The Detroit Lions’ coaching staff is in flux following the end of their season. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has already departed, and there’s a chance defensive line coach Terrell Williams and offensive line coach Hank Fraley may follow suit, with Fraley reportedly a strong candidate for another team’s offensive coordinator role. Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn could secure a head coaching position at any moment.
Under NFL policy, as part of the 2020 implementation of “Resolution JC-2A” within the Rooney Rule, teams are incentivized to develop minority candidates for prominent roles in the league. The resolution states:
“The employer-club of a minority employee who has been hired by another club as its Head Coach or Primary Football Executive shall receive Draft choice compensation in the form of a compensatory Draft pick in the third round in each of the next two Drafts for an employee hired as either a Head Coach or Primary Football Executive.”
Draft pick compensation for Aaron Glenn’s departure
If, or more likely when, Aaron Glenn takes a head coaching job, the Lions will receive compensatory third-round draft picks in each of the next two drafts. These picks are awarded after the standard compensatory selections related to free agency losses from the previous offseason.
According to projections by Over The Cap, there are currently only three third-round compensatory picks slated for the 2025 draft. This means the Lions’ compensatory pick, if Glenn leaves, would fall near the top 100 overall selections. Additionally, the Lions would regain a third-round pick for 2025, as their original third-rounder was traded to the New York Jets in last year’s draft to move up and select offensive lineman Giovanni Manu.
In 2026, the Lions would receive another third-round pick under similar conditions, likely in the same approximate range near the 100th overall pick.
While losing Glenn would be a challenge, his departure is inevitable. However, the compensatory draft picks the Lions would gain would help maintain a pipeline of young talent for the team’s future.
