Skip to content
Eagles
Link copied to clipboard

Broncos hire Vance Joseph as defensive coordinator

The former coordinator for the Cardinals had interviewed for the same position with the Eagles, who have seen some of their candidates scratched off the list.

Vance Joseph in his role as defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2021.
Vance Joseph in his role as defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2021.Read moreRon Schwane / AP
    by EJ Smith
    Published 

The Eagles’ pool of defensive coordinator candidates lost one of the top available names on Thursday.

According to several media reports, the Denver Broncos have hired former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to their staff under the same title. NFL Network was the first to report the hire.

Joseph, 50, reportedly interviewed virtually and in-person with the Eagles earlier this week for their vacant defensive coordinator position. Joseph became available when former Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon was hired to be Arizona’s head coach.

The former NFL defensive back is known for his aggressive front mechanics and his frequent use of blitzes, which stood in stark contrast to the scheme the Eagles ran under Gannon the last two seasons. During Joseph’s four years running the defense in Arizona, the Cardinals were ranked twice in the top 10 of defensive efficiency by Football Outsiders.

» READ MORE: Alabama QB Bryce Young is odds-on favorite to go No. 1 overall in NFL draft

Before Joseph’s time in Arizona, he spent two years as the Broncos’ head coach, going 11-21 before his eventual firing. He’ll rejoin a staff led by Sean Payton, who came out of retirement earlier this offseason to coach the Broncos.

The Eagles’ list of external candidates is thinning. Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and the Eagles “mutually agreed” not to move forward with his candidacy on Wednesday, according to ESPN.

There is still a handful of coaches from the team’s interview pool who are available. Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach-defense Sean Desai, Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Georgia co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, and Rams defensive backs coach Chris Shula are reportedly among the external candidates being considered. Eagles defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson also figures to be in the running.