Horse Tracks: Broncos need to do everything to keep Davis Webb

As the fleecing of Denver’s coordinators continues, Sean Payton needs to make keeping his QB coach a priority.

Good morning, Broncos Country!

As the regular season was winding down and Broncos’ coordinators were getting calls for coaching positions around the league, head coach Sean Payton recalled similar poaching while he was with the Saints.

And he told ownership then what he told reporters again a few weeks ago — you shouldn’t be worried when other teams are coming for your coaches. You should be worried when they don’t.

Well, Greg Penner and George Paton don’t need to worry then because the coaching staff has been a hot commodity around the NFL of late. Passing game coordinator John Morton is reportedly headed to the Lions, TE coach Declan Doyle signed on to the Bears’ OC job and assistant GM Darren Mougey is moving on to the Jets’ front office.

Thankfully, defensive backs coach Jim Leonhard has decided to stay despite interest around the league, and now Sean Payton & Co. need to make sure Davis Webb stays too.

Because as much as Payton is in charge of the offensive scheme, Webb is in charge of helping the quarterbacks understand it. And we have come to learn just how crucial that is since Payton’s offense is one of the most complicated in the league.

Given the impressive growth of Bo Nix over the season, retaining the coach who is probably most responsible for the detailed coaching (and “Sean Payton interpreter”) should be Job No. 1 for Payton and the front office.

Nix finished his rookie campaign with 3,775 yards passing, 29 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 430 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns, and 1 reception for a two-yard touchdown.

His 29 passing touchdowns rank second all-time for a rookie quarterback and only trails Justin Herbert who had 31 in his rookie season. It’s also two more touchdowns than third-place Baker Mayfield (27) and three more than Russell Wilson and Peyton Manning, who both had 26 TDs as rookies.

Only five quarterbacks this season had more touchdown passes than Nix — Joe Burrow (43), Mayfield (41), Lamar Jackson (41), Jared Goff (37), and Sam Darnold (35). In the AFC, Nix had the third most passing touchdowns and threw more than Josh Allen (28), Patrick Mahomes (26), and Justin Herbert (23).

Plus, when Nix got heated with Payton on the sideline during the Raiders game, who was it that had Nix’s back? Webb.

According to Mike Klis, the coaching staff is well aware of this magic from its QB coach.

Despite Webb’s complete lack of coaching experience, Payton had a feeling the seven-year veteran who had only played in three NFL games in his life would be a great mentor — first to Russell Wilson and then ultimately to a QB room comprising veteran journeyman Jarrett Stidham, the former No. 2 draft pick Zach Wilson, and rookie Bo Nix.

It may have seemed like a tall task, but the former Texas Tech quarterback, who transferred to Cal Berkeley after one Patrick Mahomes came to town, knows a thing or two about the game — even if he was never a star player.

In college, Webb threw 37 touchdowns and passed for 4,295 yards, earning him a third-round pick by the New York Giants. But Webb’s obsession with football was what stood out to his coach.

“It’s insane,” Jake Spavital told The Denver Gazette. “He’s one of the most prepared humans I’ve ever been around.”

Webb’s friends tease the former QB for still having playbooks from Pee Wee football all the way through high school, college and the pros.

Webb can only confess: “I really enjoy information.”

Payton had checked with Brian Daboll and Sean McDermott about Webb before bringing him on staff. Then he texted Eli Manning just to be sure. After Webb’s interview at Dove Valley, the veteran QB was off to the airport to fly home. If the coaching gig didn’t work out, he was just going to go back to being a backup QB at the Giants.

“And I’m thinking, ‘What am I doing?’” Payton recalled last summer. “We called the driver and brought him back and hired him.”

This time around Payton needs to run interference again — making sure Webb never gets into the car to leave town.

Broncos/NFL News

Why Broncos QBs coach Davis Webb will be ‘an NFL head coach in no time’ | Paul Klee | Denver Broncos | denvergazette.com
Payton called Eli Manning, among others, to get a proper read on Webb during the hiring process. “And I’m thinking, ‘What am I doing?’” Payton said. “We called the driver and brought him back and hired him.”

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