On Monday, less than 48 hours since the Detroit Lions season-ending loss to the Washington Commanders (much to the chagrin of some angry Lions' fans), reports came that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is close to a deal that will make him the next head coach of the Chicago Bears.
Assuming the deal is finalized, Johnson's focus now moves to how he'll fill out his coaching staff in Chicago.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network first mentioned former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen as a name to watch for Johnson's defensive coordinator wherever he went as the head coach. After the news Johnson is headed to the Bears, Dianna Russini of The Athletic and ESPN's Adam Schefter mentioned Allen as the top candidate to be Johnson's defensive coordinator.
So with the prominent post of defensive coordinator all but spoken for, Johnson has all the other positions to fill and he surely has and presented a plan to the Bears for how he'll do so.
Focused on who he could take with him, as is common for incoming head coaches to do (see Dan Campbell bringing Aaron Glenn with him from New Orleans), here are five Lions' assistants who could follow Johnson to the Bears.
5 Lions assistants who could follow Ben Johnson to the Bears
5. Assistant wide receivers coach Seth Ryan
The 30-year old Ryan, son of former Jets and Bills head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan, has been the assistant wide receivers coach for the Lions since coming aboard on Campbell's original staff in 2021. Before that, he spent two seasons as an offensive quality control coach with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Johnson got all the credit (and blame, when they went wrong) for a deep bag of trick plays as Lions' offensive coordinator. But Ryan was one of three coaches he credited for helping come up with special plays, which worked more often than not.
Following Johnson to Chicago would be an easy promotion for Ryan, to wide receivers coach.
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.
2. Offensive line coach Hank Fraley
When Johnson seemed like a lock to take the Washington Commanders head coaching job around a year ago, it was out there that Fraley (a Maryland native) could follow him as the offensive coordinator. Fraley is now an easy internal candidate to replace Johnson as the Lions' offensive coordinator, and he has interviewed with the Seattle Seahawks for their offensive coordinator post.
The Bears need to fix their offensive line, and they should devote significant resources to that. Johnson may not able to sell Fraley on following him for a lateral job move, but maybe a promotion to offensive coordinator (albeit where he wouldn't call plays) would help convince him to do it.
After the Lions' season ended, it's fair to assume Johnson talked with Fraley about the possibility of going with him to wherever he took a head coaching job. It's unclear how it being the Bears impacts Fraley's desire to follow Johnson, if it impacts it at all and if he even has any desire to leave the Lions right now.
Update, Jan. 21: John Maakaron of SI.com reported he's hearing "growing thoughts" Johnson will try to bring Fraley to Chicago.
I am hearing there are growing thoughts Ben Johnson will try and bring Hank Fraley with him to Chicago Bears
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) January 21, 2025
1. Passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand
Engstrand just completed his third season as Lions' passing game coordinator, and he is another easy internal candidate to replace Johnson as the offensive coordinator in Detroit. But there has been some noticeable stuff out there about the prospect of him following Johnson.
In December John Maakaron of SI.com reported Johnson was better prepared for the interview process this time around, specifically in terms of a plan for putting together a coaching staff. Maakaron also had some insight into who could follow Johnson to his new coaching staff.
"Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand could potentially depart with Johnson to become his offensive coordinator", Maakaron wrote.
NFL reporter Josina Anderson more recently specifically noted the Jacksonville Jaguars' job in a mention of Engstrand, but it's safe to say the sentiment holds up to wherever Johnson was going to ultimately land as a head coach.
"Speaking of staff, I would not be surprised if Johnson tries to add Lions pass game coordinator Tanner Engstrand as well", Anderson wrote.
Engstrand will surely get some consideration to replace Johnson, and maybe he explores that quickly first with the idea he could call plays for the Lions. But if he's not married to the idea of being a play-caller with his first step to being an NFL offensive coordinator, and he is unlikely to call plays under Johnson, a move to Chicago is very well in-play.