As Lions head coach Dan Campbell prepares to replace Anthony Lynn, these five dark horse candidates to be Detroit’s next offensive coordinator could be on the radar.
Coaching can’t always overcome a lack of talent, but as the Detroit Lions struggle to produce offensively Anthony Lynn is well on his way to being one-and-done as offensive coordinator. Head coach Dan Campell took over play-calling coming out of the Week 9 bye, and this week he said he will keep the duties the rest of the season.
Lynn is playing good soldier, but he’s obviously not thrilled with his role change. If he’s not let go the day after the season, he may leave on his own for an assistant coaching post elsewhere. Either way, a parting is going to happen.
Campbell is not all that fit to call offensive plays himself, so he’s just holding down the fort until he replaces Lynn and gives the reins of the offense to a new coordinator next season.
Campbell should leave no stones unturned in a search for a new offensive coordinator. The appeal of the job in Detroit won’t be great, which may leave him mining deep to form a list of candidates. With that in mind, here are five dark horse candidates to be the next Lions’ offensive coordinator.
5 dark horse candidates to replace Anthony Lynn as Lions offensive coordinator
5. Andrew Janocko, Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach
Janocko has been on Mike Zimmer’s staff since 2015, moving from quality control coach to coaching offensive line to wide receivers coach and now in his first season as quarterbacks coach.
It’s worth wondering if Janocko has taken on more play-calling/scheming input alongside offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak in recent weeks. Minnesota’s offense stagnated in-game quickly after a successful opening play script for awhile. Recently things have been better, and it’s probably not because Kubiak has suddenly evolved.
The Lions can offer the 33-year old Janocko a promotion to coordinator with full play-calling duties. There’s a chance Zimmer and his coaching staff are fired when the season ends for the Vikings, so Janocko would then find himself looking for a job.