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NFL Insider Reports League Sources Aren’t Blaming Davis Webb for Broncos’ Offensive Struggles
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- NFL Insider Reports League Sources Aren’t Blaming Davis Webb for Broncos’ Offensive Struggles
Davis Webb called plays for the Denver Broncos for four games before Sean Payton took the job back this week. Around the league, though, the 31-year-old offensive coordinator is not the one getting blamed.
Jonathan Jones of The Athletic reported Saturday that sources he spoke with pointed to quarterback Bo Nix and to Payton's own hand in the weekly plan. "Bo (Nix) isn't cutting it loose regardless," one source familiar with Webb told Jones. "I would hope people around the league understand what's going on there and give Davis the benefit of the doubt." A second source noted how involved Payton has been in game planning and wondered how much of his own material Webb was able to call.
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The numbers back up Webb's defenders
Nix's average depth of target is 6.7 yards, 31st among quarterbacks, and his 48.4 overall grade ranks 31st of 33, according to PFF . In last week's loss at San Francisco, 29 of his 42 attempts went to targets behind the line of scrimmage or short of 10 yards downfield, per NFL.com.
Nix said this week that he wants to be aggressive but has been burned too many times trying to do too much. A quarterback throwing that short limits what any play caller can do.
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By Jones' count, this offense ranks last among Payton's 22 seasons as a play caller in total yards, plays and first downs per game. Denver also opened against four defenses that rank in the top 10 in points allowed, and it ranks 28th in total offense at 280.3 yards per game. Webb, who interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Bills, Ravens and Raiders in January, did not duck it Friday. "We just didn't put a full game together consistently enough," he said. "I take responsibility for that. I'm the play caller."
Payton called Webb a future head coach when he announced the change Thursday , and he gets the 0-4 Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS) in his first game back on the call sheet. If Nix is still throwing underneath, the people defending Webb will have their answer, and so will everyone along the Front Range who wanted the switch.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Oct 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
