The Denver Broncos have one assistant coach in high demand throughout the NFL. Secondary coach Christian Parker is allegedly attracting interest from teams looking for a new defensive coordinator.
According to source Ian Rapoport, Parker interviewed for the position of defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers on Friday.
“The Packers have interviewed rising Broncos DBs coach Christian Parker for the vacant defensive coordinator position, according to a source.” Parker, at 32 years old, has impressed,” Rapoport tweeted.
Indeed, Parker is a “rising” figure among NFL coaches. Parker was hired by Vic Fangio in 2021 and has remained in Denver through three head coaching regimes, which is impressive.
The 32-year-old has also earned the Broncos’ trust and belief, as they nominated him last spring to participate in the NFL’s Coach Accelerator Programme, which “aims to increase exposure between owners, executives, and diverse coaching talent, providing ample opportunity to develop and build upon their relationships.”
Parker’s membership in the Accelerator Programme, combined with his hard work and accomplishments in the Broncos’ secondary, appears to have boosted his NFL coaching profile. Just five years into his NFL coaching career, he’s being considered for a pair of coordinator positions.
Parker interviewed with the New England Patriots last week for the position of defensive coordinator. Of the two interviews, Green Bay seemed to make the most sense for him because it is where he began his NFL coaching career.
Parker was appointed as the Packers’ defensive quality control assistant in 2019. He played two seasons with the club until Fangio lured him to Denver on a favourable recommendation, according to reports at the time. Parker’s experience under Fangio could play a significant role in teams’ interest in him, since Fangio disciples have become popular in the NFL in recent years.
The Denver Broncos secondary has thrived under Parker’s coaching. Safety Under Parker, Justin Simmons and cornerback Patrick Surtain II were named Pro Bowl and All-Pro, respectively, while Ja’Quan McMillian appeared out of nowhere this season to establish himself as one of the NFL’s top nickel corners. Plus, seeing P.J. Locke surge into the NFL scene was incredible.
The Broncos have some significant question marks in the secondary, which might be magnified if Parker leaves for greater pastures. Locke is an unrestricted free agent, and Denver has moved on from Kareem Jackson.
The Broncos must settle the safety position next to Simmons, assuming the All-Pro returns to finish out his contract year and is not traded. Caden Sterns is an option, but he’s missed the majority of the last two seasons due to injury, and neither Delarrin Turner-Yell nor JL Skinner appear to be ready for the starting job.
