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The good, the bad & the ugly of the 2012 season from a financial perspective.

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The 2012 Contract Awards (National Football Post)

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) – Welcome to the Denver Broncos 2013 job fair. Offensive coordinator Mike McCoy has interviews for vacant head-coaching jobs set up all weekend. If a few things fall certain ways, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio could be next on a few teams’ lists. Such is life as an assistant coach of a winning team when there are plenty of losing teams out there looking for a turnaround. Executives from up to four teams – Cardinals, Bills, Eagles and Bears – could wind up in Denver this weekend to visit with McCoy for what will essentially be a get-to-know-you interview for both the coach and the interested suitors. McCoy has become as coveted an interview as there is since “Black Monday,” the day seven NFL teams fired their coaches. He can afford to be picky. Knowing as much, he says he’ll be asking as many questions as he answers when the process starts. “If you’re going into a new situation, you’ve got to make sure it’s the right one,” said McCoy, who interviewed with Miami last year and was, for a time, thought to be the leading candidate there. “It’s not just about taking any job.” This year, McCoy coached the fourth-ranked offense in the league, a unit that scored 30 or more points in all but five games this season. True, he had Peyton Manning on his side, which can make almost any coach look like a genius. Just as impressive were his accomplishments in 2011, when he turned Tim Tebow into a playoff quarterback, reconstructing the playbook in midseason into a 1950s-style, run-based offense that won nine games despite the league’s 31st-ranked passing offense. “That’s our job as a football coach, is to take advantage of your talent and that’s the No. 1 job I have here,” McCoy said. “We’ve got to make adjustments as a coaching staff, as players, and figure out, `What do we do best as an organization?’” Other highlights on McCoy’s resume are his nine years as an assistant for John Fox and a glowing endorsement from Manning. “I think he’s ready. I think he’s paid his dues,” Manning said. “Mike’s a good leader. He’s had some good coaches that have been mentors to him, different coaches that he’s worked with in his years in the NFL that I think he’s incorporated some of their leadership philosophies and his own philosophy.” Del Rio’s path back to a head-coaching job could be a little trickier. So far, Del Rio said, there have been no requests for interviews this weekend, though things often develop quickly and unexpectedly on a coaching search. He wasn’t on anyone’s radar when Jacksonville hired him in 2003, after three years as linebackers coach at Baltimore followed by a year in Carolina as Fox’s defensive coordinator. Over the nine years with the Jaguars, Del Rio went 69-73 and made two playoff appearances – a tenure with plenty of ups and downs, but during which he built a solid reputation as a coach who knows defense and connects with players. This year, he reunited with Fox, took several pieces already in place and molded them into the third-ranked defense in the league, led by Von Miller , who finished with a franchise record 18 1/2 sacks. If he leaves, Denver will be looking for its eighth defensive coordinator in eight years. “If it happens, it happens,” cornerback Champ Bailey said. “It’s really not my place to put my opinion on it.” But if Del Rio is to become a head coach again, he wants it to be with the right team, not just the next team that’s looking. “I’m certainly aware of the different strengths and weaknesses of different places,” he said. “I know my own abilities, certainly much greater than I did when I was made a head coach 10 years ago. You gain experience in this league and you grow. I don’t spend a lot of time looking through other people’s football teams and what their issues are and how you’d solve them.” If asked to do that, however, he would. Fact is, he simply loves coaching, which is why he returned to the field this year, the season after he got fired while still under contract in Jacksonville. “I’m actually paying to be here,” Del Rio said. “I could be laying on a beach somewhere making more money. But I took this job because I wanted to work. I do have a passion to teach, to help young men be better, and to be part of a team.” NFL rules call for all interviews of assistants on teams with a playoff bye to be complete by the end of the weekend. The Broncos added a caveat for their assistants, telling teams they’d have to come to Denver for the talks instead of having their assistants travel. In one case, the Broncos shut down an interview opportunity – when AFC West rival San Diego asked about talking to director of player personnel Matt Russell for its open GM position. Regardless of whether the Broncos coaches and executives are doing interviews, they insist there is only one focus: helping this team get to the Super Bowl. “Everyone has individual goals, as a coach and a player, but it’s team first here and we still have a lot left here,” McCoy said. “Hopefully, one day I will become a head coach but we still have a lot of football ahead of us here and we’ll see what happens down the road.” Notes : LB Wesley Woodyard , who led the team this season in tackles and a willingness to talk, was named the 2012 winner of the sixth annual Darrent Williams Good Guy Award, given by the Denver chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association to the player who best exemplifies the late cornerback’s cooperation with the media. … RB Willis McGahee walked through the locker room Thursday with a big wrap on his surgically repaired right knee but without any noticeable limp. He’s eligible to return to action if the Broncos reach the AFC championship. By EDDIE PELLS, AP National Writer (© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Winning Broncos Assistants Become Popular

