The Denver Broncos continue their search for a new offensive coordinator, and the list of candidates is starting to take shape. On Thursday, the team sat down with Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry, and they followed that up by interviewing Washington Commanders assistant head coach and pass game coordinator Brian Johnson.
Johnson brings a résumé that spans both the college and pro ranks. He cut his teeth at programs like Utah, Mississippi State, Houston, and Florida, working as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
In 2021, he made the jump to the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles as their quarterbacks coach, helping guide Jalen Hurts through a key developmental stretch. Johnson was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023, but after a disappointing season, he was let go.
He quickly landed on his feet in Washington, joining the Commanders’ staff in 2024 in a dual role that emphasized his expertise in the passing game.
What makes Johnson’s candidacy intriguing is that he has no prior ties to Sean Payton’s coaching tree. That could be a double-edged sword - on one hand, he’d bring a fresh perspective to a Broncos offense that struggled with consistency last season.
On the other, Payton has historically leaned on familiarity and trust when building his staff. Johnson would be a departure from that trend.
Curry, meanwhile, has been steadily climbing the coaching ranks in Buffalo, working closely with Josh Allen and helping shape one of the league’s most explosive offenses. Like Johnson, he’s an external candidate with no direct link to Payton, though his recent work in Buffalo has certainly turned heads around the league.
Still, the name to watch remains Davis Webb. The Broncos’ current pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach is widely viewed as the frontrunner for the OC job.
Webb recently withdrew from consideration for the Raiders’ head coaching vacancy, and multiple teams have expressed interest in him as an offensive coordinator. That’s not nothing - when other teams are circling, it’s a sign that your stock is rising.
Now that the Broncos have completed interviews with external candidates, including satisfying the Rooney Rule, they’re free to make a move. If Webb is indeed their guy - and all signs point that way - an announcement could come soon.
For now, the Broncos’ OC search is down to three known contenders: Davis Webb, Ronald Curry, and Brian Johnson. Whether Denver opts for continuity with Webb or decides to inject new energy into the offense with an outside hire, the decision will shape the direction of Sean Payton’s offense heading into a pivotal season.