John Elway has had a massive failure when it comes to the offseason.
He’s let too many key pieces go from his roster, and too many questions on who will fill those spots. Forget for a second it’s not even April yet. Or that the players have yet to step on the field with their new coaches.
The biggest offseason move didn’t involve a player. That distinction is held for a coach who was brought in by new head coach Gary Kubiak.
And it was a huge get when Kubiak made it happen. That came about nine weeks ago when he added defensive line coach Bill Kollar to his staff. Kollar was with the Houston Texans in the same role last season. Check that: this is a helluva pickup for the Broncos and Kubiak.
Kollar is considered one of the best defensive line coaches in the NFL – if not the best. As Houston Chronicle NFL reporter John McClain said on Twitter when the move was announced, “(Kolar) played a key role in J.J. Watt’s development.”
Kollar worked with Kubiak when Kubiak was the head coach in Houston and the two, obviously, have a strong relationship to want to work together again for the Broncos.
The other reason Kollar wants to coach in Denver is a little closer to his heart.“It’s difficult to leave (the Texans), but I appreciate OB (Bill O’Brien) letting me do this. I’ve got two grandkids in Denver I can see.”
It speaks volumes on the class of the Texans to allow a great coach to leave in a lateral move to a different team. In the same refrain, what does that say about the Cincinnati Bengals who didn’t allow one of their assistants, Vance Joseph, to get a promotion as the Broncos defensive coordinator?
Regardless, Kubiak and the Broncos added a huge piece to their coaching staff puzzle. Added with the other additions to the defensive coaching staff, Wade Phillips Reggie Herring, Fred Pagac and Joe Woods, you won’t find a better defensive coaching staff in the NFL. But the most important, at least in my mind, is Kollar.
With the expectations on third-year defensive tackle Sylvester Williams, and the need for the defensive line to dominate the line scrimmage (something it hasn’t done consistently in two seasons), the Broncos need a proven coach. It doesn’t get more proven than Kollar, given what he did with Watt. No wonder Elway and Kubiak think Williams will live up the expectations. Would you want to miss with a guy who wrestled a bear?
Throw a fit over the lack of “huge” roster moves by Elway. Shout from the rooftops that the Broncos have regressed.
The biggest move Elway and Kubiak made was getting Kollar to Denver.
