Going into Sean Payton’s fourth season leading the Denver Broncos, he’s retained roster continuity while also bringing in new coaches after wanting to upgrade production at various positions, and to address the departures of coaches who received promotions elsewhere.
Denver Broncos’ Sean Payton setting standard for new coaches on staff
Earlier this offseason, the Denver Broncos moved on from wide receivers coach Keary Colbert, cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch, and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi.
ICYMI: Denver Broncos first look at 2026 rookie draft class during Saturday’s minicamp
Sean Payton lost former defensive passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard to the Buffalo Bills DC gig, while senior offensive assistant Pete Carmichael joined Joe Brady on the Bills staff as their offensive coordinator.
That led to Davis Webb getting promoted to offensive coordinator, where he’ll be calling the plays this upcoming season for the first time in his young coaching career. Former offensive quality control coach Logan Kilgore received the promotion to quarterbacks coach, while Doug Belk becomes the defensive backs coach, and Robert Livingston replaces Leonhard’s role as defensive passing game coordinator.
Payton also hired Ronald Curry as the team’s new wide receiver coach, where he’ll be responsible for helping transform the already talented receiver room that features Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin, and Pat Bryant, who project to be the five main names in the pecking order.
While rookies took the field on Saturday for rookie minicamp, this week was also the first time a handful of new coaches took the field as they learn how to navigate practice and coaching the way Payton expects them to.
“It’s really good,” Payton said. “We’re coaching the coaches, and you’re exactly right. I don’t know, comparing it to the last three years, but there are a lot of new faces in new positions. Working your way through the communication is something that they’re working on, we’re working on, as you get ready for ultimately training camp. But that’s a good point.”
One of Denver’s newest assistant coaches this season is former NFL wide receiver Willie Snead IV, who was working closely with Curry and the wide receivers during rookie minicamp on Saturday.
“I had the good fortune of being able to coach Willie early in his career,” Payton said. “I give him a hard time. I think he played 12 or 13 years, and I always tell him he played 11 too many, but he always knew who he was. He was a tremendous blocker, smart, tough, and he had to step on all the bases. He was undrafted. I think we got him off of someone’s practice squad. I can’t even remember how he arrived, but he played… You lose track of the years, and then you followed him with San Francisco. When I reached out to him, he was in Florida. His father is a coach, and he was getting into coaching so he was excited about the opportunity. The other young quality control coaches also, they all have a good story. You’re looking to develop talented guys. He was so smart as a player, and honestly that had a lot to do with how he ended up playing so long.”
Payton has embraced bringing in former players, and ones he’s been fortunate enough to coach throughout his career, into these roles. One of Payton’s recent success stories with a young coach has been Chris Banjo’s rise from former player to assistant coach to special teams coordinator for the New York Jets, all in the span of three years.
The Broncos will be back on the field on Sunday for the final day of rookie minicamp, but it will not be visible to the media.