Another Broncos assistant is shuffling off to Buffalo

If you can’t beat ’em, hire ’em?

That appears to be what the Buffalo Bills are saying as Joe Brady takes the reins as head coach from Sean McDermott, as he added a second Broncos assistant coach as coordinator Saturday, bringing aboard Broncos assistant head coach Jim Leonhard as defensive coordinator. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was first to report the move.

Leonhard had served as defensive pass-game coordinator and assistant head coach last year and was a secondary coach in 2024 after arriving following a one-year stint as a defensive consultant at the University of Illinois following six seasons at the University of Wisconsin as defensive coordinator.

Brady is a former assistant of Sean Payton — having worked under Payton with the New Orleans Saints in 2017-18 — so, it is no surprise that his staff’s leadership is taking on a distinct Payton seasoning.

Leonhard is the third high-level assistant — “senior” title or coordinator — moving on this week; the Broncos dismissed offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi on Tuesday and saw senior offensive assistant Pete Carmichael leave for the Bills on Friday as their offensive coordinator.

LEONHARD WAS CONSIDERED A POTENTIAL BRONCOS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR SUCCESSOR IF VANCE JOSEPH LEFT

For the last two seasons, Leonhard was considered an heir apparent should Vance Joseph move on to a head-coaching position. Joseph interviewed for a slew of jobs earlier this month.

But all signs point to Joseph not receiving an offer. Only the Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals remain open, and both appear to be looking in other directions, with the Raiders reportedly targeting Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Arizona will interview Kubiak on Saturday; it has also had multiple days of conversations with Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, among others.

One of the Cardinals’ reported two other finalists, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, elected to stay in his current position. Another is former Buccaneers and Falcons head coach Raheem Morris.

Joseph’s Broncos defense finished No. 2 in the NFL last season and held the high-powered Patriots offense to a single touchdown — on a short field — in last week’s AFC Championship Game loss.

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