Davis

Webb

That role increase is, of course, Payton’s way of saying he is taking back play-calling duties from OC Davis Webb. Schefter tried to cushion the blow by saying Webb will still have a “significant game-planning and game-day role.” While Schefter didn’t outright say that Payton is now the play-caller, PFT’s Mike Florio reported this morning that Webb is no longer on the headset. It’s one of the most predictable outcomes of the season. Payton is a legendary coach known for his offensive genius. He was always going to take back the play-calling gig the moment things went south, though we doubt he expected it to happen this quickly. The Broncos are a dismal 27th in points per game. They rank slightly better in EPA per play at 21st, but that’s still a disappointing start for this offense.

Webb took over play-calling duties from Sean Payton this year. The results were disastrous in Week 1. Denver scored 10 points against the Chiefs, Bo Nix was held to 131 yards, and Jaylen Waddle caught one pass all night. It’s a little early for the Broncos to be reminding us that switching to Webb as play-caller wasn’t a bad decision, but the Week 1 results were alarming. If the team continues to struggle on offense, Payton could be back on the headset by midseason.

Nix during his postgame presser defended offensive play caller Davis Webb, who took over for head coach Sean Payton this offseason. “The players did not make it easy on [Webb] today,” said Nix, who completed 17-of-28 passes for 131 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in Monday night’s loss to Kansas City. “Pretty pitiful, actually.” Denver had the league’s second lowest drop back EPA of Week 1; only the Falcons were worse. Nix, meanwhile, ranked 28th out of 32 qualifying QBs in Week 1 accuracy. “We called exactly what we prepared for and what we wanted to get to and we just didn’t execute,” Nix said. “Then we were behind.” Webb and the Broncos will look to bounce back in Week 2 against a tough Jaguars defense.

It was rumored to be the case, and inadvertently brought to light by Bills GM Brandon Beane earlier today, but now it is an official known fact. The 31-year-old former quarterback will call plays for the Broncos this season. Per James Palmer, Webb called plays in a preseason game last season and players were “blown away” by Webb. We’re not sure exactly how much this changes the calculus in Denver, but you’d better believe we’ll be hoping to read more about it from the beat writers.

We’ll believe it when we see it, of course, but it could be a way for the Broncos to continue to hold on to Webb while paying him as if he were a head coach. We have no mathematical data for how a Webb offense would run differently than a Payton one, and would likely be relying on quotes and beat-writer reports until we saw how it would play out on the field. It was already clear the Broncos really didn’t want Webb to get away, but giving him playcalling duties would be another level of dedication to that idea.

A day after it was reported that Webb was “the leading candidate” to land the Broncos’ offensive coordinator job, the team made it official on Monday. Webb, who fielded multiple offensive coordinator requests this coaching cycle, will remain with the Broncos and finally get a chance to oversee a bit of the offense, although we would assume Payton will remain the team’s primary play-caller. Webb has long been viewed as an up-and-comer in the coaching ranks. A few successful year’s as the Broncos’ OC could put him in line for his first head coaching gig.

Webb, 31, withdrew from the Raiders’ head-coaching search late last week, after progressing through the second round of interviews. He also received requests to interview for the Ravens, Eagles, and Giants’ offensive coordinator vacancies and was previously linked to the Bills’ head-coaching vacancy. Only the Giants’ respective vacancy remains available.

Webb interviewed for the Bills and Ravens’ head-coaching vacancies as well. Both jobs have been filled. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Webb is considered a “prime candidate” for his current team’s offensive coordinator vacancy. He also received offensive coordinator interview requests from elsewhere.

Webb has been interviewing around the head coaching circuit this cycle and is now getting offensive coordinator requests with head coaching jobs filling up. The Ravens interviewed him for head coach and are now interested in bringing him back in to call plays for Lamar Jackson’s offense. John Harbaugh’s Giants may pivot from Todd Monken at offensive coordinator if Monken takes the Browns’ head coaching job, while the Eagles have yet to fill their offensive coordinator position. With the Broncos parting ways with Joe Lombardi, Webb is a candidate for his current employer’s offensive coordinator role as well. Webb is a highly coveted offensive mind who will likely find an offensive coordinator role this offseason and will be a name we hear again in future coaching cycles.

Although an unlikely hire, Webb gained traction with the Raiders after a successful first interview and completed a second, in-person, interview with the franchise Monday. The 31-year-old has three years of coaching experience at the NFL level after a six-year career and would be attempting to make the leap from passing game coordinator to head coach, without ever having called offensive plays.