Veteran Lions Defender Could Follow Aaron Glenn to the Jets

The Detroit Lions are going through a week of big changes. After suffering a devastating loss to the Commanders on Saturday, the Lions lost their offensive and defensive coordinators. Ben Johnson was hired by the Chicago Bears as their new head coach, and Aaron Glenn got the same opportunity with the New York Jets.

Even though Lions fans and the organization wish them nothing but the best in the well-deserved new chapters of their careers, there is a certain level of concern. Not only is there a worry about the team potentially taking a step back in the absence of these coveted coaches, but there is also the possibility that they would poach players and assistant coaches from the Lions.

Fortunately, it has been reported that Johnson isn't super interested in raiding Dan Campbell's staff in Detroit, we haven't heard much about Glenn's plans. Even if he doesn't poach any coaches to New York, there is a chance he will target key Lions players hitting free agency.

As a first-time head coach, Glenn could choose to rely on players he knows and trusts. Considering how he spent the last four seasons of his career with the Lions, he is very familiar with the defensive unit. The key pending free agents like cornerback Carlton Davis and defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike will be natural targets for the Jets.

The Jets finished 23rd in defensive EPA, a significant step back from where they were a season ago. They will almost certainly bring in high-level reinforcements in free agency.

Davis would cost them a pretty penny. The Lions would try desperately to hold onto their star cornerback. Plus, the Jets already have Sauce Gardner as their stopper on the secondary. Breaking the bank for Davis doesn't make a ton of sense.

Onwuzurike, however, is a reasonable target for the Jets. He is familiar with Glenn's blitzing and man-to-man scheme and he is coming off the best season of his career. Per Pro Football Focus, his 69.4 defensive grade ranked as the 22nd-best interior defender in the league.

After four seasons in Detroit after being the second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Onwuzurike will have his big payday. He will not require as big of a contract as Davis but a multi-year deal with an annual salary in eight figures may be in the cards for the 26-year-old. In that case, the Lions would not have much of an option but to say goodbye to the talented defender.

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