By Rich Kurtzman (Credit, Rob Carr/Getty Images) Are the Broncos the best? An 11-game winning streak, an elite quarterback and what experts are calling the most complete team in football have many believing Denver is the top dog. With Peyton Manning back and basically better than ever, the Broncos are never out of a game. Evidence is their three comeback victories, including coming from 24 points down to beat the Chargers 35-24. Of course, their defense has allowed a fourth-least 18 points per game, boasting the best pass-rushing front and allowing only 91 yards per game on the ground. Special teams has been special at times when Trindon Holliday is on top of his game, while even Denver’s coaching has been key to their success. Still, the reality is that the Broncos have come together over the course of this season – there are more experienced teams and others that are nearly as hot as Denver. Let’s take a look at which teams could possibly knock the Broncos out of the postseason. AFC Baltimore Ravens: This may seem contrarian considering the 34-17 beatdown the Broncos put on the Ravens in Baltimore, but they’re still a very good team. Ray Rice only rushed for 38 yards in Week 15, but he’s an 1,100 yard back with nine touchdowns, and if Joe Flacco is on his game, he’s dangerous. Plus, Ray Lewis announced he’ll be retiring following the team’s playoff run, making them even more dangerous for any opponent. New England Patriots: The Broncos can’t play the Patriots until the AFC Championship game – if the two teams make it that far – and New England presents the most difficult matchup. Tom Brady, like Manning, is one of a handful of elite QBs that can control the pace of the game and put up extraordinary scoring numbers. The Patriots not only put up a season-high 251 yards rushing against Denver in Week Five, but their 34.8 makes them the only team to put up more points than the Broncos 30.1 per game. Plus, they get earned a bye week just like Denver, meaning they’ll be rested before having to play next Sunday. NFC If Denver can somehow find a way to make their seventh Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, these are two teams that would definitely be difficult. Seattle Seahawks: Seattle has won five straight games, thanks to both awesome offense and dominant defense. The Seahawks scored 50 against the Bills and put up a 58-0 shutout of the Cardinals in Week 14, and Russell Wilson is leading the attack with efficient passing and speedy running. Seattle is also similar to the Broncos in that they have physical cornerbacks that try to shut down opposing receivers. Green Bay Packers: Green Bay is the most recent team in the playoffs to win a Super Bowl, giving them an experience edge. Rodgers is another of the few superb quarterbacks in the NFL, and with the litany of receiving threats he possesses, could match Manning drive for drive in an offensive shootout. The Packers do have defensive playmakers like Clay Matthews (13 sacks) and Charles Woodson as well, while Randal Cobb is one of the deadliest return men in the league today. We’ll have to wait until the games this weekend to find out who the orange and blue will face, but in the end, the only team that will beat the Denver Broncos is the Denver Broncos. For more Local Football Bloggers and the latest Broncos news, see  CBS Sports Denver . Rich Kurtzman is a Denver native, Colorado State University alumnus, sports nerd, athletics enthusiast, and competition junkie. Currently writing for a multitude of websites while working on books, one on the history of the Denver Broncos and Mile High Stadium. Find more of Rich’s Denver Broncos pieces on Examiner.com .

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The Scariest Playoff Opponents For The Denver Broncos

ENGLEWOOD — The Broncos have tried to keep things lively this week, with coach John Fox leaning on the competitiveness of his starters.

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Broncos trying to stay sharp in practice