Lions News

[Futureshock]

I like Goff's chances of continuing to do well if Johnson is here. I'll admit I was a little nervous about that if he left...

Report: Ben Johnson returns to Lions with new contract, large raise

Posted by Josh Alper on January 19, 2023, 10:31 AM EST

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Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was a popular name in head coaching searches this month, but Johnson won’t be taking any of the openings around the league.

Johnson interviewed with the Texans and Colts before deciding to withdraw from other interviews so he could return to the Lions. His return reportedly came with a new deal.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Johnson is returning to Detroit with an enhanced contract and a large raise.

Johnson guided the Lions to the fifth-most points and fourth-most offensive yards in his first season as a coordinator. If he’s able to replicate that performance in 2023, he’ll be a hot name on the head coaching market again but Thursday’s news that the Bucs fired Byron Leftwich is a reminder that fortunes can change quickly for NFL assistants.

[ghandi]

I imagine Ben was probably a little below market value when he first accepted the job...he didnt have the experience or a track record yet...Im glad the Lions rewarded him.

[Cody_Russell]

Sheila Ford Hamp stepping up!
I want to say previous Lions ownership might not have done this, but at the same time… when’s the last coordinator that deserved a pay bump like this? Teryl Austin? Stan Kwan?! (only kidding)

I saw something earlier that mentioned Ravens OC Greg Roman’s salary was at $3.5M. (Of note the Ravens just parted ways with Roman… Lamar Jackson implications 🤔)
Giving an idea of what Ben Johnson’s salary could look like.

[ghandi]

I think Sean Payton could fix a team like Carolina...its a weak division and they can probably get a good QB in the draft, or maybe he can fix Darnold who knows, but it woulddn't be a bad spot...The defense is pretty good already....Now Houston or Indy, thats another story.

[Tom]

Would New Orleans agree to let him coach in the division?

[Topweasel]

Would New Orleans agree to let him coach in the division?

After what happened with the Bucs and Raiders with the Gruden trade I thought they formed some rules to "trading a Coach". Something like that they can't actually trade them, but they can release him from his contract and receive compensation as a donation. Even if I am wrong, the trick would be for Sean to unretire in away that puts financial pressure on them to release or trade him right away.

[Nick Pappageorgio]

I thought the rules about trading a coach went all the way back to Belichek

[Mainevent]

Lions losing their director of college scouting, Dave Sears, to Cardinals, where he’s going to be assistant GM.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2023/01/21/lions-college-scouting-director-dave-sears-taking-new-position-with-arizona-cardinals/69828184007/

[chemiclord]

Lions losing their director of college scouting, Dave Sears, to Cardinals, where he’s going to be assistant GM.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...s/69828184007/

No big. The Lions will simply turn to Don Kohls.

[-Deborah-]

Ha!!

[whatever_gong82]

The Lions’ rebuild and the critical decisions that shaped a turnaround

By Nick Baumgardner and Colton Pouncy
Jan 20, 2023


Neither general manager Brad Holmes nor head coach Dan Campbell has been ready to declare the Detroit Lions firmly “ahead of schedule.” In reality, the Lions, two years into the Holmes-Campbell regime, are exactly on schedule.

And anyone who remembers what this situation looked like when they arrived in January 2021 knows how difficult that schedule was to keep.


Detroit ended Campbell’s second season with nine wins and successfully added to its draft arsenal throughout the year. The Lions are now entering this offseason with close to $30 million in estimated cap space, their most since the start of the new regime.

So, how did they get here? A lot has happened. Here’s a look back at some of the most critical decisions facing Holmes, Campbell and Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp during this time.

Strong hiring plan for coach/GM


It was a fair question: Could Hamp do this head coach and GM search the right way? The Ford family, along with NFL-appointed adviser Ernie Accorsi, poorly managed the search in 2016 that inevitably led to former GM Bob Quinn. After Quinn and former head coach Matt Patricia were fired in November 2020, though, Hamp was prepared. She had taken notes and learned from past mistakes. Her first order of business was to hire people who truly cared about the franchise and make them executives.

Some on the outside believed Chris Spielman’s hiring as special assistant to the owner would cause issues with the new GM. Hamp knew better and didn’t care. Spielman loved his time as a player in Detroit, cares about the franchise, cares about the fans and wanted to make sure the owner didn’t get snowed this time. The interview processes that led Hamp to Holmes and Campbell were perhaps the most thorough in the history of the franchise. That wasn’t an accident. It was researched by Hamp with a real plan.

This whole thing, the Lions getting themselves off the mat and changing their direction for the first time in a long time, started with Hamp. She made the difficult decision to say to those around her, including her family: I don’t know everything, we don’t know everything and we need help. — Baumgardner

Trading Matthew Stafford


Stafford’s exit represented the only bridge to a better future for the Lions. Not only did Holmes make the correct move in doing the deal, but by taking Jared Goff, he got multiple first-round picks and a workable QB with gas in the tank. Critics panned the move at the time because of Goff’s contract. But it has since been reworked, and his game came together in 2022.


