Former Lions QB Identified as Potential Ben Johnson Replacement

Lions head coach Dan Campbell during the playoff game against the Commanders.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell during the playoff game against the Commanders. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
facebooktwitterreddit

The Detroit Lions are officially looking for a new offensive coordinator. Following former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's departure from Detroit to become the head coach of the division rival Chicago Bears on Monday. While it stings that Johnson left for a division rival, the Lions organization and their fans were well aware this is the position they would be in following the 2024 season.

As a result, head coach Dan Campbell made it clear that Jared Goff would have a hand in picking the next offensive coordinator during a media appearance on Monday. That said, not much news has come out about interview requests for potential OC candidates. This has left fans and reporters to speculate that the Lions are likely to promote a coach already in the organization to be the next OC.

Colton Pouncy of The Athletic released an article on Friday delving into potential coordinator candidates on both sides of the ball. Among the people he named as a possible offensive coordinator is former Lions quarterback David Blough.

Could David Blough Be the Next Lions Offensive Coordinator?

Blough entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and was signed by the Cleveland Browns. However, his tenure with the Browns didn't last long as the Lions traded for him on November 27, 2019, following injuries to Matthew Stafford and backup Jeff Driskel. That season, Blough started five games for the Lions, going 0-5.

In his five appearances, Blough threw for 984 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions. Although Blough was put into a tough situation, the results were less than stellar. Nonetheless, Detroit kept him until the end of the 2021 season.

Following his departure from Detroit, Blough bounced around a few practice squads before landing back on Detroit's in 2023. Consequently, this means Blough spent his last season in the NFL with Johnson and Goff, meaning he both understands Johnson's system and has a relationship with Goff. Thus, the two could be a perfect paring if Detroit wanted to hire someone outside of their building.

Despite this, Blough is currently the assistant quarterbacks coach in Washington with Jayden Daniels. Daniels didn't just defeat the Lions in the playoffs, but he looked significantly better than Goff. So, convincing Blough to leave Washington and come to Detroit could be a difficult proposition.

Still, if the Lions were able to acquire Blough, then their offense would have the potential to maintain their potency.

More Detroit Lions News and Rumors:

feed