Denver Native (Carol)
01-17-2009, 06:47 PM
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_11479786?source=rss
McDaniels adds receivers coach, closing in on offensive coordinator
Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels continued to fill out his first staff Saturday by adding receivers coach Adam Gase, and continuing to work toward hiring Mike McCoy as his new offensive coordinator and Ed Donatell as secondary coach, according to NFL sources.
Gase, 30, replaces Jedd Fisch as mentor to Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall, who gave the Broncos one of the NFL's top receiving duos in 2008. Gase was groomed the past two years by renowned offensive guru Mike Martz. This past season, Gase and Martz were offensive coaches for the San Francisco 49ers and head coach Mike Nolan, who is now the Broncos' defensive coordinator.
Donatell, 51, is expected to coach the Broncos' secondary. It's the same position Donatell coached here from 1995-99 on Mike Shanahan's staff. He spent the next seven seasons (2000-06) as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons. Last season, Donatell was defensive coordinator for the University of Washington.
To date, Broncos assistant coaches are Nolan, Donatell, Mike Priefer (special teams), Rick Dennison (offensive line), Bobby Turner (running backs), Gase and Rich Tuten (strength and conditioning).
With Dennison moving from run-game offensive coordinator to offensive line coach, and the Broncos not retaining quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator Jeremy Bates, McDaniels needs an offensive coordinator.
According to an NFL source, McDaniels, who will call the plays as he did the previous two years with the New England Patriots, has zeroed in on McCoy, the Carolina Panthers' passing-game coordinator/quarterbacks coach. McDaniels has interviewed McCoy, a former Broncos' undrafted free-agent quarterback, who has spent his entire nine-year NFL coaching career with the Panthers.
D.J. update. Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams will have shoulder surgery Monday. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Worrell Williams, an inside linebacker from Cal, has secured his big brother's agent, Troy Fleming. Worrell Williams is projected to go from the third to fifth round in the upcoming draft.
Question is: Will big brother again play his little brother's position of inside linebacker? D.J. Williams played strongside linebacker in 2006, middle linebacker in 2007 and his natural weakside linebacker position in 2008.
As the Broncos phase in a conversion to the 3-4 defense this year, the versatility D.J. Williams has already demonstrated could make him a candidate to move back to the inside. The Broncos are expected to allow middle linebacker Nate Webster to become a free agent, leaving their current roster with far more starting outside linebackers (Jamie Winborn, Boss Bailey, Wesley Woodyard, Williams) than inside backers (Spencer Larsen and Niko Koutouvides, both of whom are reserves).
McPherson draws interest. Pat McPherson, who was on Shanahan's staff the past 11 seasons primarily coaching quarterbacks and tight ends, was interviewed last week by the San Francisco 49ers for an offensive coach position.
McPherson was supposed to interview Monday with Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden but that opportunity fell Friday when Gruden was fired. McPherson has at least one other interview set up later this week in Mobile, Ala., where the Senior Bowl becomes a convention for assistant coaches seeking wo
McDaniels adds receivers coach, closing in on offensive coordinator
Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels continued to fill out his first staff Saturday by adding receivers coach Adam Gase, and continuing to work toward hiring Mike McCoy as his new offensive coordinator and Ed Donatell as secondary coach, according to NFL sources.
Gase, 30, replaces Jedd Fisch as mentor to Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall, who gave the Broncos one of the NFL's top receiving duos in 2008. Gase was groomed the past two years by renowned offensive guru Mike Martz. This past season, Gase and Martz were offensive coaches for the San Francisco 49ers and head coach Mike Nolan, who is now the Broncos' defensive coordinator.
Donatell, 51, is expected to coach the Broncos' secondary. It's the same position Donatell coached here from 1995-99 on Mike Shanahan's staff. He spent the next seven seasons (2000-06) as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons. Last season, Donatell was defensive coordinator for the University of Washington.
To date, Broncos assistant coaches are Nolan, Donatell, Mike Priefer (special teams), Rick Dennison (offensive line), Bobby Turner (running backs), Gase and Rich Tuten (strength and conditioning).
With Dennison moving from run-game offensive coordinator to offensive line coach, and the Broncos not retaining quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator Jeremy Bates, McDaniels needs an offensive coordinator.
According to an NFL source, McDaniels, who will call the plays as he did the previous two years with the New England Patriots, has zeroed in on McCoy, the Carolina Panthers' passing-game coordinator/quarterbacks coach. McDaniels has interviewed McCoy, a former Broncos' undrafted free-agent quarterback, who has spent his entire nine-year NFL coaching career with the Panthers.
D.J. update. Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams will have shoulder surgery Monday. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Worrell Williams, an inside linebacker from Cal, has secured his big brother's agent, Troy Fleming. Worrell Williams is projected to go from the third to fifth round in the upcoming draft.
Question is: Will big brother again play his little brother's position of inside linebacker? D.J. Williams played strongside linebacker in 2006, middle linebacker in 2007 and his natural weakside linebacker position in 2008.
As the Broncos phase in a conversion to the 3-4 defense this year, the versatility D.J. Williams has already demonstrated could make him a candidate to move back to the inside. The Broncos are expected to allow middle linebacker Nate Webster to become a free agent, leaving their current roster with far more starting outside linebackers (Jamie Winborn, Boss Bailey, Wesley Woodyard, Williams) than inside backers (Spencer Larsen and Niko Koutouvides, both of whom are reserves).
McPherson draws interest. Pat McPherson, who was on Shanahan's staff the past 11 seasons primarily coaching quarterbacks and tight ends, was interviewed last week by the San Francisco 49ers for an offensive coach position.
McPherson was supposed to interview Monday with Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden but that opportunity fell Friday when Gruden was fired. McPherson has at least one other interview set up later this week in Mobile, Ala., where the Senior Bowl becomes a convention for assistant coaches seeking wo