The Broncos are nearing the hire of a former player and sought-after defensive mind to coach their defensive backs.

Denver head coach Sean Payton is in talks with former Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard about becoming the team’s defensive backs coach, two sources confirmed Sunday afternoon to The Post.

Leonhard, 41, most recently spent seven seasons at the University of Wisconsin, his alma mater, first as defensive backs coach, then as defensive coordinator and for seven games as interim head coach in 2022.

The Badgers, though, hired Luke Fickell instead of retaining Leonhard. The longtime NFL special teams player and defensive back didn’t coach anywhere full-time in 2023. Instead he served as a defensive analyst at Illinois for coach Bret Bielema.

Leonhard had his name circulate for several high-profile coordinator and head coaching jobs at the college level but now instead is close to returning to the NFL.

Leonhard hasn’t been short on opportunities at the pro game, either. In 2021, he reportedly turned down the Green Bay defensive coordinator job in order to stay at Wisconsin, where many thought he’d eventually succeed head coach Paul Chryst.

Bielema recently predicted Leonhard would land at the NFL level or return to his analyst role.

“He and I have had a million conversations, not about the job, Jimmy’s just a guy I like to bounce things off of and where it’s at,” Bielema told reporters Wednesday. “I don’t want to get into his business, but I think this: If he doesn’t have the things he wants at a different level than our level — not college — I think we’ll be back at it.”

In Denver, Leonhard would replace defensive backs coach Christian Parker, who left to take a similar position but with more responsibility under Philadelphia defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

Leonhard and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph have never been part of the same organization at the same time before, but Joseph coached in college when Leonhard was a three-time All-American at Wisconsin and then coached defensive backs while Leonhard played the position.

Leonhard played 10 seasons in the NFL as a player including 2012 with the Broncos. His playing career finished in 2014 and his coaching career began in 2016. This will be his first time coaching at the NFL level.