Broncos expected to hire Packers’ Justin Outten as offensive coordinator, per reports

New Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett has been trying to get one of the Green Bay Packers’ assistant coaches as his offensive coordinator for a few days. After the former Packers OC requested to interview offensive line coach Adam Stenavich for that job, the Packers denied that request, ultimately promoting Stenavich on Monday to the job that Hackett vacated. Hackett also reportedly asked to talk to wide receivers coach Jason Vrable, but he did not interview, either by his own choice or because the Packers blocked the interview.

However, one person on Green Bay’s staff who did interview with Hackett in Denver is tight ends coach Justin Outten. Now, Hackett appears to have locked in on Outten as his OC. Lance Allan of WTMJ TV in Milwaukee reports that the Broncos have offered Outten the job, while beat writer Tom Silverstein implied on Tuesday afternoon that Outten’s hiring is all but official.

If and when this is finalized, Outten will not call plays in Denver, a job that Hackett will carry out for the first time since his time as offensive coordinator in Jacksonville. Instead, Outten should play a similar role for Hackett that Hackett did for LaFleur — helping to devise game plans and direct responsibilities among other members of the offensive coaching staff.

This will leave the Packers with another hole to fill on their offensive coaching staff, as three members of that group have left for higher-profile positions. In addition to Hackett and Outten going to Denver, former quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy took the offensive coordinator job with the Chicago Bears, which comes with play-calling duties. The Packers have promoted some coaches from within, but the team still has yet to announce a replacement for Getsy.

Matt LaFleur hired Outten in Green Bay three years ago as the Packers’ tight ends coach. The two worked together previously in Atlanta in 2016, when Outten was a coaching intern; he would remain with the Falcons as an offensive line assistant for the next two years before his hiring in Green Bay.