The Broncos finalized a pair of high-profile assistant coach hires Wednesday when they announced the additions of Jim Leonhard and Pete Carmichael, Jr. to Sean Payton’s staff.
Leonhard will serve not only as Denver’s defensive backs coach but also as the team’s defensive passing game coordinator under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
Carmichael is re-joining Payton as a senior offensive assistant after he spent 2009-21 as his offensive coordinator in New Orleans and 18 years overall with the Saints organization.
Now the lone remaining coaching staff position open for Denver is the defensive line coach after Marcus Dixon left last week for the same position at Minnesota.
Leonhard, 41, replaces Christian Parker, who is expected to join Philadelphia and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Leonhard, of course, played for Denver in 2012 late in his 10-year NFL career. He spent 2016-22 coaching at the University of Wisconsin, his alma mater, and went 4-3 there as the interim coach in 2022 before the school hired Luke Fickell.
He was highly sought-after as a coach but opted against taking a job in 2023, instead working as an analyst for Illinois coach Bret Bielema. Bielema recently said Leonhard had “irons in the fire,” as it pertained to NFL opportunities.
Carmichael coached quarterbacks for Payton during his first three years as New Orleans’ head coach, then took over as offensive coordinator. He called plays for the Saints in 2012 when Payton was suspended and then again the past two seasons after Payton’s departure.
Broncos re-sign ILB Griffith. Inside linebacker Jonas Griffith agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Broncos, his agency Roc Nation announced via social media on Wednesday.
Griffith was set to be a restricted free agent but now returns to Denver for 2024. According to NFL Players Association data, he will make a $985,000 base salary.
Griffith missed the entire 2023 season after tearing his ACL early in August. He also missed the last nine games of 2022 with a foot injury. Before that, though, he emerged as a starting-caliber player alongside Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton.
The Broncos must decide if they’ll bring back Jewell, too. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent in March. So, too, are reserves Justin Strnad and Ben Niemann.
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