The Denver Broncos have followed up a great 2024 season with what most feel was a solid offseason in terms of free agency and the draft.
The Broncos added defensive difference makers in Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw before greatly improving the tight end position by signing Evan Engram in free agency. In the draft, the team brought in Jahdae Barron, RJ Harvey and Pat Bryant with its first three picks.
But if you ask Mike Sando of The Athletic, the best move the team made during this offseason was an addition to the coaching staff. Sando feels the best move the Broncos made this offseason was the hiring of special teams coach Darren Rizzi.
"Hiring Darren Rizzi as special teams coach rounds out a staff featuring Sean Payton as de facto offensive coordinator and Vance Joseph as defensive coordinator. That’s a solid triumvirate of proven coaches in three key roles. Rizzi worked under Payton in New Orleans from 2019-21 and stayed in the role through last season, so the fit should be natural. The Saints ranked 12th in special teams EPA during Rizzi’s tenure there (2019-24), including fourth on punts, punt returns, kickoffs and kickoff returns, per TruMedia", wrote Sando.
This is a solid choice as Rizzi's hire has flown mostly under the radar in terms of offseason moves. The Broncos had an opening after relieving special teams coach Ben Kotwica of his duties following their Wild Card loss to Buffalo. The team's top in-house candidate, Chris Banjo, then took the special teams coach job with the New York Jets.
That may have been a blessing in disguise as it allowed the Broncos to bring in Rizzi, who had served as interim head coach of the Saints last season. He seemed to be popular amongst the players in New Orleans and is one of the more respected special teams minds in the league.
With the Broncos developing a potent offense and boasting a chance to have the league's best overall defense, a tremendous special teams unit could greatly round out this team perfectly.
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