak was formally introduced as the Broncos' new coach on Tuesday.

The team has continued its efforts to hire Joseph, hoping the Bengals will reconsider. However, the latest approach to Phillips is no surprise, given he served on Kubiak's Houston Texans staff from 2011 to 2013.

Phillips took over as Texans interim head coach 13 games into the 2013 season after Kubiak was fired. The Texans were 30th in total defense in 2010, 29th in scoring defense and last in the league in pass defense when Kubiak looked to Phillips to repair the unit.

The team selected defensive end J.J. Watt in the first round of the 2011 draft and Phillips pushed the improved unit to No. 2 in total defense in 2011, No. 4 in scoring defense. The Texans were also No. 7 in total defense in 2012 and were No. 7 in total defense in 2013, even as the team finished 2-14.

If the Broncos close the deal to hire Phillips, it would require some juggling of personnel. The situation will depend on whether the team runs a 3-4 defense, as Phillips has in his time as a defensive play-caller, or some adjustment on Phillips' part to meld the Broncos' personnel into a 4-3, 3-4 mix.

Phillips was the Broncos' head coach in 1993 and 1994, after which he was fired following a 7-9 finish. He was 16-17 overall, including a loss in the 1993 wild-card round.

Phillips was the Broncos' defensive coordinator from 1989 to 1992.

Also Thursday, the Broncos hired Bill Kollar as their defensive line coach after Texans coach Bill O'Brien let him out of his contract.

Kubiak already has filled out the team's offensive staff, with Rick Dennison as coordinator, and Joe DeCamillis hired as special teams coordinator.

The Broncos are expected to retain linebackers coach Richard Smith. He, too, was on Kubiak's staff in Houston and spent the past four seasons on John Fox's staff.

Broncos contact Wade Phillips ESPN.com Jeff Legwold Friday, January 23, 2015 Kubiak already has filled out the team's offensive staff, with Rick Dennison as coordinator, and Joe DeCamillis hired as special teams coordinator.

The Broncos are expected to retain linebackers coach Richard Smith. He, too, was on Kubiak's staff in Houston and spent the past four seasons on John Fox's staff. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Having been rebuffed in their attempt to hire their first choice for defensive coordinator, the Denver Broncos continued to reach into their past to round out Gary Kubiak's coaching staff.

The team has contacted former Broncos head coach and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, multiple sources said Thursday. The move comes as the Broncos have been unable to secureCincinnati Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph as their defensive coordinator.

The Bengals have blocked Joseph from taking the job because he is under contract. By league rules, the only time an assistant coach under contract cannot be prevented from taking a new job is the move from coordinator to head coach.

The Broncos interviewed Joseph for the team's head-coaching job two days before team officials met Kubiak in Houston on Sunday. Kubiak was formally introduced as the Broncos' new coach on Tuesday.

The team has continued its efforts to hire Joseph, hoping the Bengals will reconsider. However, the latest approach to Phillips is no surprise, given he served on Kubiak's Houston Texans staff from 2011 to 2013.

Phillips took over as Texans interim head coach 13 games into the 2013 season after Kubiak was fired. The Texans were 30th in total defense in 2010, 29th in scoring defense and last in the league in pass defense when Kubiak looked to Phillips to repair the unit.

The team selected defensive end J.J. Watt in the first round of the 2011 draft and Phillips pushed the improved unit to No. 2 in total defense in 2011, No. 4 in scoring defense. The Texans were also No. 7 in total defense in 2012 and were No. 7 in total defense in 2013, even as the team finished 2-14.

If the Broncos close the deal to hire Phillips, it would require some juggling of personnel. The situation will depend on whether the team runs a 3-4 defense, as

Phillips has in his time as a defensive play-caller, or some adjustment on Phillips' part to meld the Broncos' personnel into a 4-3, 3-4 mix.

