From Mike Klis of The Denver Post:

They are the Seven who would replace Shanahan.

Once Todd Bowles of the Miami Dolphins has his say today, the Broncos' search committee to replace coach Mike Shanahan will end its parade of candidates at seven.

If it's possible, Bob Stoops can coach the Bowl Championship Series title game tonight in peace. The Oklahoma coach was telling the truth this week when he said he's not a candidate for the Broncos' head coaching position. An NFL source with knowledge of the Broncos' search confirmed Wednesday night Stoops is not under consideration.

The Broncos' next head coach will come from one of the seven identified candidates, according to the source. The six who have been interviewed, in order of appearance before the Broncos' search committee, were New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Broncos offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, who was at the team's Dove Valley headquarters Wednesday.

Bowles, the secondary/assistant head coach of the Dolphins, will conclude the interview process today.

The Broncos' new head coach will be encouraged to keep six assistant coaches left over from Shanahan's staff. According to two NFL sources, the Broncos have sent termination notices to the league office for all assistants except Dennison, Jeremy Bates (quarterbacks), Jedd Fisch (receivers), Bobby Turner (running backs), Bill Johnson (defensive line) and Rich Tuten (strength and conditioning).

The Broncos will honor the contracts of the other assistant coaches — which run through at least 2009 — but their future with the organization is at the discretion of the team's next head coach.

The committee searching for that head coach consists of Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, chief operating officer Joe Ellis and the football operations executive trio

The feeling among the committee as it adjourned Wednesday night was that four or five of the candidates will be an NFL head coach someday. The question is, which one does Bowlen pick to coach his team?

The search committee will spend the next two or three days thoroughly discussing each candidate. By Monday, the committee will bring back one to three finalists for a second interview or present an offer to the top choice.

Ellis, the Goodmans and Xanders will submit their choice, or choices, to Bowlen. The owner will then make his first head coaching hire since Jan. 31, 1995, when he lured Shanahan away from his job as offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers.