3 Most Likely Ben Johnson Replacements for the Lions

Scottie Montgomery, Lions RB Coach

Now that Hank Fraley's role on the coaching staff for next season has been decided, the only other in-house candidate with a realistic chance of landing the offensive coordinator job is Scottie Montgomery. The assistant head coach and running backs coach in Detroit since 2023, Montgomery has a ton of coaching experience in his previous stops.

Before joining the Colts as an RB coach in 2021, Montgomery had various roles in different college football programs. He was an offensive coordinator at Duke for three seasons before joining East Carolina as a head coach in 2016. After three seasons there, he joined Mike Locksley's staff as an OC at the University of Maryland.

Montgomery's desire for playcalling in the NFL is well known. He has previously interviewed for the Lions' OC opening in 2022 and Tampa Bay's vacancy in 2024.

Campbell has previously referred to him as "a hell of a coach". Montgomery is often seen giving speeches to the team as an assistant head coach, making him an obvious fit for a team obsessed with culture and locker room cohesion.

Montgomery will almost certainly get a chance as an offensive coordinator in the NFL at some point in his career. He is a player's coach with a proven track record. He should get a consideration from Campbell in the process.