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Thanks to ESPN Stats and Information’s Russell S. Baxter, here is a look at the complete coaching staffs of each AFC West team:

Denver: John Fox

Dennis Allen, defensive coordinator

Mike McCoy, offensive coordinator

Jeff Rodgers, special teams coordinator

Clancy Barone, tight ends

Keith Burns, assistant special teams

Brian Callahan, quality control/offense

Adam Gase, quarterbacks

Sam Garnes, assistant secondary

Justin Lovett, strength and conditioning assistant

Dave Magazu, offensive line

Ron Milus, secondary

Wayne Nunnely, defensive line

Jay Rodgers, quality control/defense

Greg Saporta, strength and conditioning assistant

Richard Smith, linebackers

Eric Studesville, running backs

Tyke Tolbert, wide receivers

Rich Tuten, strength and conditioning

Kansas City: Todd Haley

Romeo Crennel, defensive coordinator

Bill Muir, offensive coordinator/offensive line

Maurice Carthon, assistant head coach

Richie Anderson, wide receivers

Mike Clark, strength and conditioning

Gary Gibbs, linebackers

Steve Hoffman, special teams

Bernie Parmalee, tight ends

Pat Perles, assistant offensiveBe Line

Anthony Pleasant, defensive Line

Brent Salazar, assistant strength and conditioning

Nick Sirianni, offensive quality control

Otis Smith, defensive quality control

Emmitt Thomas, defensive backs

Adam Zimmer, defensive assistant/assistant linebackers

Jim Zorn, quarterbacks

Oakland: Hue Jackson

Al Saunders, offensive coordinator

Chuck Bresnahan, defensive coordinator

John Fassel, special teams coordinator

Greg Biekert, linebackers

Chuck Bresnahan, defensive coach

Willie Brown, squad development

Adam Henry, tight ends

Sanjay Lal, wide receivers

Brad Roll, strength and conditioning

Kevin Ross, assistant coach, safeties

Kelly Skipper, running backs

Mike Waufle, defensive line

Steve Wisniewski, assistant offensive line

Rod Woodson, assistant coach, cornerbacks

Bob Wylie, offensive line

San Diego: Norv Turner

Clarence Shelmon, offensive coordinator

Greg Manusky, defensive coordinator

Rich Bisaccia, special teams

Cris Dishman, assistant secondary

Steve Gera, coaches assistant

Hal Hunter, offensive line

Jeff Hurd, strength and conditioning

Don Johnson, defensive line

Charlie Joiner, wide receivers

Jason Michael, tight ends

John Pagano, linebackers

John Ramsdell, quarterbacks

Vernon Stephens, assistant strength and conditioning

Mike Sullivan, offensive line

Steve Wilks, assistant head coach-secondary

Greg Williams, assistant linebackers

Ollie Wilson, running backs

The Carolina Panthers are not bringing back running backs coach Jim Skipper. He said he had a chance to join the Denver Broncos’ staff in a to-be-determined role.

Skipper said the Broncos’ brass wanted new coach John Fox -- who came over from Carolina -- to keep running backs Coach Eric Studesville, who did an admirable job as interim coach after Josh McDaniels was fired. Instead of going to Denver, Skipper said he will likely wait until next year for a job or retire. He was close with free agent Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams and Williams said Skipper’s future with the Panthers would play a role if he wanted to return.

Williams is also close to Fox and he could be interested in joining him. Fox likes to run the ball and he could be interested in pairing Williams with Knowshon Moreno.

Longtime Denver scout Cornell Green was named the AFC scout of the year by the Fritz Pollard Alliance. Green has been with Denver for 25 years.

New Denver Broncos coach John Fox announced a portion of his coaching staff.

As previously reported, the additions included offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and running backs coach Eric Studesville, two holdovers from Josh McDaniels’ staff. Studesville finished the season as Denver’s interim head coach. Other holdovers from McDaniels’ staff include tight ends coach Clancy Barone, defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely, defensive quality control coach Jay Rogers and offensive quality control coach Brian Callahan.

Fox also hired two of his former Carolina assistants Dave Magazu (offensive line) and Tyke Tolbert (receivers).

