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More pieces of news about the Detroit Lions' coaching staff under Jim Caldwell are starting to leak out. Specifically, we now know that offensive line coach Jeremiah Washburn has been retained by the Lions, according to Dave Birkett. We also know that running backs coach Curtis Modkins is set to be back, although his deal hasn't been finalized just yet, according to Josh Katzenstein. Finally, Birkett reports that tight ends coach Bobby Johnson has been retained as the Lions' assistant offensive line coach.
When it comes to who the Lions are planning to bring in from the outside, there is also some news. For the offensive coordinator role, it looks like the Lions are targeting Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers coach/assistant head coach David Culley and Rutgers offensive coordinator Ron Prince.
Target for #Lions OC on Jim Caldwell’s staff: #Chiefs asst head coach/WRs David Culley (http://t.co/PseMk5vTO9…). Or, Ron Prince as OC
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 17, 2014
Yes. He’s the top target from what I understand RT @WillyWonky1: @RapSheet Would you give Culley the edge over Ron Prince at this point?
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 17, 2014
Ian Rapoport also notes that Caldwell would coach quarterbacks if Culley is hired as the offensive coordinator. Caldwell likely wouldn't have to do that if he hires Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen as the offensive coordinator, but Jason La Canfora reports that the Lions have not submitted a request to speak with him. Perhaps Christensen isn't in the mix for the offensive coordinator job after all.
UPDATE: The Lions have announced that the following coaches have been retained (specific job titles apparently have not been finalized just yet):
Jeremiah Washburn, Terry Heffernan, Bonamego, Curtis Modkins, Jim Washburn, Kris Kocurek and Bobby Johnson have been retained as coaches.
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) January 17, 2014
Lions have also retained special teams assistant Evan Rothstein.
— Kyle Meinke (@kmeinke) January 17, 2014
UPDATE II: Per the Lions' official site, this is the list of coaches who were not retained:
Assistant coaches under Schwartz who weren’t retained include: defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, linebackers coach Matt Burke, assistant linebackers coach Bradford Banta, quarterbacks coach Todd Downing, receivers coach Tim Lappano, defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson, assistant defensive backs coach Steven Jackson and quality control coach Kyle Valero.
