KUSA—Several offensive coordinator positions remain open around the NFL and it wouldn’t be a surprise if teams contact Gary Kubiak, if they haven’t already, to gauge his interest.
Most recently, Kubiak’s name has surfaced as a possible candidate to replace the recently fired Darrell Bevell as the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator, although such speculation has also been quickly dismissed.
Inquisitive teams should understand Kubiak has one more year left on his contract with the Broncos. Any team wanting to hire Kubiak away would have to compensate the Broncos with a draft pick, player, money or all of the above.
After two fine seasons as the Broncos’ head coach – the first ended with a Super Bowl 50 title and the second with a 9-7 record that looks more impressive with each passing day – Kubiak resigned from coaching a year ago because of medical reasons.
Kubiak is physically healthy and he may still have an itch to coach. But he also understands the stress and hours related to the job -- at the least in the round-the-clock manner he attacks it -- is risky to anyone's health, let alone his.
He and the Broncos’ signed a revised contract last summer that had him serving in a senior advisory scouting role. His job description has been expanded this season as he will work more closely with general manager John Elway and director of player personnel Matt Russell in evaluating pro players for free agency and college players for the draft.
Another view of Jamaal Charles
Yes, Jamaal Charles’ overall production with the Broncos in 2017 was disappointing. He picked up just 296 yards rushing, 129 yards receiving and one touchdown.
But where Charles may have raised his stock is when he demonstrated a willingness to take on a diminished role. Not many great running backs are willing to accept third string at the back end of their career. Could a playoff team on the brink of legit Super Bowl contention use Charles as a No. 3 back?
“I want to keep playing,’’ Charles said as he exited the locker room at Broncos’ headquarters, most likely for the last time, on New Year’s Day. “I’m just going to work out this offseason and hope I get a call.’’
Charles had to wait through the first two months of free agency last year before he signed a one-year, make-good contract with the Broncos.
The concern then was his knees, age, and salary commiserate with a five-time, 1,000-yard rusher. The Broncos wound up paying $2.34 million to Charles for limited use this season.
No, he wasn’t the Charles who starred so many years with the Kansas City Chiefs, but his 4.3 yards per carry is better than most third-string running backs. Charles won’t return to the Broncos next season, not with rookie De’Angelo Henderson ready for more carries and the team expected to add another back through the draft.
But he’s younger than the likes of Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson, LaGarrette Blount and Matt Forte, so Charles may get one more season.
“My numbers spoke for itself on the stat sheet,’’ Charles said. “I averaged over 4 yards a carry, caught the ball out of the backfield. You can see my explosion, I can still block. All-around player. I just have to get an opportunity. That’s it.’’
Studesville update
It had been reported former Broncos running back Eric Studesville interviewed Thursday for a staff position with Adam Gase’s Miami Dolphins.
That interview may happen eventually – and it does make sense as Gase and Studesville worked five years together on the Broncos’ offensive staff from 2010-14 -- but it hasn’t, yet. A source close to Studesville said that as of Thursday morning he had yet to hear from the Dolphins and besides, he wants to respect the New York Giants’ head coach hiring process. Studesville interviewed for the Giants’ head coach position on Wednesday and the team has yet to announce its choice.
Although he would be considered among the longshot candidates for the job, Studesville deserved the opportunity after coaching 21 years in the NFL, the past 17 as a running backs coach.
