Broncos DC Vance Joseph ranked a top-10 head coach candidate

The Denver Broncos defense led by coordinator Vance Joseph has been largely excellent this year.

Yes, they gave up a ton of yards to the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football, but also had two pick-sixes in a thrilling 41-32 win.

Joseph’s group is first in the NFL in sacks with 47, five ahead of the Houston Texans who have put up 42. And even with the Browns scoring 32 points, the Denver defense is tied for second in the league at points allowed per game at 18. That’s even with the Detroit Lions, and only the Los Angeles Chargers are better, allowing 15.7 points per game.

Joseph’s defense is also in the top-10 of yards allowed per game at 315.7. That number obviously got inflated by Cleveland putting up 552 yards just four days ago.

Regardless, Joseph has been awesome in his second stint with the Broncos, and folks around the NFL are noticing. On Friday, ESPN’s Dan Graziano published a list of the top-10 head coach candidates this offseason, and Joseph checked in at No. 6.

The only guys ahead of him were Lions OC Ben Johnson, free agents Mike Vrabel and Bill Belichick, Detroit DC Aaron Glenn and Vikings DC Brian Flores.

“Another former head coach hoping for another shot, Joseph has done excellent work as (Sean) Payton’s defensive coordinator the past two years,” Graziano writes. “Heading up one of the best defenses in the league this season has thrust him back onto the radar for a potential second chance at running his own show.”

Joseph’s time as head coach of the Broncos in 2017 and 2018 didn’t work out, posting a poor 11-21 record. But many wondered how much control he really had, and of course that was right in the middle of the Broncos trying (and failing) to replace Peyton Manning at QB.

This season Joseph has not one, but two Defensive Player of the Year candidates in Pat Surtain II and Nik Bonitto. He’s been that good, and his stars have played like stars. Zach Allen, Riley Moss, Brandon Jones and others are also having great years.

It would be a bummer to lose Vance Joseph in the next couple of months, but Broncos Country would also wish him well with another shot. It’d mean he got this defense to a level worthy of an NFL owner and GM taking a chance on him to run their team.

To see ESPN’s full list, click here.