The dust has settled on the 2026 NFL hiring cycle, with the final remaining head coaching opening officially filled with the Las Vegas Raiders hired Klint Kubiak. But Kubiak also has to fill out his coaching staff at a very late stage to do it compared to his fellow new head coaches.
Kubiak is sure to want to take some Seattle Seahawks' coaches with him to Las Vegas, which will leave Super Bowl champion head coach Mike Macdonald to fill those voids on his staff.
He is reportedly leaning toward an internal candidate to replace Kubiak as the offensive coordinator in Seattle, as would easily be expected, which put the idea the Lions could lose a coach they just brought in to bed rather quickly,
As former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson embarked on a search to replace his offensive coordinator with the Chicago Bears, there were likely a couple candidates he entertained from Dan Campbell' staff. But Johnson wound up making an internal promotion, with passing game coordiantor Press Taylor replacing the departed Declan Doyle.
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In post-Super Bowl notes column published on Tuesday, Albert Breer of SI.com noted the favorite to be Kubiak's offensive coordinator with the Raiders, Seahawks quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. That said, Breer also noted how Janocko could be promoted to replacd Kubiak in Seattle, which would make Kubiak have to pivot to another Seattle assistant as his OC (offensive line coach John Benton).
Breer reinforced the likelihood an internal promotion will replace Kubiak with the Seahawks, before dropping a bit of a bomb.
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"Either way, I’d view Janocko, Benton and pass-game coordinator Jake Peetz as the top internal candidates to be Macdonald’s coordinator, with Lions run-game coordinator Hank Fraley looming as one outside name to watch."
Fraley was a candidate for the Seahawks' offensive coordinator job a year ago, interviewing twice for the job before Macdonald hired Kubiak. The Lions then added run game coordinator to his offensive line coach responsibilities.
It seems Fraley is not terribly inclined to leave the Lions, and his son transferring to Michigan State would seem to fortify a desire to stay. But how many times will he get passed over for the offensive coordinator job in Detroit before he seriously considers leaving for an opportunity to hold that job elsewhere?
If Macdonald extends outside internal candidates to replace Kubiak, which is a huge 'if' everyone is acknowledging, Fraley's loyalty to Dan Campbell may be tested.