ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Make way for the Dan Dalrymple strength and conditioning center at Dove Valley.
The New Orleans Saints' head strength and conditioning coach for New Orleans for all 16 seasons Sean Payton was the Saints' head coach, Dalrymple is following Payton to the Denver Broncos.
A source confirmed Dalrymple has been added to Payton's new staff in Denver with expectations he will replace Loren Landow, the Broncos strength and conditioning coach the previous 5 years.
When Payton took a year off from coaching last year, Dalrymple also parted ways from the Saints. Previous to his time in New Orleans, Dalrymple was a strength and conditioning coach for nearly 17 years at Miami (Ohio) University, where quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was among the players he trained.
Meanwhile, Payton continues to deliberate on choosing his first defensive coordinator with the Broncos. Former Broncos head coach and Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph held an 8-hour interview Friday with the team. Former Jets and Bills head coach Rex Ryan was in to interview Saturday at Broncos' headquarters.
Both left without a job offer. Joseph is interviewing via Zoom on Tuesday and Wednesday with the Philadelphia Eagles. There's a chance Payton checks back in with one or two of the previous candidates he interviewed for the defensive coordinator position. Two of the known candidates are former Bears' defensive coordinator Sean Desai, who now works for the Seahawks and has also interviewed with the Eagles, and former Seahawks' defensive coordinator Kris Richard, who recently parted ways with the Saints.
But it would be a surprise if the decision didn't come down to Ryan or Joseph. Payton is hoping to decide on his defensive coordinator in the next day or two.
Meanwhile, a source told 9NEWS that Zach Azzanni, the Broncos' receivers coach the previous five years, has been hired by the New York Jets for the same position. Azzanni follows Nathaniel Hackett, the Broncos' head coach last year who is now the Jets' offensive coordinator.
Azzanni was hired by the Broncos in 2018 by Joseph. His Broncos' receivers that year included rookie Courtland Sutton and first-year player Tim Patrick, who was breaking onto the 53-man roster for the first time. After 2 1/2 years of developing under Azzanni, Sutton (4 years, $60 million) and Patrick (3 years, $30 million) played well enough to each receive lucrative contract extensions.
Third-year Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy also broke out in the final six games of last season, a stretch when he compiled 37 catches for 523 yards and three touchdowns.
With the Jets, Azzanni will get to work with NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson, who had 83 catches for 1,103 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first year despite poor quarterback play.
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