The biggest remaining open job on Fox’s staff is defensive coordinator. McDaniels’ defensive coordinator, Don Martindale, is not expected back. Denver was ranked last in the NFL in total defense and points allowed in 2010. Among the candidates for the top defensive post is former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks head coach Jim L. Mora and recently fired Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott.

From the look at the early additions to the staff, it seems like Fox -- a defensive specialist -- will bring in a mostly new defensive staff. That is not surprising and considering Denver’s issues this season, a coaching overhaul on defense is probably necessary.

UPDATE: ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting that McDermott has become the defensive coordinator in Carolina.

The Broncos have rewarded Eric Studesville for undertaking a difficult situation at the end of the 2010 season by bringing him back for the 2011 season.

The Denver Post is reporting that Studesville will be the running backs coach on John Fox’s staff. The two were assistants together with the New York Giants years ago. Studesville was the running backs coach under Josh McDaniels before McDaniels was fired in December with four games remaining in the season. Studesville became Denver’s interim coach and the Broncos had a 1-3 record under him.

Studesville impressed Denver’s brass with the way he handled the team after McDaniels was fired. Studesville was one of the five candidates interviewed for the head-coaching job before Fox was hired Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Broncos are looking at former Eagles defensive coordinator Sean McDermott as a potential candidate for the same job. In a radio interview, Fox further explains what he’s looking for in his coaching staff among other topics.

The Denver Broncos met with former Carolina coach John Fox on Wednesday. He is the fifth candidate to meet with the Broncos, who are giving fans an inside look of the interview process.

Denver is now expected to review the candidates and decide whether to bring in any other possibilities. At this point, Denver is not preparing to ask permission to talk to speak to any other candidates. There is a strong chance that Denver’s new coach has already been interviewed.

The following is a look at the five candidates:

Rick Dennison, offensive coordinator, Houston Texans

When interviewed: Tuesday

The skinny: Dennison is a former Denver player and assistant coach. He is the most connected of the candidates to John Elway, Denver's new chief of football operations. Dennison interviewed to replace Mike Shanahan two years ago and is a quiet, smart coach. I’d be surprised, however, if he was the choice.

Perry Fewell, New York Giants, defensive coordinator

When interviewed: Sunday

The Skinny: He is considered one of the better young defensive minds in the NFL. He is a detailed coach, who impressed Denver’s brain trust with leadership abilities. I could see him getting a second interview.

John Fox, former Carolina Panthers head coach

When interviewed: Wednesday

The skinny: Fox is the headline name of this mostly unknown group. He has coached Carolina for the past nine years, is a strong presence, and is a good football man. Even though the Panthers tumbled terribly this season, hiring someone as experienced as Fox could be considered a coup. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the leader in the clubhouse.

Dirk Koetter, Jacksonville Jaguars, offensive coordinator

When interviewed: Tuesday

The skinny: Koetter may be a sleeper candidate. He is well respected as a strong offensive mind. Koetter is a reserved, quiet man who is known for his dedication. He was the coach at Arizona State and at Boise State and has the head-coaching experience that Elway desires. He could score with another interview.

Eric Studesville, Denver Broncos interim head coach

When interviewed: Sunday

The skinny: Studesville is the underdog candidate. He was Denver’s running backs coach before he took over for the fired Josh McDaniels in the final four games. Studesville finished with a 1-3 record, but Denver’s brass appreciated how hard he worked and how he kept the team together in the final month of the season. I’d be stunned if he got the head-coaching job, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team tried to keep him in some capacity.

Note: Former Stanford and new San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh, Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams all declined interview opportunities. If the Falcons lose to Green Bay on Saturday, Mularkey could still interview.

The Denver Broncos have lost another candidate for their head-coaching job.

It is being reported that New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has withdrawn himself from consideration. Williams interested Denver partly because he has head-coaching experience from his time in Buffalo. Williams was scheduled to interview in Denver on Wednesday.

