DENVER — There might be a new front-runner for the Broncos’ head coach vacancy. 

While Denver has yet to schedule any second interviews with their eight candidates, there appears to be a belief around the league that the Broncos are waiting on 49ers’ defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans. Coaching in the NFC championship game, Ryans can’t interview again until the following Sunday’s game, per league rules.

According to several reports, Ryans is a contender for the job and the Broncos will likely try to speak with him early next week. Ryans also is expected to be a finalist for the Houston Texans’ job, which is where he was drafted in 2006 and played six seasons as a linebacker in the NFL. 

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported Tuesday night that Ryans and former Stanford coach David Shaw are the perceived finalists. Shaw, who is well-known by the team’s ownership group, still seems like a long shot though, considering his inexperience in the NFL. It’s also assumed that Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is still in the mix for the job. 

Sean Payton, who many believed was the leader just a couple of days ago, might be trending toward not taking any job this cycle. The former Saints head coach has interviewed with the Broncos, Texans and Carolina Panthers and is scheduled to interview with the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday.

But according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, “as of right now, it does not seem like there is a place for Sean Payton.” Many believe Payton will opt to stay at Fox as an analyst and that he’s not Denver’s top target. The Broncos’ job was considered his preference among this year’s coach openings. 

The timeline for when the Broncos might hire a coach is anyone’s guess. The Broncos’ Walton-Penner ownership group has kept the search close to its chest, with few having insight into its thinking or who might be the top target.

But as the days go by, it seems as though the group could be waiting to speak with Ryans again, as he’s the only candidate who is still coaching and unable to speak for a second time until Monday. 

Evero interviews with Texans, Colts 

Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero interviewed for a second time with the Texans and is scheduled to speak again with the Colts on Thursday for the two teams’ head coaching vacancies. Evero has interviewed for all five openings this cycle and has been impressive in each, according to reports. 

Though it seems Evero is not a finalist for the Broncos’ top spot, he could return as the defensive coordinator if he doesn’t land a head coaching job. It seems that it’s only a matter of time before Evero lands a head coaching gig.