Vance Joseph’s second act in Denver is at hand.

The former Broncos head coach, fired following the 2018 season after an unsuccessful two-year run, is returning to the franchise to serve as Sean Payton’s defensive coordinator, multiple league sources confirmed to The Post on Thursday morning.

He is the centerpiece of several staff hires in the process of being finalized by Payton, who is expected to retain defensive backs coach Christian Parker and defensive line coach Marcus Dixon. Others, sources told The Post, include the following:

• Offensive assistant Joe Lombardi

• Quarterbacks coach Davis Webb

• Inside linebackers coach Greg Manusky

• Outside linebackers coach Michael Wilhoite

• Wide receivers coach Keary Colbert

None have a more unique connection to Denver than Joseph, 50, who has spent the past four seasons serving as Arizona’s defensive coordinator after going 11-21 in two seasons as the Broncos’ head coach.

In Denver, he should have full authority over the defense given Payton’s offensive expertise and his experience running a defense.

Joseph succeeded Gary Kubiak after the 2016 season but lasted only two seasons as the Broncos’ head coaching carousel tilted into high gear. He was succeeded by Vic Fangio for three seasons and then Nathaniel Hackett for just 15 games before Denver hired Payton in recent weeks.

Denver had stout defenses at times under Joseph but struggled mightily on offense.

Joseph and the Cardinals came to Denver in December and the Broncos prevailed, 24-15. That week, Joseph was asked about his time as the head coach.

“I’m over it. It was never a sore spot,” Joseph said then. “That’s a great opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL. It didn’t work out, but I wasn’t the first guy and I won’t be the last. There were never any ill feelings. It was just a job, it didn’t get done and you move on.”

When Joseph was hired in 2017, he had spent just one year as a defensive coordinator in Miami. Before that, he coached defensive backs for several teams, including Cincinnati, Houston and San Francisco. Perhaps his best defenses were the talented Broncos groups he oversaw in 2017 and ’18, but Denver — as it has since Kubiak retired — failed to score points consistently on offense.

Now, he’s only got one unit to worry about and it’s a talented one headlined by cornerback Pat Surtain II, safety Justin Simmons, defensive lineman D.J. Jones and outside linebacker Randy Gregory. Among the franchise’s top free agent decisions to make in the next three weeks are defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones — who could be franchise tagged while the sides attempt to work out a long-term extension — and inside linebacker Alex Singleton.

Payton cast a wide net when looking for a defensive coordinator. He also is known to have conducted interviews with now-ESPN analyst Rex Ryan, Seattle assistant Sean Desai, former New Orleans co-defensive coordinator Kris Richard and Patriots assistant Matt Patricia.

Any of them, though perhaps particularly Patricia and Richard given their current roles, could conceivably end up on Payton’s staff in other capacities as the new Broncos coach puts a clear emphasis on experience with his staff.

Staff coming together: Payton on social media Wednesday evening said he has most of his staff together but the Broncos haven’t announced them publicly yet.

Lombardi, 50, may end up being the offensive coordinator or could slot into a different role, but he has a long history with Payton. The pair spent a total of 12 years together over two separate stints in New Orleans. Lombardi has a history working with quarterbacks from 2009-13 and 2016-20. Lombardi spent the past two years as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator and play-caller but was fired after Los Angeles lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Webb is only 28 and will be tasked with coaching 34-year old Russell Wilson as his first NFL job. He will, of course, have extensive help from Payton and perhaps also Lombardi. He is transitioning directly from playing (2022 with the New York Giants) to having his own position group as a coach.

Wilhoite, 36, like Lombardi, was also on the Chargers’ staff recently after coaching with Payton in New Orleans. He spent the past two seasons coaching L.A.’s linebackers after two seasons coaching the Saints. Not long before that, he finished a seven-year playing career with San Francisco.

Colbert, 40, spent 2022 coaching for the Gators and six seasons before that at USC. After two years as a quality control coach for the Trojans, Colbert coached tight ends and slot receivers for one year and then receivers for three.

Manusky, 56, coached linebackers for Minnesota in 2022 and has been a defensive coordinator for several teams, most recently Washington (2017-19).

Joseph’s numbers as DC

Vance Joseph has served as a defensive coordinator with two different teams over five seasons in the NFL, most recently with the Arizona Cardinals over the last four years. Here’s a look at his numbers at each stop: