Joe Lombardi Fired as Broncos OC, Who Are Top Candidates to Replace Him?

The Denver Broncos reached the AFC Championship Game this season, but that still wasn't enough to save offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi's job.

Denver fired Lombardi following Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots, the team announced Tuesday. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero first reported the news.

The Broncos also parted ways with wide receivers coach Keary Colbert and cornerbacks coach Addison Lynch.

Here are some potential candidates who could replace him:

• Davis Webb
• Pete Carmichael
• Sean Mannion
• Josh Grizzard
• Matt Nagy

This is certainly a surprising development considering the AFC West team finished with the No. 1 seed in the AFC at 14-3 and came within a single victory of reaching the Super Bowl. What's more, that loss to the Patriots came with starting quarterback Bo Nix sidelined by injury, which made moving the ball all the more difficult.

Denver finished the season a solid-but-unspectacular 10th in the league in yardage and 14th in scoring, though, and was in such a position in large part due to its dominant defense that was second in yards allowed and third in points allowed.

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The timing of Lombardi's firing is notable, as it could signal a promotion is in store for Webb.

After all, the offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach has been a hot name in the coaching carousel to this point, and offering him a promotion to OC could be the only way the Broncos can keep the 30-year-old for the 2026 campaign.

While Lombardi did an adequate job this past season, it could just be the organization looking out for its future and trying to prevent one of its young coaches on the rise from leaving for a rival team.

Nix took notable strides in his second season in the league with Webb working with him in the passing game, and other teams have surely noticed. Denver has as well, and it would be anything but a surprise if he was the next OC.

Regardless of who the Broncos hire, it will be a high-pressure position for a team in the middle of a win-now window who will be looking to capitalize and take the next step by reaching the Super Bowl next season.

Denver's defense is among the league's best, and it will need its offense to be as well if it wants to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.