Phillips was the Broncos' head coach in 1993 and 1994, after which he was fired following a 7-9 finish. He was 16-17 overall, including a loss in the 1993 wild-card round.

Phillips was the Broncos' defensive coordinator from 1989 to 1992.

Also Thursday, the Broncos hired Bill Kollar as their defensive line coach after Texans coach Bill O'Brien let him out of his contract.

Broncos’ grade slips in Mel Kiper’s second look at 2014 draft ESPN.com Jeff Legwold Friday, January 23, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – By the time this past season was over, the Denver Broncos' 2014 draft class had been split down a very easy-to-see line. If you were a defensive player, you were in uniform on game day, you were on the field, you contributed in some way. And if you were an offensive player in that draft class, you practiced a lot. But play in games? Not so much.

And when Mel Kiper Jr. re-graded the 2014 draft for every team in the league, it was a distinction he made as well as he dropped the grade from the C-plus he gave the Broncos this past May. Cornerback Bradley Roby (first round) gave the Broncos all they hoped for as he quickly became a regular and a player the Broncos trusted enough to lock up in man coverage against some of the league’s more accomplished receivers. Roby, who played 805 snaps in regular season on defense, was also a willing participant in run fits as well, as he finished as the third-leading tackler on the team with 64 tackles, including five tackles for loss. He looks every bit a future starter and will likely play even more next season if he makes the expected jump from his rookie season to Year 2. Linebackers Lamin Barrow (fifth round) and Corey Nelson (seventh round) played sparingly in situational roles on defense – 49 snaps and 109 snaps, respectively – but both were regulars on special teams, with Barrow playing 74.4 percent of the snaps on special teams and Nelson 65 percent. On offense, however, the rookies had mostly a watch-and-learn year. Wide receiver Cody Latimer(second round), despite his potential to contribute in red-zone offense because of his size-speed combination and willingness to win a contested ball, could not overcome the Broncos’ desire for him to be able to handle all of the fine points in a complex offense with a highly-productive position group that included two 1,000-yard receivers in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Latimer played just 37 snaps on offense all season.

But that was far more than tackle Michael Schofield (third round), who was a game-day inactive for every game of the season and center Matt Paradis (seventh round), who spent the season on the practice squad.

John Elway’s friend Gary Kubiak must win with Broncos Colorado Springs Gazette David Ramsey Friday, January 23, 2015

John Elway's and Gary Kubiak's friendship brought them together as prime leaders of the Broncos, but friendship alone will fail to keep their business association alive.

Winning is required. Losing could doom the future fun of two buddies working side by side.

The men have known each other for nearly 32 years. They helped carry the Broncos to five Super Bowls. They watched the NFL title games on Sunday, and the hours whizzed by. Time moves fast when spent with those who know you the best. I have a feeling Elway's time with the departed John Fox failed to speed by so quickly.

Elway wanted to work with one of his best friends, and as the Emperor of the Broncos, he can follow his personal whims. In a flash, he waved goodbye to Fox, who directed the Broncos to five playoff games in the past three seasons, and hired Kubiak, who led the Texans to four playoff games in eight seasons.

"He was on the top of the list," Elway said of his coaching candidates. "There's no question."

Why?

"With the relationship I had with Gary, that everybody knew about, he was definitely at the top of the list."

So, there it is. Elway revealed, in a few words, the prime reason he hired Kubiak. He knows him. He's comfortable working with him. In other words, Kubiak is his friend.

From the outset, Kubiak was the obvious choice to follow Fox. I don't want to suggest the hire was solely because of close ties with Elway. Kubiak directed one of the most powerful attacks in NFL history as offensive coordinator for the Broncos when they won Super Bowls following the 1997 and 1998 seasons. He led the revival of the Texans franchise, collecting 22 wins in two seasons, 2011-2012.

Kubiak understands the expectations. Elway still mopes about his three losses as a player in the Super Bowl and anything less than supremacy disappoints him. Fox directed the Broncos to the Super Bowl, but a mere trip to The Ultimate Game fails to satisfy Elway.

