Broncos to hire former coach Vance Joseph as defensive coordinator

Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Vance Joseph agreed to join coach Sean Payton's staff as defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos. Joseph, the Broncos coach in 2017 and 2018, was the Arizona Cardinals' defensive coordinator for the last four years.

Sources told ESPN, NFL Network and The Athletic on Thursday that the Broncos will hire Joseph.

The Cardinals allowed the second-most points and ranked 21st in yards allowed last season. They allowed the ninth-most passing yards and ranked 14th in rushing yards allowed.

The Cardinals' defense allowed the most yards in the NFL in 2019, Joseph's first season with the team. It allowed the 13th-fewest and 11th-fewest yards, respectively, in 2020 and 2021. They ranked inside the Top 10 in pass defense during that span.

The Broncos allowed the third-fewest yards in 2017, Joseph's first season as an NFL head coach. They ranked 22nd in yards allowed in 2018. The Broncos fired Joseph at the end of the 2018 season.

Joseph started his coaching career in 1999 as a graduate assistant at Colorado. He moved on to become Wyoming defensive backs coach in 2002 and then was hired for that role in 2003 at Colorado. He coached defensive backs again in 2004 at Bowling Green.

Joseph joined the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff in 2005. He served as assistant defensive backs coach for his first season with the 49ers. He was promoted and served as defensive backs coach for the 49ers from 2006 through 2010.

He served as Houston Texans defensive backs coach from 2011 through 2013. He held the same role with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2014 and 2015. Joseph served as Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator in 2016 and joined the Broncos the next off-season.

The Broncos fired coach Nathaniel Hackett in December. They acquired Payton earlier this month as part of a trade with the New Orleans Saints.

The Broncos had the No. 7 defense in the NFL last season. They allowed the eighth-fewest rushing yards and 12th-fewest passing yards.