A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| 2017 Denver Broncos season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Pat Bowlen Trust |
| General manager | John Elway |
| Head coach | Vance Joseph |
| Home field | Sports Authority Field at Mile High |
| Results | |
| Record | 5–11 |
| Division place | 4th AFC West |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | LB Von Miller CB Aqib Talib |
| AP All-Pros | LB Von Miller |
| Uniform | |
 | |
The 2017 Denver Broncos season was the franchise's 48th season in the National Football League and the 58th overall.
The Broncos underwent numerous coaching changes during the offseason, after Vance Joseph was hired as the team's new head coach. Joseph replaced Gary Kubiak, the team's head coach during the previous two seasons, who was forced to retire from coaching due to health concerns.
After a 3–1 start, the Broncos suffered through an 8-game losing streak – the team's longest since 1967 where they scored more than 20 points just once. Poor offensive performances, along with a quarterback carousel, contributed to the losing skid. In terms of statistics, the Broncos' defense ranked in the top five in total yards, rushing yards and passing yards, but had the league's second-worst turnover differential (ahead of only the winless Cleveland Browns), surrendered the third-most sacks and ranked 27th in points per game despite having ranked 17th on total offense. The Broncos also failed to score 20 or more points in 10 of their 16 games, and for a second consecutive season, scored 30 or more only once.
The Broncos missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season, clinched a losing record for the first time since 2010 and suffered only their fourth losing season since John Elway's retirement after the 1998 season.
Coaching changes
Departures
On January 2, 2017, one day after the 2016 regular season finale, head coach Gary Kubiak announced his retirement from coaching due to health concerns. Kubiak suffered a mini-stroke in 2013 while coaching the Houston Texans, as well as a migraine condition that forced him to miss one game during the 2016 season. In his two seasons as the Broncos' head coach, Kubiak led the team to a 24–11 record (including the playoffs) – the most victories of any coach in the first two seasons with the team, as well as guiding the Broncos to a victory in Super Bowl 50.[1]
Following the hiring of Vance Joseph as the team's new head coach (see below), the Broncos underwent the following departures from their coaching staff:
- January 13: The team mutually parted ways with offensive line coach Clancy Barone, tight ends coach Brian Pariani, assistant defensive backs coach Samson Brown, assistant special teams coach Tony Coaxum and offensive line assistant James Cregg,[2][3] and fired offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp.[4] Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was hired to the same position with the Los Angeles Rams.[5]
- January 14: Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis was hired to the same position with the Jacksonville Jaguars.[6]
- February 2: Marc Lubick, the team's assistant wide receiver's coach since 2015, departed to become an offensive quality control/assistant quarterbacks coach with the Buffalo Bills.[7]
Promotions
- January 15: Joe Woods was promoted from the defensive backs coach position that he held from 2015 to 2016 to defensive coordinator.[8]
- January 24: Chris Gould was promoted from the special teams quality control coach position that he held from 2015 to 2016 to assistant special teams coach.[9]
- January 30: Eric Studesville was promoted to assistant head coach, and would continue to retain the running backs coach position that he has held since 2010, a season in which Studesville also served as the team's interim head coach.[10]
Additions
On January 11, Vance Joseph was hired as the Broncos' new head coach. Joseph, a University of Colorado alum, served as a defensive backs coach with the San Francisco 49ers from 2005 to 2010, in the same capacity on Gary Kubiak's staff with the Houston Texans from 2011 to 2013 and with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2014 to 2015. The Broncos previously recruited Joseph for the team's defensive coordinator position in 2015, but were denied permission by the Bengals. Joseph was the Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator in 2016.[11]
Following the hiring of Vance Joseph, the Broncos made the following additions to their coaching staff:
- January 13: Mike McCoy was hired as the offensive coordinator. This was the second stint for McCoy as the Broncos' offensive coordinator – a position he previously held from 2009 to 2012. McCoy served as the San Diego Chargers' head coach from 2013 to 2016. Bill Musgrave was hired as the quarterbacks coach. Musgrave worked in the same capacity with the Oakland Raiders during the previous two seasons, and was John Elway's backup quarterback from 1995 to 1996.[12]
- January 14: Jeff Davidson was hired as the offensive line coach. Davidson served in the same capacity on Mike McCoy's staff with the San Diego Chargers in 2016, and was a Broncos' offensive lineman from 1990 to 1993.[6]
- January 15: John Benton was hired as an assistant offensive line coach. Benton had previously worked in the same capacity with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016 as well as on Gary Kubiak's staff with the Houston Texans from 2006 to 2013.[13] However, on February 20, the Broncos granted Benton permission to interview for the lead offensive line coach position with the San Francisco 49ers, and one day later, Benton was officially hired by the 49ers.[14]
- January 17: Marcus Robertson was hired as the defensive backs coach. Robertson worked in the same capacity with the Oakland Raiders from 2015 to 2016, as well as an assistant under Joe Woods with the Raiders in 2014.[8] Brock Olivo was hired as special teams coordinator. Olivo served as a special teams assistant with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2014 to 2016.[15]
- January 19: Johnnie Lynn was hired as the assistant defensive backs coach. Lynn previously worked alongside Vance Joseph with the 49ers from 2006 to 2010, and most recently with the Raiders from 2012 to 2013.[16]
