MOBILE, Ala. — Two years ago, Kyle Shanahan was hired as coach of the San Francisco 49ers and gave Rich Scangarello a huge break by naming him quarterbacks coach. Last week, Scangarello was hired as the Broncos’ new offensive coordinator, which Shanahan said is a deserving opportunity.

“Rich did a great job,” Shanahan said here Tuesday at the Senior Bowl. “It’s tough to lose him.”

Scangarello coached with the Oakland Raiders in 2009, but returned to the college ranks until 2015, when he was hired by Atlanta in a quality control-type role thanks to a connection with a Falcons assistant. Shanahan was Atlanta’s offensive coordinator at the time.

“I started with Rich in Atlanta, where he worked mainly in the run (game) and helping out our offensive line coach (Chris Morgan),” Shanahan said. “But he was always a quarterback guy and that’s why I wanted to bring him to San Francisco.”

Scangarello was the offensive coordinator at Wagner (N.Y.) College when Shanahan brought him back to the NFL with the 49ers.

“Spending two years with him, we got a lot closer through that; we got to go through a lot of things together,” Shanahan said. “Rich is a very good coach. He’s called plays a number of times in college and he’ll do a very good job in Denver.”

Towering presence. Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson looks like a linebacker on the field. Jackson was measured at 6-foot-7 and 249 pounds and has 10-inch hands.

Jackson was a late invite to the Senior Bowl because he completed his degree requirements while also declaring for the draft. He is one 11 players who are in that category this week.

Another tall player is Stetson tight end Donald Parnam, who is 6 feet, 8 3/8 inches and 243 pounds.

Honoring Heckert. During the weigh-ins Tuesday, former Broncos executive Tom Heckert and former Cleveland/San Francisco executive Dwight Clark were honored with a moment of silence.

Heckert, who died at age 51 in August, worked in the NFL for 27 years, including 2013-17 for the Broncos. Clark worked 12 years for San Francisco and Cleveland after a 13-year playing career.

Footnotes. The Broncos signed offensive lineman Don Barclay to a future contract on Tuesday. Barclay, 29, has made 25 career starts (22 at right tackle, two at right guard and one at left tackle) for Green Bay and Detroit. He was most recently with New Orleans in the 2018 preseason. … The Broncos hired former player Chris Kuper as their assistant offensive line coach. Kuper, who interviewed with the team last week, will work with new offensive line coach Mike Munchak. Kuper played eight years for the Broncos (2006-13) and was on the Miami Dolphins’ coaching staff the last three years. … Broncos general manager John Elway watched both Senior Bowl practices on the sideline with director of player personnel Matt Russell and fellow Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino.

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