ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos have fired offensive co-ordinator Mike McCoy and will turn over play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.

The person, speaking on condition of anonymity Monday because the team hasn't made any announcement, confirmed the firing that was first reported by NFL.com.

The switch could be a precursor to giving former first-round draft pick Paxton Lynch an audition at quarterback.

The Broncos (3-7) are mired in a six-game skid, and McCoy has increasingly drawn scrutiny for his overly complex game plans and insistence on using three wide receivers as his base formation to both pass and run, even though the vast majority of the Broncos' penalties, sacks and turnovers have come out of that formation.

McCoy joined Vance Joseph's staff in January for a second stint as Denver's offensive co-ordinator after he was fired following a middling four-year run as the Chargers' head coach.

It was originally believed that if he helped guide the Broncos back to the playoffs, McCoy's stint could be short, as he'd be a hot candidate for the next coaching carrousel.

Instead, he lasted just 10 games.

Whether it was Trevor Siemian or Brock Osweiler starting, McCoy produced game plans as though Peyton Manning were still Denver's signal-caller. McCoy was recently instructed to simplify things, but he continued to rely heavily on "11 personnel," the NFL's vernacular for one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers.

He did that despite an offensive line struggling with pass rushers and beset by injuries. Plus, the Broncos don't have a slot receiver that scared defences, and their tight end corps is one of the worst in the league.

McCoy's first stint in Denver was much more successful. He scrapped an offence midseason for Tim Tebow in 2011 and the following season helped Manning transition to his new team as he began a spectacularly successful comeback following neck fusion surgery.