He wants everything, and he wants it now.

Kubiak smiled faintly this week when I asked about the perils of working beside his close friend.

"We don't talk about risk," Kubiak said. "We understand the business. It's a battle every day. It's very stressful, but we have great respect for each other. We know it's going to be tough but it's going to be fun being tough with somebody you have so much confidence in and so much trust in as a football mind."

Kubiak understands Elway's relentless quest to win. Kubiak plays cards with Elway. He's swatted ping pong balls across the table from Elway. He stood on the sideline during Super Bowls while Elway tangled with menacing giants.

He knows what is expected. He's comfortable working alongside a man who finds only pain in second place.

"To know that he's right down the hall making those kind of decisions and doing everything to make sure your team is successful and giving you every chance to be successful," Kubiak said, making a clear statement even if he never quite finished his sentence.

"I'm looking forward to those battles. To get together and battle together every day is something very special."

During Tuesday's press conference, Kubiak spent several moments talking about his immense respect for Elway. A crowd of sports journalists witnessed a rare moment.

Kubiak talked about how much Elway means to him while his friend, sitting a few feet away, stared at the floor. No. 7, our state's ultimate swaggering tough guy, was touched by his friend's tribute.

Not every moment will be so tender. Hard labor is ahead, for both men. They will work with tens of millions of dollars in player salary. They will, on fall Sunday afternoons, hold in their hands the happiness of most of the state's population.

So much is at risk.

But not, Kubiak assures us, a precious friendship.

Report: Texans D-line coach Bill Kollar to join Gary Kubiak in Denver Pro Football Talk Curtis Crabtree Friday, January 23, 2015

Denver head coach Gary Kubiak is adding a familiar face to his coaching staff.

According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Texans defensive line coach Bill Kollar will be joining the Broncos coaching staffing the same position.

Houston allowed Kollar out of his contract to make the lateral move to Denver.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to work with Gary again,” Kollar said. “I want to thank him for giving me this opportunity to come to Denver.”

Kollar spent five years on Kubiak’s staff with the Texans before Kubiak was fired as head coach following the 2013 season.

Report: Broncos reach out to Wade Phillips with defensive coordinator needed Pro Football Talk Josh Alper Friday, January 23, 2015

Over the course of his long NFL career, Wade Phillips has worked for Gary Kubiak and he’s worked for the Denver Broncos.

He may be doing both again in 2015. Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports that the Broncos have contacted Phillips as part of their search for someone to run the defense on Kubiak’s staff. They had set their sights on Bengals assistant Vance Joseph, but Cincinnati has blocked the move.

Phillips was the head coach in Denver for the 1993 and 1994 seasons, going 16-16 in the regular season and losing his only postseason game. He had several stops between there and Houston, where he landed as defensive coordinator under Kubiak in 2011 and eventually served as interim coach for the final three games of the 2013 season.

Kubiak has brought several other familiar faces with him from Houston, including offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, and Legwold reports that he’s expected to retain Broncos linebackers coach Richard Smith. Smith also spent time with the Texans when Kubiak was running the show.

After spectacular season, Harris Jr. looks to stay on track

DenverBroncos.com Ben Swanson Friday, January 23, 2015

PHOENIX — Sometimes the more you think about something, the less sense it makes. Like Chris Farley and David Spade in the movie Black Sheep breaking down the word "road" until it was incomprehensible, when you break down the moments that made up Chris Harris Jr.'s last 12 months, it's hard to fathom the path he traveled since having knee surgery one year ago. And his "ro-ad" has not been an easy one. After a meteoric rise to the starting lineup at cornerback after signing with the Broncos as an undrafted player out of Kansas, Harris' great 2013 season was cut short in the Divisional round of the playoffs last year against the Chargers, forcing him to the sideline and the operating room while many of his teammates continued on their Super Bowl run. Doctors generally ballpark ACL recovery taking up to or around a year, but Harris came back at an unprecedented speed in half that time. It was just the beginning of a stunning year for Harris, though the rehab cut into his offseason conditioning training. Harris would be back on the field for the season's start, but his early play was limited.

