Detroit Lions fans woke up to some good news on Wednesday morning when CBS Detroit’s Rachel Hopmayer reported that recently retired offensive tackle Dan Skipper has been hired to the team’s coaching staff.
Skipper retired after the 2025 season, putting the finishing touches on a career that spanned eight seasons and nine years. At the time of his retirement, it was rumored that the Lions were planning to add him to the coaching staff, and that came to fruition with Wednesday’s report.
However, it may have had more motive than just a feel-good story.
Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley has seen his stock rise over the past few years, and while Skipper will start in a minor role, he could be part of a bigger plan to deal with Fraley’s eventual exit from Detroit.
Dan Skipper Could Be Lions Backup Plan for Hank Fraley
Fraley has been with the Lions for the past eight years, arriving as an assistant offensive line coach under Matt Patricia in 2018, eventually rising to his current position in 2020. Although he’s been the Lions' offensive line coach for the past six seasons, his work has earned consideration for larger opportunities.
The Lions considered Fraley as a candidate for the offensive coordinator position following ex-OC Ben Johnson’s departure last offseason. While Detroit chose John Morton instead, Fraley interviewed twice for the offensive coordinator job with the Seattle Seahawks before they hired Klint Kubiak. Fraley was also considered by Johnson for his offensive coordinator position with the Chicago Bears, but chose to stay in Detroit.
“I think everything you do in life, you’re always learning from something and trying to get better at it," Fraley said in May via Pride of Detroit’s Jeremy Reisman. “It was a great opportunity to at least look at and learn from. You never want to take things for granted. I just want to be the best O-line coach I can be, to be honest... It was an honor for somebody to call and reach out, and it was a great experience.”
The rumors continued this offseason when Fraley was considered for the Lions’ OC job after Morton’s firing in January, and he was considered a candidate to join Johnson’s staff again when Declan Doyle left for the OC position with the Baltimore Ravens. While Chicago promoted Press Taylor to replace Doyle, Fraley is likely to remain a candidate for any future jobs, including the Seahawks' opening created by Kubiak becoming head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders this week.
This puts the addition of Skipper into focus. If Fraley leaves for another job in the coming years, Skipper could step into that role. The Lions could also use him to fill the role of assistant line coach Steve Oliver, who was promoted to tight ends coach following the departure of Tyler Roehl, who left to become the offensive coordinator at Iowa State.
With the Lions' continued success, the coaching carousel will keep spinning. Although Skipper may not have a big role immediately, he could help ease the loss of Fraley or any other assistant coach and get his coaching career off to a great start in Detroit.