Joseph already met with Arizona during the first round of interviews, and with the Super Bowl now set, the Cardinals can move quickly on candidates from the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams, including Joseph and Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
With Buffalo taking Joe Brady off the market, one of the most popular offensive options is gone, which only makes the Cardinals’ remaining shortlist feel more defined.
Why Joseph is still the name to watch in Arizona
Even with league chatter pointing to Arizona exploring an offense-leaning direction, Joseph remains the Cardinals’ top defensive-minded candidate and the one with the cleanest “plug in and lead” profile if they decide to build around that side of the ball.
He has head coaching experience from his time with the Denver Broncos, and his current run as Denver’s defensive coordinator has kept him firmly in the conversation during this cycle.
The #AZCardinals are hiring #Broncos Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph to be their next Head Coach, with contract being finalized today, per @MHJxNolen.
— Mervin (@MervinBustmante) January 26, 2026
Joseph returns to the desert after a 2nd stint with the Broncos where he very quickly built a Top 3 Defensive Unit in the NFL pic.twitter.com/9lH7MslmpW
Arizona has been connected to Joseph and LaFleur more than other names now that those staffs are immediately available, and the Cardinals have already begun moving into second-interview territory with other candidates as the process accelerates.
How the rest of the carousel helps Joseph’s chances
Buffalo officially hired Joe Brady, and that move also created ripples elsewhere, including more movement around Denver’s staff.
At the same time, Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb has been getting head coach interest too, including interviews tied to the Las Vegas Raiders, which further narrows the board and keeps Joseph’s Arizona connection front and center.
Arizona Cardinals top candidate is reportedly Broncos DC Vance Joseph pic.twitter.com/nIsnT08kxF
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) January 27, 2026
The Cardinals can go offense if they want, but if they decide their next coach needs to set a tougher identity and stabilize the program fast, Joseph is still the candidate most consistently positioned to make that happen.
Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
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