The Detroit Lions are already on the lookout for an offensive coordinator after firing John Morton. Now there’s a chance that they may be looking for a defensive coordinator since the Miami Dolphins have requested to interview Kelvin Sheppard for their head coach job.

It is a bit of a long shot that Sheppard gets the gig since he’s only been a coordinator for one year and this is his first ever interview for a head coach position, but in the case that Miami hires him, here are six replacement candidates the Lions could go after:

Giants interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen

Bullen has been coaching for 20 years now, but he’s never been a coordinator before this year, when he was thrust into the role after the Giants fired Shane Bowen following the Lions’ win over them.

Like Sheppard, Bullen has spent most of his career as a linebacker coach or defensive line coach. He spent four years in Miami with Dan Campbell and was on staff when Campbell was the Dolphins’ interim head coach. That connection could get him an interview. He is expected to get plenty of interviews once the dust settles on the head coach searches.

Texans defensive backs coach Dino Vasso

The Lions’ defensive line and linebacker corps are fine. What Detroit could use is a coordinator who specializes in the secondary. This year, Vasso was the DB coach for the best defense in the NFL, and the Texans were not just a pressure defense; they were a no-fly zone at times.

Vasso has never been a DC either, but you have to understand that at this point, there aren’t a lot of former DCs just hanging around. Not a lot that you’d want to hire anyway.

Broncos assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard

Jim Leonhard is potentially Sean Payton’s new Dan Campbell over in Denver. The former defensive back has been growing with Payton since joining the Broncos’ coaching staff, and the reviews on him are positive.

The Cowboys have already had him in for an interview, and that will not be his last. This guy is probably getting a job this cycle. He fits the Lions because of the similarities between him and Campbell, and the fact that he has a no-fly zone in Denver. The Lions desperately need that kind of thing in Detroit.

Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich

If you wanted a guy with DC experience, here is your best shot. Ulbrich had the New York Jets defense humming before Aaron Rodgers tore that franchise down from the inside out.

This year, he had the Falcons’ defense performing well, especially early in the season when people thought the Falcons might be a playoff team. The problem you run into is that the Falcons just blocked Ulbrich from interviewing with the Cowboys. Would they do that for Detroit, too?

Former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon

This is the big fish right here. Gannon got the Eagles to the Super Bowl as a defensive coordinator. Things did not work out for him as a head coach in Arizona, but it’s hard to say the defense was the reason. Gannon is getting interviews already.

The Cowboys have interviewed him for their DC job, and the Titans have interviewed him for their head coach job. If the Lions get the shot, this is the guy you want the most.

Lions linebacker coach Shaun Dion Hamilton

I know people would want new ideals if Sheppard left, but there is a lot of say for continuity. Hamilton has been on the Lions staff during pretty much the whole Campbell era. He’s even played for Campbell during that time.

If anyone out there can tell you what Campbell is looking for defensively, it’s this guy. Hamilton will be a DC someday. It will happen. But does it happen now? We’ll see.

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Mike Payton