The Denver Broncos are facing one of those pivotal offseasons where every decision could tip the scales between a playoff run and watching from home. With a promising young quarterback in development and a roster that’s closer to contention than it might appear at first glance, head coach Sean Payton isn’t wasting time reshaping his offensive staff. And the moves he’s already made suggest a clear direction: fresh ideas, youthful energy, and a willingness to evolve.
That evolution started with a bold call-moving on from longtime offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. In his place, Payton promoted Davis Webb, a fast-rising assistant who was previously the team’s quarterbacks coach.
Webb might not be a household name just yet, but inside league circles, he's viewed as a future head coach. Now, he’ll be tasked with calling plays and guiding the offense in a make-or-break year for the Broncos.
Also departing the staff is Pete Carmichael, who had been serving as a senior offensive assistant. Carmichael’s history with Payton runs deep-he was Payton’s offensive coordinator in New Orleans for more than a decade-but the Broncos are clearly pivoting toward a new chapter, one that leans heavily on emerging voices rather than familiar ones.
That brings us to an intriguing possibility: Kliff Kingsbury.
Now, to be clear, there’s been no official connection between Kingsbury and the Broncos this offseason. But the dots are there, and they’re worth connecting.
Kingsbury has ties to both of Denver’s new coordinators-Davis Webb played for him at Texas Tech, and Vance Joseph was his defensive coordinator during his tenure as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. Those relationships matter in the NFL, especially when building a cohesive staff that can collaborate across both sides of the ball.
Kingsbury is reportedly a candidate for the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator position, which could open up after the Super Bowl if Klint Kubiak takes the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coaching job. If that job doesn’t materialize for Kingsbury, though, Denver could be an intriguing landing spot.
Why would the Broncos consider adding Kingsbury to the mix, especially after already shaking up the offensive staff? Because when you’re developing a young quarterback like Bo Nix, you want as many sharp minds in the room as possible-and Kingsbury’s track record with quarterbacks speaks for itself.
He’s worked with some of the biggest names in recent memory: Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams, to name a few. Even Davis Webb-who’s now leading Denver’s offense-was one of Kingsbury’s pupils in college.
That’s not a coincidence. Kingsbury has a knack for identifying what makes a quarterback tick and helping them unlock their full potential.
And it’s not just about X’s and O’s. Kingsbury brings a different perspective, one that could help Webb in his transition to play-caller and provide Payton with another trusted voice in the room. In a league that’s constantly evolving, having someone with Kingsbury’s creativity and experience could be a valuable asset-not a redundancy.
There’s also a defensive angle here. Remember that Monday night game this past season when the Commanders, with a backup quarterback, lit up the Broncos coming out of the bye week?
That offensive game plan had Kingsbury’s fingerprints all over it. He exposed weaknesses in Denver’s defense that few others had, and if he were on staff, he could help Vance Joseph anticipate how opposing coordinators might attack them as the season progresses.
For Kingsbury, a stint in Denver could also be a smart career move. Under Sean Payton, Broncos assistants have been getting noticed-several have already drawn interest for head coaching jobs. A year in Denver, contributing to a playoff-caliber team and helping develop a young quarterback, could put Kingsbury right back in the mix for another head coaching opportunity in 2027.
At the end of the day, this wouldn’t be about adding “another cook in the kitchen.” It would be about adding the right kind of cook-one who’s proven he can spice up an offense, mentor quarterbacks, and challenge defenses in ways that matter. With the Broncos making bold moves already this offseason, bringing in Kliff Kingsbury could be the kind of outside-the-box decision that pays off in a big way.