Many LA Chargers fans thought that the team was going to pursue Sean Payton after blowing a 27-0 lead in the AFC Wild Card Round but it was not meant to be. Brandon Staley kept his job while Payton was hired by the Denver Broncos, which is not as concerning as Chargers fans initially thought.
Payton now has to build out a brand-new coaching staff that is meant to fix all of the problems that Denver had last season without having many assets to improve the roster. It is going to be a tough task and it is important that Payton hires the right coaches.
That is why the latest defensive coordinator candidate for the Broncos is a dream for Chargers fans. Chargers fans should be hoping that Payton makes an ill-advised hire with someone who will not live up to expectations. The latest candidate would do just that.
The #Broncos spent today with an intriguing candidate for their vacant defense coordinator job: Matt Patricia. Sources tell me and @TomPelissero the former #Patriots assistant is in Denver speaking with Sean Payton today. Rex Ryan and Vance Joseph are also top candidates.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 22, 2023
NFL rumors: Chargers fans should hope that the Broncos hire Matt Patricia
Denver hiring Matt Patricia would legitimately be hilarious for Chargers fans. The best part of the hire would be the slew of Broncos fans who convince themselves that Patricia would do great in Denver and is exactly the kind of defensive coordinator the team needs.
The reality is that Patricia has struggled immensely when he does not have the defensive-minded Bill Belichick paving the way for him. His tenure with the Detroit Lions was an absolute disaster and he does not even have a good defense from that span to point to.
Detroit ranked 16th, 26th and 32nd in the three years that Patricia was the head coach in points allowed. They objectively got worse every single season despite Patricia being a "defensive guru".
Then he went back to New England and was tasked with calling plays for Mac Jones and the offense. That was an absolute disaster that prompted the Patriots to bring back Bill O'Brien. Patricia has struggled immensely over the last four years yet is somehow in the running for a DC spot.
We know that Payton is not a defensive guy and he needs a good defensive coach under him to help that side of the ball. Patricia has been anything but that in recent years and would be getting full control of this defense. The one thing Denver has actually done well in recent years is play defense and Patricia would likely make that worse.
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The Broncos have been extremely fun to watch as a rival since Peyton Manning retired as they simply cannot do anything right (even when they make a move that gets extremely hyped up). This would be another example of that and boy, would it be great for Chargers fans.