Detroit Lions: Jim Caldwell expected to be fired, per report
By Zac Snyder
The Detroit Lions’ season ends with a week 17 game against the Green Bay Packers. Will Jim Caldwell’s tenure end with it?
There has been much speculation about the future of Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell after the team was eliminated from playoff contention in last week’s disappointing loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
It won’t be long now before we know one if a change is coming, but a report from NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport says the answer is yes, it is.
"Coach Jim Caldwell is expected to coach his last game for Detroit on Sunday, sources say. The multi-year extension he received this past offseason was really just a one-year deal with an option, and Caldwell’s status is now in doubt. When Detroit missed the playoffs, his fate was almost certainly sealed. When the job becomes open, keep an eye on Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, a hire that would allow the Lions to keep the offensive side of the ball mostly in place."
If this comes to be, particularly the part about Matt Patricia being the target to replace Caldwell and keeping the offensive side of the ball in place, it will be interesting just how large-scale the changes to the coaching staff would be.
It stands to reason that all or most of the defensive staff would be replaced with Patricia taking over, but could Jim Bob Cooter be retained to keep the good work he has been doing with Matthew Stafford going?
Retaining Cooter may not be popular with a large swathe of fans but uncoupling him from Caldwell could be interesting. As a former quarterback and quarterbacks coach, it wouldn’t be a surprise of the stubborn nature of the running game is more a function of Caldwell’s philosophy than a reflection of what Cooter really wants as offensive coordinator.
Next: The case for keeping Jim Caldwell
That’s not to say opening things up for Cooter would be a panacea for the running game. Cooter is admittedly green in that area and adding a run game coordinator could be in order. Regardless, there will be plenty of time for sorting out those things in the wake of the season, starting with a final decision on what happens with the head coach.