CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- Vance Joseph told Denver7 he wanted a diverse offensive attack, boasting uptempo traits and personnel groups that would make defense's uncomfortable.
He took a huge step toward accomplishing the goal Friday, finalizing deals for Mike McCoy to become the offensive coordinator and Bill Musgrave to serve as the quarterbacks coach.
The Broncos secured the multi-year deals for both coaches on Friday afternoon. Their arrival provides Denver with a one-two punch from their top offensive coaches that few teams can match from an experience standpoint and familiarity with the AFC West.
The Broncos had no offensive identity last year. They ranked near the bottom of most offensive categories, and went three-and-out on nearly one third of their possessions.
McCoy has shown the ability to adapt. He helped wring the most out of quarterbacks Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton, while Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers excelled under his watch. Rivers, in particular, rebounded, winning NFL comeback Player of the Year in 2013 with the Chargers.
In Musgrave, the Broncos land a coach overqualified to lead only quarterbacks. A former Colorado prep star and one-time backup to John Elway with the Broncos, Musgrave excelled with the Raiders the past two seasons. Under his watch, Oakland's offense finished sixth in yards and ranked seven in scoring. Quarterback Derek Carr blossomed into an MVP candidate this season. Carr delivered 60 touchdowns and 19 interceptions over the past two years.
The Raiders parted ways with Musgrave in a situation that mirrored the Broncos' decision with Wade Phillips. They let Phillips walk over contract issues, among other things, rather than risk losing rising star Joe Woods. The Raiders didn't want to highly-valued quarterbacks coach Todd Downing to take a coordinator's job elsewhere, so they moved on from Musgrave. Musgrave has worked with NFL offenses for nearly two decades.
Musgrave owns a solid resume in working with young quarterbacks. And the Broncos' top priority is developing Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch. Joseph wants an offense built that allows "both to compete fairly" in an open derby. A wide-open attack with more shotgun formations would help Lynch. He struggled to accelerate his learning curve as a rookie while playing under center and in a huddle, both of which he never did at Memphis as a three-year starter.
With Musgrave's arrival -- and he will be compensated well which kept him from pursuing other opportunities -- the Broncos let quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp go. Knapp, too, was one of the best paid quarterback coaches in the league. Receivers coach Tyke Tolbert was retained.
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Want Broncos news? Denver7 Broncos insider Troy E. Renck is your source. He talks to the players, covers the games and reports scoops on Denver7 and the Denver7 app. He is a CU grad who has covered pro sports in Colorado since 1996, including 14 years at The Denver Post. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and TheDenverChannel.com’s Broncos page. Troy welcomes most of your emails at Troy.Renck@kmgh.com.