Another Broncos offensive assistant coach and longtime aide of Sean Payton’s is out the door — but this one is of his own volition.

Senior offensive assistant Pete Carmichael, who spent the last two seasons on the Broncos’ staff after an 18-year run with the New Orleans Saints that included 15 seasons working alongside Payton, is leaving to become the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator under recently hired head coach Joe Brady. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was first to report the move.

He joins offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and wide receivers coach Keary Colbert as offensive assistant coaches not returning to Payton’s staff for the 2026 season. Both were dismissed earlier this week.

Carmichael joined the Broncos in 2024 after remaining with the Saints for two seasons after Payton left the club, assuming play-calling responsibilities under then-head coach Dennis Allen. He was the Saints’ quarterbacks coach in 2006 — Payton’s first season as an NFL head coach — and then the quarterbacks coach and pass-game coordinator in 2007 and 2008 before moving up to offensive coordinator in 2009. But he only called plays on a full-time basis in 2012 while Payton was suspended, and again after his early 2022 resignation.

In joining the Bills, Carmichael will reunite with a former Saints assistant in Brady.

BRONCOS COULD BE POISED TO SHUFFLE SOME PIECES ON THEIR OFFENSIVE STAFF

Carmichael’s departure could open the door for John Morton to assume the senior offensive assistant role after one year as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. Morton returned as an offensive consultant for the postseason; he was the Broncos’ pass-game coordinator for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Former Saints and Bills assistant coach Ronald Curry will interview for the Broncos’ offensive-coordinator position; Curry worked with Payton in New Orleans from 2016-21 in various positions, then remained for two more seasons along with Carmichael under then-head coach Dennis Allen.

Assistant head coaches Davis Webb and Zach Strief could also be in the mix for the offensive-coordinator role.