The Detroit Lions are undergoing some transformations early in the offseason, with one of the most significant being the departure of defensive line coach Terrell Williams, who has taken on the role of defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.
The Lions made what might be the best possible choice by bringing on Buccaneers defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers. He dedicated six years to the Bucs and trained their defensive line to consistently rank among the best units in the league.
Since he’s arrived, he’ll require an assistant defensive line coach for support. Particularly since the Lions have just severed ties with their assistant Cameron Davis.
There’s one coach who is ideal for the position, and that is Titans defensive quality control coach Lori Locust.
Locust served as Rodgers’ assistant defensive line coach for four years. She played a vital role in the Buccaneers’ defensive line, which ranked among the top five in both pressures and sacks in 2020, contributing to Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl victory that year. During her two subsequent years there, the Bucs line ranked among the top 10 in sacks.
The Lions require coaches capable of assisting them in pressuring the quarterback, and this pair has demonstrated they can achieve that effectively.
Along with her Locust coaching for the Bucs, she worked as a coaching intern for the Ravens in 2018 and also coached in the AAF while the league was active.
Locust would be the first female defensive coach for the Lions. They presently have one additional female coach, Jill Constanza. She serves as the team’s director of sports science and also works as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.