The tenth and final candidate for the Denver head coaching job will be interviewed today, with an offer expected to be extended to the top choice early next week.
Per Mike Klis of 9News, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is "Plan 1A" for the Broncos front office, but today's interview subject, Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, may very well be "Plan 1B".
Dan Quinn is the logical choice due to his previous workings with Paton and the fact that he is the only candidate with head coaching experience. Quinn will be adept at keeping the Denver defense one of the best in the league, but the question of who will turn around the offense will remain, and picking an offensive coordinator will be paramount to his success (the last time Quinn had success as a head coach, Kyle Shanahan was his OC).
If Dan Quinn were to accept a competing offer from Chicago or one of the other teams he is interviewing with, George Paton will have to choose from the "best of the rest". After doing some digging on the temperature of the front office concerning the candidates, there are two names that stand out as the contingency plan if Quinn falls through.
Eric Bieniemy publicly said last week he had a strong chance at the Denver job because of his relationship with Paton in Minnesota, where Bieniemy was the RB coach for Adrian Peterson and later the assistant HC of the offense. Since his tenure with Paton Bieniemy joined Andy Reid's crew in Kansas City as the RB coach and eventually, Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator.
Bieniemy is an interesting prospect because he gives you some direction offensively but he does not call plays in Kansas City, that's Andy Reid's job. He would be inheriting a top rushing offense that lacks a quarterback, and the 9th overall pick in the draft. The defense can largely take care of itself, but hiring an elite coordinator will be essential to Bieniemy's success if he wishes to focus on rebuilding the offense.
Kevin O'Connell, Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator, is the other name buzzing about Dove Valley after his interview on Thursday. There has been a message of open-mindedness concerning the search from Paton, as he has consistently maintained he would take every interview seriously and no decisions would be made until all were completed. There is a clear separation in the styles of the candidates however, with Quinn standing out as the rounded veteran, and the youthful O'Connell representing the inexperienced yet "brilliant" offensive minds (along with fellow interviewees Brian Callahan and Kellen Moore).
The young guys have't been seen as real finalists for the job, but yesterday Kevin O'Connell appears to have changed that. Paton said he was hoping to be "wowed" by one of these interviews, and O'Connell's energy and direction blew the Denver general manager away, according to sources inside the front office.
The "scuttlebutt" is that the job is Quinn's to turn down, and if he does, the backup plan is the familiar veteran offensive coach Eric Bieniemy. Now we are hearing the backup plan may be shifting after Thursday's interviews and Kevin O'Connell may get the offer if Quinn is unavailable, but with Bieniemy's interview taking place last we certainly can't count him out yet as the next Broncos head coach.
Dann Quinn is probably the right choice, Kevin O'Connell is the exciting choice, and Eric Bieniemy is the boring choice. The Broncos' roster is primed for success regardless of which coach they hire; they won 7 games in a tough division with coach Vic Fangio and a combination of Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock at quarterback. The next coach will be tasked with refining a talented roster and finding a quarterback to get the Broncos back to the playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl victory in 2015.
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