Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn reside as two of the top coaching candidates still available. Six head coaching vacancies remain around the league, but that figure could drop very soon. 
When speaking to the media on Monday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell admitted there is a strong possibility of both Johnson and Glenn departing during this year’s hiring cycle. Such a scenario would leave Detroit in need of a new offensive and defensive coordinator for 2025, while other staffers could leave as well by following Johnson and Glenn to their new destinations. Nothing is imminent on that front, but Campbell knows he will likely be shorthanded in the near future.
“I would expect to lose both, but I haven’t been told anything,” Campbell said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “I just, I’ve got a feeling, but I am prepared to lose both.”
Johnson has been strongly linked to the Raiders, although the Jaguars and Bears remain in play as well. Glenn’s presumed top suitors have been the Jets and Saints throughout the interview process, and to no surprise both teams have lined up an in-person meeting with him. With the hiring cycle likely to heat up over the coming days, both staffers (whom Campbell has publicly endorsed as logical head coaching targets for outside teams) will be worth watching closely.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter as well as NFL Network’s Peter Schrager note Johnson and Glenn could each have a head coaching gig lined up by the middle of this week. That would fall in line with current expectations since they are both free to speak with teams at any time over the coming days. Coaches still involved in the playoffs, by contrast, cannot meet with suitors this week.
Interestingly, Campbell added that in the event Johnson departs, quarterback Jared Goff will have input in the search for a new OC. The former Rams No. 1 pick has enjoyed plenty of production with Johnson in Detroit, something highlighted by the $53MM-per-year extension he is currently attached to. Campbell noted duplicating the setup in place with Johnson will be a key goal in the (hypothetical) search for his replacement.
“This thing is set up for Goff to have success with our playmakers,” Campbell said. “[Amon-Ra] St. Brown, our running backs, the O-line, the whole deal. Jamo [Jameson Williams]. And so I want to keep that in place. I want to keep our terminology in place, and I want to make sure that Goff is comfortable, cause he’s playing at a high level.”
To no surprise, Campbell left the door open to both internal promotions and external hires when speaking about potentially needing to fill the void left by his coordinators. It remains to be seen if either path will be necessary, but no one would be surprised at this point if a number new faces were on the sideline for the Lions next year.
Seems pretty sure not only that Johnson will leave, but that Tanner Engstrand will be promoted to OC. That’s been the rumbling for a while now, and if the league didn’t believe it to be true, you’d think Engstrand would have a ton of OC interview requests.
There have been reports that Engstrand will leave with Ben Johnson.
Interesting. I imagine if he were offered a chance to stay and be a play-calling coordinator with a contender, that would be hard to turn down.
I could see the Lions going after Dennis Allen for DC, considering his history with Dan Campbell.
Feel for Dan, he is a great coach. And I’m a Wash fan. But Detroit needs to go to the promise land, and I wish him the very best!