He is the third candidate Denver has pursued that has declined to talk to the team. Former Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh ended up going to San Francisco and Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey has postponed his interview until after the Falcons’ season is over. He’ll likely interview with the Broncos if they don’t already have a new coach by that time. The Broncos were not upset with Mularkey’s decision, but they will not purposely wait for him, either.

While Harbaugh would have been a slam-dunk hire, Mularkey and Williams were not considered sure things in Denver.

Denver is talking to Houston offensive coordinator Rick Dennison (a former Denver player and coach who interviewed for the job two years ago) and Jacksonville offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter on Tuesday. Former Carolina head coach John Fox will interview on Wednesday.

Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and Denver interim coach Eric Studesville have already interviewed. The team could add to the list;it hopes to hire a new coach by next week after a round of second interviews for the finalists.

After disposed coach Josh McDaniels alienated many fans, the team -- led by new vice president of football operations John Elway -- is doing its best to regain the trust of the fan base. Tuesday, Elway asked fans what they’d ask candidates, via Twitter. Also, the team is showing clips of the interview process on its website. No other team has ever done that.

There is heavy talk that San Diego defensive coordinator Ron Rivera is going to be named the head coach in Carolina.

The deal is not done, but Rivera is expected to meet with Carolina ownership Tuesday in a second interview, and if all goes well, a deal could get done soon. Rivera deserves this chance. He has had several interviews for head-coaching jobs in recent years and he did a great job in San Diego. The Chargers had the No.1 ranked defense in the NFL this season.

There is talk around the NFL that San Francisco defensive coordinator Greg Manusky could replace Rivera in San Diego. Chargers head coach Norv Turner and Manusky have a history together.

If Rivera gets the Carolina job, there will be key openings in every AFC West city. Denver and Oakland will have new head coaches and Kansas City is looking for a new offensive coordinator, where Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy is considered an option.

Denver’s head-coaching search continues to take shape. New Denver football leader John Elway announced New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will interview Wednesday. Former Carolina coach John Fox will interview Wednesday instead of Monday because of travel issues. Houston offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and Jacksonville offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter will be interviewed Tuesday. Giants’ defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and Denver interim coach Eric Studesville were interviewed on Sunday.

Denver could add to its list of six and could eventually talk to Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey after the Falcons’ season is over if the Broncos’ search, which could be 7-10 days from conclusion, is not concluded. Mularkey postponed his interview last week.

The Raiders’ search has been typically quiet. Still, Oakland offensive coordinator Hue Jackson is expected to be promoted, although names such as former Oakland offensive coordinator Marc Trestman continue to emerge. Still, I’d be surprised if Jackson doesn’t get the job.

With the Jim Harbaugh pipedream all but over for the Denver Broncos, new Denver football czar John Elway is streamlining his wish list.

If Denver fans are looking for a household name or seat filler, they may want to temper your hopes. While the list can change at any time, the current group of the Broncos’ candidates is not filled with bright-light names.

Elway said Friday the Broncos are likely out of the Harbaugh talks. Elway did say he is seeking permission to talk to former Denver assistant and current Houston offensive coordinator Rick Dennison and he may call former Giants coach Jim Fassel. Elway has ties to both men.

Other people Denver is going to interview are Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell (who may be the top choice at the moment) and Denver interim coach Eric Studesville. New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is expected to be interviewed when the Saints’ season is complete. Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey (considered by many as a top Denver choice) has postponed his interview until after the Falcons’ season ends.

Once you get past Mularkey and perhaps Fewell, this isn’t an overly exciting list. It’s not to say these aren’t good coaches, but they are far from Harbaugh when it comes to name recognition.

In the end, I’m not surprised Harbaugh probably isn't going to end up in Denver. He was too costly for the Broncos’ blood. Plus, I’m not sure if it was a great fit. It seems to me that Harbaugh is the type who will want to make his own decisions. After moving away from Mike Shanahan and Josh McDaniels in the past two years, the Broncos want their coach to just coach and not make personnel decisions.

Any of the above names would surely be fine with that arrangement.

I wouldn’t be surprised if other names pop up. They could include former Baltimore coach Brian Billick, Miami defensive coordinator and former Denver defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, Philadelphia assistant Marty Mornhinweg, San Diego defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers.