As the season went on, Harris quickly recovered his conditioning and progressed to a level that we hadn't seen before. He didn't give up a single touchdown the entire season, earning respect as a top cornerback in the NFL en route to his first Pro Bowl. It was a whirlwind season for Harris, who had his share of prolific life events off the field, too. He and his wife, Leah, welcomed their first child, Aria, in October, and less than two months later, Harris was rewarded for his outstanding play with a five-year contract. All in all, it was not only a defining year for his career capped with his first Pro Bowl nod with this trip to Arizona, but his life, too. “It’s a surreal moment, it’s an awesome moment," he said. "It just really motivated me to come back here every year. I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure

that I’ve got a place, this spot every year.” His selection to the Pro Bowl was no surprise to those who watch him on a weekly basis, but Harris doesn't have the name recognition that other cornerbacks have built. So his Pro Bowl addition didn't come through in the fan voting, but it came via his peers on the field from coaches and other players. And that's the way it's been his whole career working his way up as an undrafted player out of college. "I had to really go above and beyond in play on the field to get noticed, being an undrafted player," Harris said. "Just to be here and to be selected by my peers, it just means a lot. It means they notice what I’m doing out there on the field. The way I got into the Pro Bowl is so different because I didn’t have any fan votes. I got through by the coaches and the players, so that made it even more special." "It finally came together this year to where I can really get noticed and stand out for other people to notice me," he added. "That’s just something that I always wanted." Now that he reached this level, his focus won't lessen but he'll just reach for greater heights, continuing to sharpen his game. "I’m 25 years old. There’s still things I can improve on and get better. The past three years I’ve only had three interceptions three years in a row. So that’s something, getting over that three INT mark and so there’s things I can do to try to get things up next year." A year ago, his offseason was just rehab day in and day out, working to get back in playing shape and getting completely healthy. Now that he'll have the entire offseason to build off a healthy and extremely impressive season, he'll be able to spend time in other ways in not recovering from injury. And with a new addition to his family, he'll have time to spend with Aria, now about three months old. "Once March comes, I usually take the whole month of March of just training to get better. I’m still 25 years old, so I’m still young. So I still have a lot of improvement to make. I’m not going to change up anything from my regular routine I’ve done in the past, but I’ll just hang out with my daughter a little bit more."

Kubiak's rushing scheme could bode well for Broncos DenverBroncos.com Ben Swanson Friday, January 23, 2015 PHOENIX —When C.J. Anderson and Justin Forsett talk, it's not so much football that they talk about, but life. The two running backs—both California Golden Bears alumni—are close. They know each other personally and football isn't often the main topic.

However, it might be this week with the two reunited at the Pro Bowl and a new commonality between them.

Forsett triumphed behind new Broncos Head Coach Gary Kubiak's acclaimed zone-blocking scheme, which helped the Ravens’ running back turn in his first Pro Bowl season of his career with Kubiak as his offensive coordinator. That's just the latest name in Kubiak's line of success stories for running backs excelling in his scheme after Terrell Davis, Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Clinton Portis, Reuben Droughns, Steve Slaton and Arian Foster.

Could C.J. Anderson could be next? He could be part of a heavily contended position battle with Montee Ball returning from his injury after this offseason, but Anderson could follow up on a breakthough year with another outstanding season.

And Kubiak's system could be a recipe to yield great results, as Forsett already knows.

"It’s an effective offense. Being able to use the running back, the versatility: able to catch passes out of it, being able to run the ball and be successful, got to be smart and be able to pick up pass protections," Forsett said. "You’re going to be utilized as a back."

