The days are numbered for the Detroit Lions and their current coordinators. Both guys are here as long as the Lions remain in the playoffs, but after that, it could be days until they’re headed to their next team. The biggest question I’ve been receiving for much of the year is “who replaces these guys?” Here is a list of names from the inside and outside that I think the Lions could bring in to keep things going.
Inside
First off, I think the Lions are way more likely to promote from within. This is a team that’s already shown that it’s big on doing that. Ben Johnson is a perfect example of that. He was the Lions tight ends coach before being promoted to OC. Here’s who could be the next guy that could have that same journey.
Passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand
Engstrand has long been one of the guys that is expected to make a move up. He’s been working hand in hand with Johnson on the pass game side of things since Johnson got promoted in 2022. Engstrand has been coaching since 2005 and he’s been one of those guys that’s been climbing the ladder for a while now. This is the logical next step for him.
Assistant head coach and running backs coach Scottie Montgomery
Montgomery is another guy that’s been climbing the ladder in the NFL. The Lions hired Montgomery to replace the departing Duce Staley before this season and a week after the hire, they let him go interview to be the Bucs offensive coordinator. The reason I include Montgomery, besides that he’s already someone that’s ready for the job and has been desired, is because of his run game prowess. The Lions are a run team that likes to move the ball on the ground to set up the pass. Montgomery would keep that going.
Quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell
I’m not too sure of this one. This is Brunell’s first coaching job. Unless, of course, you count his head coaching job at Episcopal School of Jacksonville. The reason for consideration here is that he’s been a big part of Jared Goff’s resurgence. Maybe he could continue to help that along in the OC role? But can he call plays?
Those are the inside options to take over as OC. What about DC?
Linebackers coach Kelvin Shepperd
This guy is going to be a head coach some day and he’s probably a year or two as a good DC away from it. That first year could very well be 2024. You saw on Hard Knocks how much of a positive relationship that Shepperd has with Campbell and you also saw how players respond to Shepperd. This one seems like a no brainer. I don’t even have another option to list because I’m so sure of this one.
Outside
I don’t particularly think the Lions go this way, but if they do, this is what they could do for both OC and DC.
Saints Quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry
Curry has a history with Dan Campbell. They were with each other on the Saints offense from 2016 to 2020. Curry has also been climbing the ladder in the coaching world. With some turnover in the Saints coaching room, I think there’s a chance New Orleans promotes Curry to their now open OC spot. If they don’t, Detroit could be a place for him. It’s his turn to show what he can do somewhere.
Former Panthers Assistant coach and running backs coach Duce Staley
I feel pretty bad for Staley. He left Detroit to go to Carolina to be close to his mother and they fired him midway through his first year. You have to wonder if he’s open to a return to Detroit. We know that the Lions see Staley as more than just an assistant. They had him be the head coach of the Senior Bowl when the Lions had the coaching rights there after the 2021 season. Could he be in line for a return with a promotion?
Former Panthers head coach Frank Reich
Let me just say that I wouldn’t be the biggest fan of this, but Reich is a pretty decent OC. He’s just a bad head coach. Campbell and Reich were pretty inseparable when the Lions went to the Colts facility for joint practices ahead of the 2022 season per our Colts beat writer Destin Adams. It’s clear a friendship was started there. You could even see it on Hard Knock. Could that friendship have Reich back in Detroit for the first time since he was on the Lions roster in 1998?
Former Panthers defensive line coach Todd Wash
Just like Staley, Wash left the Lions to go to Carolina ahead of this season. Also just like Staley, Wash was let go midseason. Could he come back to be the Lions DC? It’s wild to me that he hasn’t been given another shot as a DC somewhere. He was the architect behind the Sacksonville Jaguars back in 2017. That team fell apart for a lot of reasons and Wash wasn’t one of them. He lost pretty much every great defensive player that team had to trades and free agency. The Wash was let go with the rest of Doug Marrone’s staff and the Jags hired Urban Meyer.
Could this be the way that Wash comes back to Detroit? He already has a connection to this defensive line and he has a familial reason to be here since his daughter plays volleyball at Michigan. Even if he’s not back as the DC, he’s worth bring back.