Report: Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is a name to watch in the Broncos coaching search

A new name has entered the conversation.

According to NFL Network’s insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is a name to watch in the Broncos coaching search.

As we know, the Broncos’ coaching search has not gone as planned and they have had to open up their initial search to some candidates they probably should have interviewed in the first place. One of those candidates and the rumored “top target” of the Broncos currently is the Eagles’ defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

If you remember, Gannon interviewed with the Broncos last year and impressed them during that process, even though he was not a finalist. He was a finalist for the Texans’ job last year as well, but they ultimately went with Lovie Smith. This year, he was the early favorite for the Texans job once again, but 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans has secured that job.

The one issue here is being able to interview Gannon. Per NFL rules, if the Eagles defeat the 49ers later today, the Broncos and any other interested team that has not interviewed him at all yet will have to wait until after the Super Bowl to meet with him. This obviously would be an issue since they would have to wait two weeks before they even get to meet with him for the first time (in this search). Also, it would hamper building a coaching staff since most of the top available coaches would be already hired and also put the team way behind on scouting for the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. So, waiting until after the Super Bowl comes with increased risk, in the short-term at least.

Gannon is the man behind the Eagles’ defense that has been dominant this year and is a big reason why they’re one game away from the Super Bowl. He has a scouting background and is only 39-years old.

He appears to be the rumored “top candidate” of the new candidates, but we all know how quickly that has changed throughout this process. He’s an interesting candidate who deserves a look for a head coaching job, but if the Eagles win today, it will make things tricky for the Broncos if they truly want Gannon.