Russell Wilson is 6 years older than the Broncos' reported new QB coach
The Denver Broncos' top priority next season will be to get Russell Wilson back to his Pro Bowl level of play. One of the men responsible for doing that won't exactly be bringing years of coaching experience to the table.
Former New York Giants backup quarterback Davis Webb is retiring to join Sean Payton's staff as the Broncos' quarterbacks coach, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. At 28 years old, Webb is six years younger than Wilson, who is 34.
Webb hung up his cleats after appearing in two games in his NFL career and starting once. That start came in Week 18 of this past season, when the Giants opted to rest Daniel Jones since they were locked into the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs. He went 23-for-40 for 168 passing yards and one touchdown pass, plus a rushing touchdown.
A third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft after playing at Texas Tech and Cal in college, Webb spent most of his career on the practice squads of the Giants, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.
Of course, age and playing experience are hardly the only things that can make a good coach.
Webb was apparently well-regarded enough that the Bills reportedly asked him to consider retirement last year, after he spent two seasons as the team's third-string quarterback. Buffalo offered him the same quarterbacks coach position he ended up taking with the Broncos.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll effusively praised Webb's value on the sideline when he followed the coach from the Bills to the Giants instead, calling him "the best teammate I've ever seen," via NJ Advanced Media:
“He’s unbelievable with his teammates in terms of off the field, studying,” Daboll said. “He would meet with Josh (Allen) every Friday night and go through our call sheet and organize it. (He’s a) great sounding board and a really good competitor."
Webb is also the son of a coach and has reportedly spoken of becoming a coach himself since entering the NFL, per ESPN's Jordan Ranaan.
Sean Payton still figuring out Broncos coaching staff
As for who will be working alongside Webb on the Broncos offensive coaching staff, that's still a work in progress. Webb will have an experienced boss in Payton, who has been slowly assembling his staff (but don't call him out on Twitter about it).
The Broncos reportedly hired Joe Lombardi on Thursday too, and he could potentially be named the team's offensive coordinator. Former Broncos head coach Vance Joseph will return to the team as defensive coordinator as well.
Webb won't be the only person to go straight from playing in the NFL to coaching in it, as Mike Klis of 9News reported that Chris Banjo, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals earlier Thursday, will become the Broncos' new assistant special teams coach.
The whole staff overhaul comes after a disastrous year for the Broncos, who traded two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick and some players for Wilson, then signed him to a five-year, $245 million contract extension. Their reward for that investment: a 5-12 record and the worst season of Wilson's career.
Any chance of the Broncos seeing immediate success under Payton will probably require a marked improvement by Wilson, who never found his footing under one-and-done head coach Nathaniel Hackett. That could mean a opportunity for Webb to open his coaching career on a good note, but also as big a challenge as anything he experienced as a player.
