The Broncos fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi to keep Davis Webb. Not only is Webb now the Broncos' offensive coordinator, he is also the team's new play caller.
For the first time in Sean Payton's head coaching career, he will not serve as the team's full-time play caller.
"It was something that I kind of knew during the year," Payton said Tuesday. "He and I visited on a handful of occasions. He's extremely talented. With regards to play calling, it's something that I think he'll be really good at it. I know that's like, 'Man, are you going to give up play calling?' I would only do that if I thought it would help our team. I'll still be involved with what we do offensively, just like what we do defensively, but I do think he has a gift. I think he's real sharp. I'm glad he's on our staff. Typically, any decision we make like that is to benefit our team. I'm looking forward to it. . . . I think it'll help us, and certainly I wouldn't do it if I didn't think it was going to help our team win. You get to a point where you're focused strictly on improving your team any way you can."
Bills General Manager Brandon Beane actually broke the news about Webb earlier in the day at Beane's media availability at the Scouting Combine. Webb spent four seasons as a backup quarterback in Buffalo and interviewed for the Bills' head coaching job last month.
Webb, 31, called plays in a preseason game last summer, drawing praise from Payton after the game.
Quarterback Bo Nix was not consulted before Payton made his decision.
"A lot of it is, the minute the season ends, you have a number of coaches interviewing for other jobs. You have coaches you definitely want to retain," Payton said. "And it's never going to be quite on your timeline. It's great to see Declan [Doyle] advancing. But it wasn't on my timeline. In other words, it just happens faster.
"I remember there was a point during the year where he and I visited and it was relative to the position he has, but also more than just having the position, being someone who would have more input and would be able to call plays. It's still going to be our offense, but I think it's easier to do as you get older, and you look at, 'How do we win more games?'"
Payton did not call plays for the first time as a head coach in 2012 with the Saints. Pete Carmichael called them while Payton was serving his suspension. Carmichael called them again at the beginning of the 2016 season, in a 2021 game against the Colts after Payton broke his leg and in a 2021 game against the Bucs when Payton had COVID.
But Payton has never relinquished them full-time until now, though he said he will "still call some plays during the game."
"I think he's sharp," Payton said of Davis. "I think he's been around it. He's a coach's kid. He played quarterback, and then in the preseason, he was really good.
"I want to do everything I can support to him, so we're not going to sit and grade his play calling each week. At least, hopefully we're not. It's more about the team."