The Detroit Lions coaching staff has been raided this offseason, with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson taking over as the Chicago Bears coach while defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn became the New York Jets coach. As both first-year head coaches take more assistants from Detroit, one of the Lions free agents in 2025 could also follow Glenn.
New York already announced that Lions tight ends coach Steve Heiden will come over to serve as the Jets offensive line coach in 2025. Furthermore, NFL rumors have indicated that Detroit’s passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand will be hired as the Jets offensive coordinator.
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Poaching talent off the Lions coaching staff might also just be the start of things. As Detroit begins to fill some of the voids left by the Jets and Bears hiring their coordinators and assistants, Glenn also reportedly has his eyes on one of his former players.
According to Sportskeeda‘s Tony Pauline, Glenn is targeting former Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes in NFL free agency this spring.
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Barnes emerged as a starter for the Lions last season, starting in 13-of-16 games. The 6-foot linebacker was rated as an above-average run defender by Pro Football Focus and seemed to be emerging as a key piece of Detroit’s defense for 2024. However, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 3.
Turning 26 years old in May, Barnes’s familiarity with Glenn’s scheme would be a positive addition to New York and he could also help establish the new Jets’ culture that the head coach wants. Furthermore, he should also come at a reasonable cost after his 2024 season was ended prematurely.
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Barnes likely won’t be the only Lions free agent targeted by both the Jets and Bears this offseason, with Johnson and Glenn both pursuing players they trust to help set a new tone with their franchises. Fortunately for the Lions, they have more than enough cap space to overcome the losses and strengthen their roster ahead of the 2025 NFL season.