5 Lions assistant coaches who could follow Ben Johnson to the Bears

Ben Johnson is the Bears' new head coach, and these five Lions assistants could follow him to Chicago.

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4. Assistant quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett

Barrett, the former Ohio State quarterback Michigan football fans are plenty familiar with, landed on the Lions coaching staff as a general offensive assistant in 2022. He has been assistant quarterbacks coach under Mark Brunell the last two seasons.

Like Ryan, Johnson has also credited Barrett with ideas regarding the Lions' special plays. In addition, Johnson had Barrett working with running backs coach Scottie Montgomery "learn what backs are being taught in protection so that when he has his own quarterback room, that transition is seamless" (h/t to Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports for that quote).

In Chicago Barrett could become Johnson's quarterbacks coach or his passing game coordinator-or maybe both.

3. Assistant offensive line coach Steve Oliver

Oliver has spent the last four seasons with the Lions, the first two as an offensive quality control coach and the last two as assistant offensive line coach. Before that he spent the first five seasons of his coaching career at the college level, at Montana State-Northern, Idaho and his alma mater, the University of San Diego.

The Bears need to upgrade the overall talent level of their offensive line, and on a related front Johnson surely knows he has to hire a good offensive line coach. A coach he knows well, like Oliver, would make perfect sense.

Note: Lions quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell might seem like a prime candidate to follow Johnson to Chicago. But his roots with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he had the best days of his playing career and apparently maintains a home in the area, pointed to that being the only place he would have followed Johnson to.

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