Billick could be an interesting candidate. He likely wouldn’t be overly expensive and he has had a lot of NFL success.

The Duke is back in charge in Denver.

In his introductory news conference to announce that he is the new front-office leader of the team, legendary Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway took command.

He made it clear that it will be his job to regain the fan base's trust that was lost during the Josh McDaniels debacle. Elway spoke on what he is looking for in a coach (he is going to call Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh) and he made it clear that any coach who doesn’t believe in Tim Tebow, probably isn’t the man for the job. McDaniels may have been the person responsible for bringing Tebow to Denver, but the quarterback has won over the rest of the organization, including Elway.

Here are some highlights from Elway’s conference, with quotes provided by the Broncos’ public relations department:

On whether he has maintained discussions with Harbaugh since the Orange Bowl

“I have not, not yet. We are going to put a call into him and see where he is falling and hopefully we get that done today or tomorrow and find out exactly where he is. Obviously, he just got back from the Orange Bowl. I think they got back yesterday and he had some different things that he had to do, so we do have a call into him (and) hope to hear back and see what direction he is going to go ... I did see Jim down there (at the Orange bowl). I did mention to him that I understood everything that was going on and did not want to take a lot of his time with the game that he had to play and the everything that he had to do. But, I did mention to him that if he decided that he wanted to jump to the NFL and wanted to go in the NFL direction that the Denver Broncos would be interested.”

My take: Elway is no on the record about wanting Harbaugh. Let’s see if the Broncos can get him. The San Francisco 49ers have a head start -- they are meeting with Harbaugh on Wednesday.

(Read full post)

Wisely, the Denver Broncos are planning to talk to some defensive coaches in their search to find Josh McDaniels' replacement.

New Denver leader John Elway told the Denver Post he will ask permission to talk to Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. Williams has head-coaching experience. Fewell is also garnering interest from San Francisco, Cleveland and Carolina.

Denver will also talk to Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and Denver interim coach Eric Studesville. There has been talk that Mularkey could be the leading candidate because of his ability to work with a young quarterback such as Tim Tebow.

But Denver does have some major shoring up to do on defense. It allowed a league-high 471 points this season. Talking to coaches like Fewell and Williams is a sign Denver is prepared to do its due diligence in this process.

Also, Elway told the Denver Post he didn’t get the chance to talk to Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh about the job while Elway served as an honorary Stanford captain in the team’s Orange Bowl win Monday. Still, if Elway wants to talk to Harbaugh, I’m sure he’ll get the opportunity.

We mentioned last week that Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey could be a hot commodity in Denver, and on Tuesday the Broncos showed that they are very interested in the former Buffalo head coach.

The Broncos announced on Twitter that they will interview Mularkey on Friday. He is the first announced outside interview. Interim head coach Eric Studesville is also being interviewed, but he’s considered to be a long shot.

There is significance that Mularkey is the first announced interview. The Atlanta Falcons are the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and they have a bye this week. This is the only week Mularkey can interview until the Falcons’ season is over.

Mularkey is considered a potential favorite in Denver because of his head-coaching experience, his willingness to simply coach the team and his work with Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan. Denver has quarterback Tim Tebow going into his second season and his development is paramount to the team’s future.

Meanwhile, perhaps an obstacle to pursuing Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh has been hurdled for Denver. It is being reported that he is unlikely to go to his alma mater, Michigan. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported John Elway (who will be introduced Wednesday as the Broncos’ new front-office leader) is wooing Harbaugh.

San Francisco, Miami and Carolina could also pursue Harbaugh. If one of those teams give Harbaugh personnel power, it could be enticing. That very likely won’t happen in Denver with Elway talking over.

UPDATE: Mularkey will also interview in Cleveland.

The Denver Post is reporting that interim Denver coach Eric Studesville will be interviewed for the permanent job.

This is not a surprise and it’s the right thing for Denver to do. I still think Studesville is a long-shot candidate. But he deserves a chance.

Studesville has done an admirable job in keeping the Broncos on track since being promoted from running backs coach when coach Josh McDaniels was fired suddenly with four weeks remaining. The Broncos were blown out in their first two games under Studesville, but came back to beat Houston last week.

