Kris Burke joins BroncoTalk after spending a year in the Packers blogosphere

We interrupt this Broncos bog to bring you a special announcement:

With the Broncos displaying an alarming (not to mention neat) amount of transparency, we here at BroncoTalk figured we would adopt the same approach.

My name is Kris Burke and I am the newest member of the BroncoTalk staff.  A few articles of mine have already appeared on the site, but I have officially been brought on as a regular contributor and I cannot wait to get started.

First, a little biographical information: I was born and raised in Oshkosh, WI and still reside there today. Now, I know what you might be thinking: are you a Packers fan? Well, yes, I am.

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Jim Mora Jr., thought to be the heavy favorite to win the job, will not be the Denver Broncos‘ next defensive coordinator.

Former Atlanta Falcons head coach and current NFL Network analyst Jim Mora Jr. talks with local media before the preseason game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots at the Georgia Dome on August 19, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports is reporting that Mora has decided to remove his name from both the Denver and Philadelphia job openings, saying they aren’t the “right fit right now.” Glazer reports that Mora would still like to coach but wanted to take another year off before returning.

In our book, this makes incumbent D.C. Don “Wink” Martindale and Green Bay Packers defensive line coach Mike Trgovac the most likely candidates.

Another name worth throwing out there: New York Jets defensive line coach Mark Carrier.  Carrier, a former Pro Bowl safety, made the switch from defensive backs coach to defensive line coach in 2010, reportedly with designs of expanding his resume for a defensive coordinator job.

The Broncos will have to wait to interview Trgovac or Carrier (if they were interested) until after their respective teams play in conference championship games this week.

As Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post put it, one got the sense Mora was interviewing teams as much as teams were interviewing him. With national broadcast gigs at both NFL Network and FOX, Mora was at liberty to take his time, and that’s exactly what he’s doing.  Fixing this defense will fall on someone else.

Martindale has asked for one more shot. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

On Sunday, it was reported that former Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott was in contract talks with the Denver Broncos.  He then signed with the Carolina Panthers.

Then on Monday, Green Bay’s Mike Trgovac and former NFL Head Coach Jim Mora were thrust into the conversation.  The Packers Defensive line coach, Trgovac, will not be available for an interview until next week at the earliest, as his team is preparing for the NFC Championship game.

Mora was available though, and interviewed with the Broncos Tuesday night.  He left Dove Valley without an offer from the Broncos.

Tuesday night Vice President of Football Operations John Elway tweeted this:

(Via @JohnElway on twitter)

The entire staff would include an defensive coordinator, so is Elway saying that the team will have signed a new one by then, or is the team perhaps considering keep current DC Don Martindale?

If the team was serious about signing Mora, Trgovac or someone else, wouldn’t they have already fired Martindale?  He is still under contract and it has only been speculated that he’ll be fired; the Broncos have said nothing of it.

Although the Broncos defense had one of its worst seasons ever, many players have stuck up for Martindale, including cornerback Champ Bailey, “Wink has been great to me.  If I do stay here, I wish Wink could, too.”

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Image courtesy of the Seattle Times

Jim Mora may be the favorite for the new Bronco defensive coordinator, but he hasn’t signed up for the job yet. Although head coach Jon Fox met with Mora for an extensive part of yesterday Jim Mora remains a free agent. According to the Denver Post:

Broncos head coach John Fox spent most of Tuesday meeting with Jim Mora at Dove Valley, but the two had not reached an agreement for Mora to become the team’s defensive coordinator by the end of the business day.

If an agreement cannot be met with Mora then it is expected that the Packers’ defensive line coach Mike Trgovac will be the man for the job. Since a new CBA is seriously lacking, there is a sense of urgency to snap in all the pieces to the collective coaching puzzle. However, since no one can stop the Pack yet in the playoffs, Denver fans may be left waiting until early February to meet the new choreographer of the battered defense.

What do you think Bronco Nation? Who will be the sixth defensive coordinator in the past six seasons? Since when did the Broncos’ d-coord job turn into the defense against the dark arts position at Hogwarts?

New Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Photo courtesy of media.nj.com

Today the St. Louis Rams named former Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels offense coordinator after negotiations between the two parties nearly broke down and McDaniels came close to accepting the same position with the Seattle Seahawks.  He also reportedly was under consideration with the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs.

By joining the Rams, McDaniels will get a chance to tutor 2010 number one overall pick quarterback Sam Bradford.   While he most certainly planned on working with Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, McDaniels instead gets to work with a quarterback that nearly led his team to the postseason in his rookie year.

Speaking of Tebow, this should end any speculation of the Broncos moving the quarterback. Despite Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway’s emphatic statements to the contrary, some in the media expected McDaniels to make a push to acquire Tebow with his new team.  With Bradford solidly in place with the Rams, that should not happen.

I have to wonder if this in the big picture will be a good thing for Bradford.  While McDaniels’ talents for working with quarterbacks is well documented, it is widely expected in league circles that McDaniels will get another chance at being a head coach sooner rather than later.  With continuity being a key factor in the development of a young quarterback, one can’t help but wonder if having McDaniels there for only a year or two could affect Bradford’s growth.

What say you, Broncos Country? How will McDaniels fare with Bradford? Is there merely a stepping for McDaniels to get another shot at being the head man?

Former Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels yells during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010, in Denver. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

For a former head coach who lasted less than two seasons while quickly and efficiently wrecking a perennial NFL contender, Josh McDaniels sure is a hot commodity.

