Report: Broncos hiring former Cardinal Vance Joseph as DC

The Denver Broncos are hiring former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to the same role, per NFL Network’s Peter Schrager.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported the hire.

Joseph had also been reportedly linked to the Philadelphia Eagles’ open DC job and before that was a candidate for the Cardinals’ head-coaching vacancy that has since been filled with Jonathan Gannon.

This will mark Joseph’s second stint with Denver after serving as the team’s head coach from 2017-18.

Arizona’s defense had improved each year under Joseph through his first three seasons at the helm, allowing 27.6 points per game in 2019, 22.9 in 2020 and 21.5 in 2021.

This past year, however, was a different story, with the Cardinals allowing 26.4 points per game. Only the Chicago Bears, who finished with the worst record in the league, gave up more points (27.2).

Despite that final tally, Joseph found some consistency in what was supposed to be the team’s weakest link even with a plethora of key injuries and an offense that struggled mightily.

Joseph also split head-coaching duties with special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers when former head coach Kliff Kingsbury missed the team’s 2020 matchup against the Cleveland Browns due to COVID-19. The Cardinals didn’t miss a beat in the matchup, winning 34-14.

But after Joseph met with Gannon this offseason, Arizona opted to release the DC and bring in 29-year-old Nick Rallis to man the defense.

Before taking his coordinator role with the Cardinals in 2019, Joseph was the Denver Broncos’ lead man for two seasons before his eventual firing.

Denver went 11-21 under Joseph and struggled mightily to find a starting quarterback.

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