- January 27: Geep Chryst was hired as tight ends coach. Chryst previously worked in the same capacity with the Carolina Panthers from 2006 to 2010, where he worked alongside former Broncos' offensive coordinator Mike McCoy for three seasons as well as alongside offensive line coach Jeff Davidson for four seasons. Chryst was recently on the San Francisco 49ers' coaching staff, where he served as quarterbacks coach from 2011 to 2014 and offensive coordinator in 2015.[17]
- February 21: Charles Gordon was hired as a defensive quality control coach. Gordon worked in the same capacity at the University of Northern Colorado during the previous four seasons (2013–2016), and was a defensive back for three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings under the tutelage of Joe Woods, the Broncos' current defensive coordinator.[14]
- February 25: Chris Strausser was hired as the team's assistant offensive line coach, replacing John Benton. Strausser spent the previous three seasons as the offensive line coach at the University of Washington.[18]
In-season
On November 20, one day after the Broncos' Week 11 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy was fired as the result of the team's recurring offensive woes. During the six-game losing streak that resulted in McCoy's firing, the Broncos averaged 14.2 points – second-worst in the NFL, and committed a league-high 17 turnovers. Bill Musgrave was elevated from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator, while Klint Kubiak was elevated from an offensive assistant to quarterbacks coach.[19]
Front office changes
- January 31: Adam Peters, the team's director of college scouting in 2016, departed to become the San Francisco 49ers' vice president of player personnel.[20]
- May 4: The Broncos made the following changes to their front office: Brian Stark was hired as the team's new director of college scouting, replacing Adam Peters. Tom Heckert was promoted to senior personnel adviser after serving as the team's director of pro personnel the previous four seasons. A. J. Durso, who was team's pro scouting coordinator from 2013 to 2014, filled Heckert's old position as director of pro personnel. Patrick Walsh was promoted from personnel assistant to player personnel assistant.[21]
- July 25: Former Broncos' head coach Gary Kubiak, who retired from coaching at the end of the 2016 season (see above), returned to the Broncos' organization as a senior personnel advisor in the team's front office. Kubiak will be based in his hometown of Houston, but will make occasional trips to the Broncos' Dove Valley headquarters.[22]
Roster changes
Free agents
Unrestricted
| Position | Player | 2017 Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Sam Brenner | None | originally an RFA |
| WR | Marlon Brown | None | released September 2[23] |
| RB | Justin Forsett | None | retired on May 3[24] |
| LS | Thomas Gafford | None | |
| WR | Jordan Norwood | None | |
| OT | Russell Okung | Los Angeles Chargers | contract option declined,[25] signed with the Chargers on March 9[26] |
| DE | Vance Walker | None | |
| LB | DeMarcus Ware | None | retired on March 13[27] |
| LB | Dekoda Watson | San Francisco 49ers | signed with the 49ers on March 17[28] |
| CB | Kayvon Webster | Los Angeles Rams | signed with the Rams on March 13[29] |
| NT | Sylvester Williams | Tennessee Titans | signed with the Titans on March 10[30] |
| DE | Billy Winn | None | re-signed May 2,[31] placed on injured reserve August 12[32] |
Restricted
| Position | Player | 2017 Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LB | Todd Davis | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8[33] |
| PK | Brandon McManus | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8,[33] re-signed June 14[34] |
Exclusive-Rights
| Position | Player | 2017 Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LB | Zaire Anderson | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8[33] |
| LB | Shaquil Barrett | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8[33] |
| RB | Kapri Bibbs | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8[33] |
| C | James Ferentz | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8[33] |
| WR | Bennie Fowler | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8[33] |
| LB | Quentin Gause | None | |
| LS | Casey Kreiter | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8,[33] re-signed April 3[35] |
| TE | Henry Krieger-Coble | None | |
| CB | Taurean Nixon | None | |
| C | Matt Paradis | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8,[33] re-signed April 3[35] |
| NT | Kyle Peko | Denver Broncos | waived September 2, re-signed September 3,[36] waived September 9,[37] assigned to the practice squad on September 11,[38] re-signed September 18,[39] waived October 21,[40] assigned to the practice squad on October 24,[41] promoted to the active roster on November 25[42] |
| WR | Jordan Taylor | Denver Broncos | assigned tender on March 8,[33] re-signed April 3[35] |
Signings
| Position | Player | 2016 Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE | Jimmy Bean | None | claimed off waivers on August 25,[43] waived August 29[44] |
| RB | Jamaal Charles | Kansas City Chiefs | signed May 2[45] |
| C | Dillon Day | Practice squad | signed October 21,[40] waived October 24,[41] assigned to the practice squad on November 8[46] |
| G | J. J. Dielman | Cincinnati Bengals | signed December 16[47] |
| LB | Kasim Edebali | New Orleans Saints | signed March 13,[48] waived November 15[49] |
| CB | Michael Hunter | Practice squad | signed December 20[50] |
| OT | Cyrus Kouandjio | Buffalo Bills | signed November 8[46] |
| CB | Chris Lewis-Harris | Cincinnati Bengals Baltimore Ravens |
signed June 14,[51] released September 2[23] |
| LB | Joseph Jones | Seattle Seahawks | signed November 7[52] |
| NT | Zach Kerr | Indianapolis Colts | signed March 11[53] |
| G | Ronald Leary | Dallas Cowboys | signed March 9[54] |
| LB | Danny Mason | Chicago Bears | signed July 29,[55] waived September 2[23] |
| LB | Deiontrez Mount | None | signed August 29,[44] waived September 2,[23] assigned to the practice squad on September 3,[36] promoted to the active roster on November 15[49] |
| NT | Domata Peko | Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=2017_Denver_Broncos_season