Broncos might have a future defensive coordinator in Jim Leonhard

On Wednesday, the Denver Broncos formally hired Jim Leonhard as defensive backs coach and coordinator of the pass game as well as Pete Carmichael as senior offensive assistant.

A great addition for a positional coach is Leonhard, 41.

The former NFL safety coached at his alma mater, Wisconsin, from 2016 to 2022. He began as the team’s defensive backs coach and was soon elevated to defensive coordinator. He then took on the role of temporary head coach.

Leonhard worked as an Illinois senior football analyst for the fall of last year. Prior to that, he had interviews for two NFL positions as a defensive coordinator (as our pal Joey Richards of “Let’s Talk Broncos” noted on Twitter/X).

In 2021, Leonhard turned down a chance to become defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers after interviewing with them and choosing to stay with the Badgers instead. Leonhard applied for the position of defensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles two years later, but Sean Desai was hired in instead of Leonhard.

Given that Leonhard has previously conducted interviews for NFL defensive coordinator positions, it seems likely that he will eventually be assigned to a DC position—either with the Broncos or another team.

We are aware that Vance Joseph, the current DC, would like to return to head coaching. In January of 2024, Joseph might be given consideration for head coaching positions if Denver’s defense had a stellar year. Should Joseph eventually decide to leave the Broncos (by his whether by decision or not), Leonhard will be a clear favorite to succeed him.

Leonhard is overqualified, even though the title of the post is “pass game coordinator,” for a defensive backs coach. It’s certain that he will get promoted soon; the only question is whether it will happen in Denver or somewhere else.