Report: Broncos have requested permission to interview San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans

According to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schecter, the Denver Broncos have requested permission to interview San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans for their head coaching vacancy.

49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that the Broncos have put in a request to interview their defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans.

The former NFL linebacker has turned into one of the top first-year coaching candidates in the NFL this year and could interview for the Denver Broncos. He is the play-caller for one of the league's best defenses and could be viewed as the type of coach the Broncos covet in their head coaching search.

Obviously, Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh are at the top, but a coach like Ryans could be viewed as a bit of a dark horse in the Broncos' search.

Ryans took over for Robert Saleh who left the 49ers to become the New York Jets Head Coach two years ago and has quickly become one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the league. He was a finalist for the Minnesota Vikings job last year before removing himself from considerations and deciding to return to San Francisco for one more season. Now, he is once again one of the top first-year head coaching candidates out there.

The former All-Pro and 2x Pro Bowl linebacker is only 38 years old but has shown to have great leadership skills and obviously defensive play-calling skills. He knows how to command a locker room after being in one for most of his life, is a former player, and has learned under Kyle Shanahan which is a big plus. We have seen multiple coaches off the Shanahan coaching tree have success in the NFL as head coaches.

If he does an interview with the Broncos, I could see him impressing the Broncos' ownership and executives interviewing him. His leadership skills are likely a big reason why they would like to interview him. He could become the “CEO” of the Broncos and control all aspects of the team.

However, the Broncos appear to be preferring experience over inexperience during this search and that could push Ryans down on their list a bit. A really good interview could change everything, but we with the likes of Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton ahead of him, you have to view Ryans as a longshot at best.