Holmes trusted his instincts on Goff. Both came to the Lions from the Rams, and Holmes had seen Goff’s mental toughness in quiet moments inside Sean McVay’s cauldron. We’re all seeing it now. — Baumgardner


Navigating the first offseason (2021)


One of the biggest items on Holmes’ early to-do list was deciding what to do about wide receiver Kenny Golladay, who had more or less thrown in the towel on the 2020 season as he demanded a max contract from the organization.

Golladay has talent. But he didn’t fit the culture Campbell and Holmes wanted to create, and the Lions were in salary cap hell. Holmes never wavered in letting Golladay hit free agency, Golladay signed with the Giants and the Lions used the comp pick they received to draft Kerby Joseph last spring. Outstanding. Moreover, instead of wasting time worrying about Golladay, Holmes and Campbell targeted early signings like Jamaal Williams and Alex Anzalone. Golladay, meanwhile, has had one touchdown reception in 26 games over the past two seasons with the Giants.

This was also the time when Campbell built his coaching staff. Aaron Glenn, Duce Staley, Hank Fraley and Antwaan Randle El all had options — and all chose to join a mess of a club in Detroit to get the chance to work with Campbell. One guy Campbell kept that nobody else really wanted? Ben Johnson. — Baumgardner


Drafting Penei Sewell instead of Justin Fields


The Lions could’ve drafted Justin Fields in 2021. Maybe you’ll always be in the camp that says they should have. Maybe Fields will be a Hall of Famer and this will all feel silly in 10 years.

But maybe not, because maybe Penei Sewell will also be a Hall of Famer.

Detroit’s roster wasn’t ready for Fields in 2021. A hypothetical rookie season for Fields with Detroit (which wouldn’t have included Sewell) would’ve gone worse than his first year in Chicago. Fields is an amazing talent, but the Lions needed a player like Sewell more then. A true physical, foundational pillar who represents everything Campbell is about as a football coach.

For the Lions, at that moment in time, Sewell was the perfect initial draft choice. — Baumgardner


Finding hidden gems early


You could argue that Sewell at No. 7 was a value pick, considering his immense ceiling to be one of the game’s premier tackles. But the Lions weren’t done there in 2021.

Amon-Ra St. Brown is arguably the steal of the 2021 draft. The Lions selected him in the fourth round, 112th overall. Here’s what he’s done since entering the league:

• Most receptions (90) and receiving yards (912) by a rookie in franchise history

• Became the first player in NFL history with at least eight receptions and a touchdown in six consecutive games

• Youngest player in franchise history to record a 1,000-yard season

• Youngest player in franchise history to record 100 receptions in a season

• His 196 receptions are tied for the most all-time through a player’s first two seasons

There were 16 receivers drafted ahead of him, as he so often likes to tell anyone who’ll listen. In addition to his production, there’s a fire and a drive there that’s different. And it fits this team perfectly.

Let’s also not forget about Alim McNeill, whom the Lions selected in the third round of that draft. He’s proven to be an above-average defensive tackle in this league and should continue to improve with more experience and talent around him. The draft is so much more than hitting in the first round. You have to be able to find value later on. Holmes did that in Year 1. — Pouncy

Demoting Anthony Lynn/promoting Ben Johnson


When Campbell hired Lynn, it was viewed as a big get. He’d been an NFL head coach, leading the Chargers for four seasons before taking the Lions gig. But things don’t always work out the way you envision. Campbell learned that early.

Lynn was simply not a good fit. His offense didn’t mesh with Goff’s strengths and it showed in games. So instead of letting things play out, Campbell demoted Lynn around midseason and gave Johnson, then Detroit’s tight ends coach, more of a say.

There might not be a move that has aged better. The Lions saw better production out of Goff before the season was over. Johnson earned a promotion to offensive coordinator after Lynn and the team parted ways. Johnson is a coordinator who’s capable of crafting an offense to fit his personnel, which is so important in a league where rosters change quickly. He and Campbell work hand-in-hand discussing the offensive game plan and how they choose to attack defenses. Johnson’s play-calling is bold and creative, as is his sequencing of plays to get the look he wants. It led to one of the best offensive seasons in franchise history, and Johnson becoming a rising star.

Campbell has shown he has a pretty good feel for things. He’s not afraid to make difficult, uncomfortable decisions when things simply aren’t working. This is a prime example. Perhaps the example. — Pouncy

Drafting Aidan Hutchinson


Similar situation with 2021. The Lions could’ve drafted Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 2 and they would’ve gotten a terrific pass-rush prospect with insane upside. That would’ve been fine. Detroit’s locker room has enough confidence about it and Thibodeaux — quirks and all — would’ve been welcomed. But Hutchinson was the more all-around player, and a better personality fit for this team. If Thibodeaux is a peacock, Hutchinson is a chameleon. He blends into his surroundings, he doesn’t take them over.

