Power Ranking the Lions new coaching and front office hires

Detroit Lions: Coaching and Front Office Power Rankings

Lastly, a ‘who’s who’ of random 90s NFL names, but not sure how much impact they’ll make either way …

8. Dom Capers – Senior Defensive Assistant

To say that Dom Capers has been around the NFL block would be quite an understatement. He’s been either the head coach or coordinator for three teams that didn’t even exist yet the last time the Lions won a playoff game.

When the 2021 season begins, the Bears will be the only NFC North team that hasn’t employed the 70-year-old Capers. Thirty years before new Lions DC Aaron Glenn held the position, Capers was also the defensive backs coach for the New Orleans Saints (he coached Glenn in Houston as well). Back when new quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell was in his prime as a Pro Bowl quarterback for the Jaguars, Capers was the defensive coordinator. The Lions will be the 10th NFL team that he’s worked for (along with seven college programs and a USFL team with two names).

Capers flips to the Lions after a season holding the same role with Minnesota in 2020. With an inexperienced head coach and a first-time defensive coordinator, Capers will likely be relied on to dish out his 34-years worth of accumulated NFL knowledge early and often.

9. Duce Staley – Running Backs Coach/Assistant Head Coach

Staley spent most of his career as a player in Philadelphia and has spent his entire decade as an assistant coach back in Philadelphia as well. Staley comes to the Lions with plenty of experience in his position, having coached the Eagles running backs since 2013.

With a run game that hasn’t reached the top half of the NFL a single time in over twenty years, there’s no magic bullet, especially coaching-wise, that will suddenly solve the Lions’ run game woes. Still, Staley comes highly regarded, and it will be interesting to see the dynamic between Staley and rising star D’Andre Swift.

10. Mark Brunell – Quarterbacks Coach

If you’re a football fan of a certain age, you know of Mark Brunell. He had a famed college career at the University of Washington and is best known as the franchise QB for the Jaguars when they were first entering the NFL.

Coaching the QBs in Detroit will be Brunell’s first NFL coaching job of any type. As a long-time NFL player as a young-gun backup, franchise player, and then aging veteran backup, I imagine Brunell would be able to relate in some meaningful way to just about any QB he comes across and make everyone feel involved no matter their spot on the depth chart.

As I said, who knows how much of an impact this type of thing really has either way, but Brunell offers one final ‘name brand’ addition to the coaching staff.

I know I’m missing a few more names on this list (sorry to Ray Agnew and Dave Fipp), but I meant to get the ones in the higher-profile positions and the ones likely to be getting the most coverage as next season gets underway.