With Forsett picking up more than 1,200 rushing yards and 1,500 total yards from scrimmage, it's easy to see that what Kubiak helped implement worked.

"You got the defensive line and defense stretching and when you’re stretching horizontally, it creates creases and you’ve got lanes and you get to pick and choose which one you want to go through. It’s real versatile for the backs," Forsett said.

The blocking scheme suited Forsett's skills very well, and he sees it working similarly for his friend on the Broncos.

"I talked to C.J.," Forsett said. "I told him, 'Get ready, man. You're going to love this offense. You're going to love Coach [Kubiak].'"

"He’s going to be successful," Forsett added. "That scheme’s going to be great for him. One cut and go. He’s a powerful guy and I think the sky’s the limit for him."

Anderson said he thinks he can do well with it, too, not only with his physical capabilities but also in his flexibility.

When asked what he does that would work well with Kubiak's strategy, Anderson responded: "I just think good vision, and then I’m a one-cut-and-go guy, so I know to make my cut and get my pads down and go get dirty. And I just think that’s what he wants and I’m just going to do whatever he says. I’m going to try to do it to the best of my ability."

Obviously another big piece of that puzzle will be the blocking from the offensive line.

Pro Bowl offensive tackle Ryan Clady was already a little bit familiar with Kubiak. He played for him three years ago when Kubiak coached him at the Pro Bowl, and after Kubiak's hire, players and trainer Steve Antonopulos reached out to Clady, speaking highly of the new coach.

"I've heard nothing but great things from guys who have played for him, even like Greek [Antonopoulos], the head trainer, just praises about him," Clady said.

So Clady's fairly knowledgeable of Kubiak already and knows some of what to expect. It also doesn't hurt that the Ravens’ coaching staff is coaching him in this year's Pro Bowl and even without Kubiak there, they're using his blocking scheme for their offense.

"This is his scheme right now with the Ravens, so I’m somewhat familiar with it, having Shanahan," Clady said. "So it’s not new to me, but I like it, for sure. I like zone schemes."

"I fit with a zone scheme very well, running from sideline to sideline, so I'm excited about it."

Though people can dissect the intricacies of Kubiak's schematics, for Anderson it can just boil down to the most basic part of the game: having fun.

"I’m just going to have fun, man. That’s all I know how to do. As long as I’m having fun like I said, smiling, I’m at my best," Anderson said.

"So I’m going to have fun when the time presents itself."

Broncos set record for home attendance

DenverBroncos.com David DeChant Friday, January 23, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For the second season in a row, Broncos fans helped the team set a record for the highest combined regular-season attendance in team history.

In 2013, 614,997 people attended the Broncos' eight regular season games. In 2014, that number rose to 615,517.

The fans also posted the third-highest total training-camp attendance in team history -- nearly 70,000 -- despite Dove Valley being closed to fans during construction of a new indoor facility.

The overall attendance at Broncos games this season was the sixth-highest total in team history (1,156,767).

See below for a rundown of the Broncos' 2014 ratings and popularity:

* - More than 1.5 million fans watched the Broncos play in person during the 2014 season, including 843,070 fans in 11 total games at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

* - The 1,156,767 combined fans the Broncos played in front of during the regular season was the sixth-highest total in team history.

* - Denver’s combined regular-season home attendance of 615,517 was the highest in Broncos history, topping the 2013 total of 614,977.

* - Nearly 70,000 fans came out to watch three Broncos training camp practices at Sports Authority Field at Mile High—the third-highest total training camp attendance in history despite Dove Valley being closed to fans during construction of the new indoor facility.

* - During the regular season, the Denver market averaged a 41.5 rating and a 68 share.

* - The Broncos’ 21 total games were watched by a combined total of nearly 12 millionviewers in the Denver market in 2014.

* - The Broncos’ five nationally televised regular-season games reached a total of 93.9 millionpeople age 2 (the reach for the AFC Divisional Playoff Game will not be available until next week)