Maybe Thibodeaux does the same. He’s having a great year with the Giants and is still playing. There was no doubt what the Lions were getting in Hutchinson, though. For them, it was the better move. — Baumgardner


Elite value picks

Taking Hutchinson, the hometown kid, second overall was a no-brainer for Detroit. He proved to be one of the better rookies in football this past season, and one of the faces of this franchise moving forward. But what makes Detroit’s 2022 class so intriguing is the value found in later rounds.

“Hard Knocks” star Malcolm Rodriguez was first. A 5-foot-11 linebacker out of Barry Sanders University, teams passed on Rodrigo due to concerns about his size. The Lions did not. Slowly but surely, you could sense this sixth-rounder wouldn’t be denied. His advanced feel for the game, the way his coaches talked about him, it was clear Rodriguez had already surpassed expectations by training camp. He was a starting linebacker by Week 1.

Next was Joseph, a third-round safety out of Illinois. Joseph seeing the field as much as he did in 2022 probably wasn’t part of the plan. Tracy Walker went down with a torn Achilles, and he was the next man up. All he did was record six turnovers as a rookie, including three interceptions off Aaron Rodgers.

James Houston, the 217th selection out of HBCU Jackson State, didn’t make the roster out of training camp. He stuck around on the practice squad, terrorizing Taylor Decker and Sewell until they vouched for him to get on the field. He didn’t make his NFL debut until Week 12. By the end of the season, he had eight sacks next to his name, and was even upset with himself for not hitting double digits in seven total games.

Where would this Lions defense be without these rookies? When they found their footing, the defense improved in the second half. That’s not a coincidence. Hitting on picks in later rounds is what separates GMs in this league. The Lions feel confident in their operation to unearth gems every year. If that holds true, this franchise is in good hands. — Pouncy


Having the guts to trade Hockenson


The decision to move on from Hockenson at midseason was met with mixed reaction. On the surface, trading away one of your best players — someone selected eighth overall just three years prior — for what amounts to a pick swap is the type of move that says “we’re not ready yet.” Maybe some of that was true. The Lions were 1-6, losers of five in a row. They hadn’t learned how to win and, in theory, were now making it harder to do so by losing a tight end with Hockenson’s receiving ability. But it was also an example of Holmes sticking to the plan.

The Lions weren’t willing to pay what it would take to re-sign Hockenson, a free agent following the 2023 season. Hockenson is talented but has holes in his game and didn’t move the needle much in Detroit. Holmes and the Lions avoided paying big money to a tight end, watched his backups combine for nine touchdowns in the final 10 games and can now use the acquired draft capital and saved cap space to improve the roster elsewhere. There’s always an eye toward the future, even in the present.

The Lions were able to turn Hockenson, a 2023 fourth-rounder and a 2024 fourth-rounder into pick No. 56 in the upcoming draft, as well as a 2024 third-rounder. That second-rounder, in particular, looks valuable: The Lions have five picks among the top 85 as things currently stand. As we’ve highlighted, the draft is where Holmes is most comfortable building his roster. Never a bad thing to give him more chances to add talent.

You really could take the concept of “guts” further with Campbell. The guts to support Goff. To back Glenn. To stick to his plan. That’s what you want in a leader, every time. — Pouncy

[-Deborah-]

Good read! Love this bit:

James Houston, the 217th selection out of HBCU Jackson State, didn’t make the roster out of training camp. He stuck around on the practice squad, terrorizing Taylor Decker and Sewell until they vouched for him to get on the field. He didn’t make his NFL debut until Week 12. By the end of the season, he had eight sacks next to his name, and was even upset with himself for not hitting double digits in seven total games.

[whatever_gong82]

Good read! Love this bit:

James Houston, the 217th selection out of HBCU Jackson State, didn’t make the roster out of training camp. He stuck around on the practice squad, terrorizing Taylor Decker and Sewell until they vouched for him to get on the field. He didn’t make his NFL debut until Week 12. By the end of the season, he had eight sacks next to his name, and was even upset with himself for not hitting double digits in seven total games.

Thanks, Deb.

[Futureshock]

How the 2022 Lions finished in each PFF grading category

[Futureshock]

Detroit Lions Offseason Preview 2023

Detroit Lions Offseason Preview: Ready To Roar
Lions’ 2023 Salary Cap Space
Lions Free Agents 2023
Guard Evan Brown
Running Back Jamaal Williams
Potential Cut Candidates
Lions’ Team Needs Heading Into 2023 Offseason

The Detroit Lions are laughingstocks no more. Instead, after a second-half surge, they’re poised to take over the NFC North in 2023. Credit Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes for having a plan and executing it at a high level. But the hardest part remains ahead of them: Making the jump from good to great.

Can they do it? We explore it all — including the club’s free agents, cut candidates and team needs — in our Detroit Lions offseason preview.