Studesville is enthusiastic and has kept the team focused. For a guy who has never had a role higher than a position coach, this experience as an interim coach and the opportunity to interview for a head-coaching job will be invaluable. Statesville is African-American. His interview will satisfy the NFL’s Rooney rule, which mandates every team must interview at least one minority candidate.

UPDATE: At his news briefing Friday, Studesville confirmed he is expected to get an interview.

Denver interim coach Eric Studesville said cornerback Champ Bailey will likely be a game-time decision Sunday with an ankle injury that has kept him out of practice this week. Bailey will be a free agent at the end of the season and this could be his final game in Denver.

Bailey told reporters in Denver that he has thought that this could be the end of his time with the Broncos.

“Yes, it has crossed my mind a few times,” Bailey said. “I am still optimistic that I can get something done here, but obviously I do not hold all the cards in that decision. It is just one of those things that I have to wait and see. If it happens, it happens. If this is my last game, then it is my last game, and so be it. I am not going to act like it is my last game. I am going to go play like I always play -- if I can play. I am not going to treat it any differently.”

Denver running back Knowshon Moreno was limited Thursday in practice after not practicing Wednesday with a ribs injury.

There was chatter in Denver that the Houston Texans may have been a tad aggressive in hitting Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow after the whistle in a 24-23 Denver win Sunday.

When asked about it Wednesday, Denver interim coach Eric Studesville wasn’t up in arms about the situation, but told reporters this: “There were a couple of things [last week] that maybe were extra, but Tim plays the game with a great intensity and a great energy, and people don’t always appreciate that. Our team certainly does.”

As for Tebow, he doesn’t seem overly concerned about taking extra hits or the notion that his style may invite cheap shots. Tebow said he got used to it while starring at Florida.

“Most of the time, it is just to rattle you or get under your skin or something like that,” Tebow told reporters in Denver. "If anything, I love it more because it makes the game more competitive and more fun and probably gets me going a little bit more as well.”

Asked if he thought he was more of a late-hit target than other quarterbacks, Tebow said, “I don’t know. Maybe some people might look at it like that, but I am sure that some don’t. I think there is probably a mixture.”

I’m not ready to say Tebow is or will be a regular target for defensive players. I think defensive players, in the heat of the battle, aim to nail every quarterback, whether he’s "Average Joe QB" or someone as publicized as Tebow. But it will be interesting to see if the trend continues Sunday against San Diego.

Meanwhile, Tebow is excited about the prospect of Denver legendary quarterback John Elway joining the Broncos’ front office. Elway is expected to join the team as soon as next week.

“I think it would be great,” Tebow said. “I think all the players here, including myself, have a great respect for John and what he did in the NFL as one of the best quarterbacks ever. He knows this game extremely well and he is someone that understands it and knows what the players are going through and knows how to help them and everything like that. I think that players would be totally on board with that and I think it could only be a benefit.”

Champ Bailey may be entering his final week with the Denver Broncos and the future Hall of Fame cornerback already may have played his final game with the organization.

Whether he’s on the field or on the sideline against visiting San Diego on Sunday, Denver fans should enjoy Bailey. His seven-season stint with the team may be coming to an end. Bailey aggravated a heel injury Sunday against Houston. Interim Denver coach Eric Studesville said Monday that Bailey will be evaluated throughout the week. I could see a scenario where Bailey is rested to avoid further damage the injury.

Bailey is a free agent after the season. Denver and Bailey were minutes from finalizing an extension early in the season when the Broncos tabled the talks until after the season. Now, those talks will surely be put off until after Denver forms its front office. If John Elway joins the club as expected and if current general manager Brian Xanders stays, Denver may be more inclined to pursue keeping Bailey than a new regime.

Bailey is on the record for saying that he’d be interested in staying in Denver. His agent Jack Reale said there has been no change in contract talks.

Regardless, Bailey, 32, had another strong season for Denver. Because Bailey is getting older, he may be interested in going on the open market to go to a winning team instead of staying in Denver where the Broncos are rebuilding.