"I did follow up with the league office after Detroit was approved and I was like, 'Didn't I just see them let go of eight coaches?' Undlin, 48, replaces Paul Pasqualoni as defensive coordinator, though Patricia ran much of the defense this season when the Lions were in the bottom third of the league in most categories.Should the Lions want to add secondary help in free agency, Eagles starters Ronald Darby and Rodney McLeod are unrestricted free agents.The Eagles, who won the NFC East this season and lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs, finished 19th in the NFL against the pass (241.6 ypg) despite having significant injuries in their secondary.The Lions could make big changes to the unit again this year, with starters A’Shawn Robinson, Tavon Wilson and Rashaan Melvin all ticketed for free agency in March, and a decision pending on whether to trade, keep or extend cornerback Darius Slay.Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy told the Free Press over the weekend that the Lions told the NFL they planned to have a full staff in place before next week, when they travel to Mobile, Alabama, to coach the North team in the Jan. 25 college all-star game.Flowers, coming off February shoulder surgery, finished with seven sacks.
And Harrison said after a Week 17 loss to the Green Bay Packers that he’s considering retirement.They hired 33-year-old Brayden Coombs to replace Bonamego on Saturday, and are still looking for assistants to run their linebacking corps, secondary, tight ends and strength program.The Lions have parted ways with eight coaches since the end of the regular season, including Pasqualoni, special teams coordinator John Bonamego and strength coach Harold Nash.They finished 31st in total defense, allowing their most yards (400.4 per game) since their winless season of 2008; were 26th in points allowed (26.4 ppg); were last against the pass (284.4 ypg); and blew second-half leads in seven of their 16 games.He initially will not call plays for the Lions, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.The Lions hired Philadelphia Eagles defensive backs coach Cory Undlin on Monday to run their defense. The Lions signed defensive end Trey Flowers to a five-year, $90 million contract at the start of free agency; made Justin Coleman the highest-paid slot cornerback in the NFL; and added one year and $11 million to Damon Harrison’s contract.“He was just like, ‘Yeah, hey, it’ll happen.
Crennel is a veteran coordinator and a guy who has done a solid job with Houston. The next Lions defensive coordinator must work in-tandem with Patricia to continue to teach the principles to the players on the roster. …Ben McEnroe spent a night at Cory Undlin’s house last summer on his way back from a baseball tournament his son was playing in at Cooperstown.He replaces Paul Pasqualoni, who was let go after the Lions’ disappointing 3-12-1 season. An Eagles’ perspective on new Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Cory Undlin New, 26 comments Getting to know the Lions’ new DC from the people that know him best. Widenhofer was fired by Fontes, and he never served as an NFL coordinator again.Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.Widenhofer last coached in 2007, when he served as New Mexico State’s defensive coordinator.ALLEN PARK -- Woody Widenhofer, a former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator who was on staff for the franchise’s best regular season ever, died on Sunday.