After days of contract talks to take over as offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams, McDaniels is now reportedly negotiating for the same role with the Seattle Seahawks. Ironically, the Seahawks fired another former in-demand Denver Broncos coach, offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates, giving McDaniels the opportunity to interview.

By our count, that puts the reported teams who had interest in McDaniels at some point this offseason to four: Kansas City, Minnesota, St. Louis, and Seattle.

So despite his foul-ups in the personnel department, video department, and even on the field near the end, clearly McDaniels is still thought of very highly in NFL circles as a premiere offensive gameplanner and strategist. It makes sense; his record-breaking years as offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots are impossible to ignore.

Where do you think he will land Broncos Country, and how long will it be until he’s given another chance to lead an NFL team as head coach?

Mora Jr. during his tenure as Falcons head coach.

The Denver Post is reporting that the two sides are close to an agreement on Jim Mora Jr. becoming the newest defensive coordinator in Denver.  This would fill the largest hole in John Fox’s coaching team shortly after announcing the first 8 filled positions on his staff.

Mora Jr. flew to Denver Monday evening to meet the team and discuss the position.  It is expected that he will not leave the city until a deal is done.  Mora is a valued commodity right now after the hiring of Sean McDermott by the Panthers yesterday afternoon.  The Eagles are reported to be “very interested” in interviewing Mora Jr. for their DC position left vacant by the firing of McDermott.  If the Broncos do lock up Jim this morning it could be seen as a win for the organization.

If the deal were to fall through at this point the Broncos could still look at hiring Green Bay defensive line coach Mike Trgovac, however they would need to wait until the Packers playoff run is complete.  If the team can get this deal in place the Broncos would have two defensive specialists on staff in Fox and Mora along with head coaching experience at the two positions.

Broncos runningback Laurence Maroney was arrested late Monday night by St Louis Police.  The report states that Maroney was brought in on unlawful weapons and illegal drug charges.

Laurence Maroney (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

The report says Maroney and three other men were in a vehicle pulled over by officers following a high speed chase. Police say Maroney was arrested and released, but would not confirm the charges against him.

-KWGN Denver

Maroney’s publicist is stating that Laurence was not arrested and that he was not involved with the high speed chase, but that he just happened to be behind the car that was pulled over by coincidence.  The police are stating they searched his car and found a gun that Maroney has the license to own, however his publicist is saying that he was released without being charged with a crime.

Jane Higgins, a publicist for Maroney, says the 25-year-old was on his way to a concert in his hometown Monday night when he was pulled over by a St. Louis police officer. She says the officer was investigating a crime involving another car.

-9 News Denver

Maroney was a 1st round draft pick of the New England Patriots and was traded to Denver in 2010 for a 4th round 2011 pick to add depth to the position along with a power option for short yardage.  In four games he totaled 74 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 fumble.

Former Atlanta Falcons head coach and current NFL Network analyst Jim Mora Jr. talks with local media before the preseason game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots at the Georgia Dome on August 19, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

The Carolina Panthers have named former Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott their defensive coordinator, putting to rest the rumors that he’d be joining the Denver Broncos.

Two other potential candidates have now emerged.  The Denver Post’s Lindsay Jones is reporting that the Broncos may be targeting Green Bay’s Defensive Line coach, Mike Trgovac who worked under John Fox in Carolina from 2003 to 2008 as the Panthers defensive coordinator.

Meanwhile, NFL Network analyst and former Head Coach of the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks, Jim Mora Jr. is set to arrive in Denver Monday to interview with Fox, reports Jay Glazer.  The Eagles are also also interested Mora.

The Broncos are yet to officially part ways with current defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale, yet it is highly probably he won’t be with the Broncos next season.  If Denver does move on and bring in Trogvac, Mora, or someone else they’ll be on their sixth defensive coordinator over a six year stretch.

Dave Magazu Addresses his Offensive Line (Credit: Panthers Clubhouse)

The Denver Broncos have announced the initial hiring of the 2011 John Fox coaching staff, filling 8 positions within the organization.  As expected the team kept holdovers in Mike McCoy and Eric Studesville along with 4 others from the previous regime with some jostling in titles.  Here is the coaching roster thus far:

• Head Coach – John Fox (Hired from Carolina)
• Offensive Coordinator – Mike McCoy (2010 holdover)
• Defensive Coordinator – TBD (Previously held by Wink Martindale)
  
• Offensive Line – Dave Magazu (Hired from Carolina)
• O-Line Asst. – TBD (Previously held by Bob Wylie)
• Quarterbacks – TBD (Previously held by Ben McDaniels)
• Runningbacks – Eric Studesville (Holdover and Interim Head Coach 2010)
• Tight Ends – Clancy Barone (Previously offensive line coach moved to TE coach)
• Wide Receivers – Tyke Tolbert (Hired from Carolina)
• Linebackers – TBD (Previously held by Roman Phifer)
• Defensive Backs – TBD (Ed Donatell to 49ers)
• Special Teams – TBD (Previously held by Mike Priefer)
• Special Teams – TBD (Previously held by Keith Burns)
  
• Strength & Conditioning – TBD (Previously held by Rich Tuten)
• Strength & Conditioning Asst. – TBD (Previously held by Greg Saporta)

• QC Assistant – Jay Rodgers (2010 holdover)
• QC Assistant – Brian Callahan (2010 holdover)
• Defensive Assistant – TBD (Previously held by Greg Aukerman)
• Asst. to the HC, VP/Admin – TBD (Previously held by Mark Thewes)

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