Former Wisconsin Badgers coach Jim Leonhard connected to open defensive coordinator role on team he played for

While the language Schefter used in his report was not very firm, it's a strong indication that Leonhard will be a front-runner for the job.

Schefter can't say yet whether Leonhard will get the job for sure, because he and other candidates will still have to formally interview for it, but this report indicates a clear preference from new Bills head coach Joe Brady.

The move makes sense for Leonhard, who began his NFL playing career in Buffalo after going undrafted following his college career at Wisconsin.

His UDFA status was reflective of questions about his size translating to the NFL, rather than his production. During his college career with the Badgers, he recorded 21 interceptions, and he led the Big Ten in punt returns during his final season.

Leonhard's first three seasons were with the Bills, and then he returned to the team for one more year late in his career.

Now, he could get his first NFL defensive coordinator role on the team that first gave him a shot as a player.

His only defensive coordinating experience came during his six seasons in the role at Wisconsin under head coach Paul Chryst.

Leonhard has spent the last two seasons as defensive backs coach and defensive pass game coordinator for the Denver Broncos.

He has been connected to a number of defensive coordinator openings around the NFL, but he hadn't been able to formally interview him while his Broncos were still in the playoffs.

Now that Denver has been eliminated, he is free to interview for and accept any coordinator job that becomes available to him.

Some Wisconsin fans are still holding out hope that he could someday return to Madison as a permanent head coach if the role becomes available again.

But the farther he advances in the NFL coaching world, the harder it will be to lure him back to his alma mater.