The Detroit Lions should at least make the call.
Not to fire Kelvin Sheppard. Not to hand Jim Schwartz the defensive coordinator title. And certainly not to pretend one assistant can magically erase every busted coverage, poor run fit, and communication issue that has helped Detroit allow 71 points through two games.
But Schwartz is available after stepping down as Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator this offseason, and he is expected to sit out the 2026 campaign. That makes a senior defensive advisor role, or some similarly defined consultant position, an idea worth considering.
Schwartz knows Detroit, knows Dan Campbell, and knows how to build a defense around an elite front. More importantly, he has fresh perspective from a Browns defense that was among the NFL’s best during his three-year run. Cleveland led the league in total defense in 2023, allowing just 270.2 yards per game.
Detroit does not need a symbolic move. It needs answers. Schwartz has built his career on finding them.
What Jim Schwartz Would Bring to Detroit
Schwartz’s system is an aggressive, four-man-front defense built on penetration, pass-rush pressure, and letting defensive linemen attack rather than react. His fronts often feature wide alignments from the edge rushers, the familiar “Wide 9” look, designed to create cleaner rush lanes and stress tackles in space.
The philosophy is simple: pressure the quarterback with four, keep extra defenders available in coverage, and force offenses into mistakes.
That could be appealing for a Lions defense with Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill, and enough talent up front to create disruption. Detroit has generated pressure in spurts, but Josh Allen repeatedly escaped the pocket in Buffalo and the defense failed to make enough plays once the ball got to the perimeter. Schwartz’s emphasis on defined rush lanes, disciplined edge play, and a deeper defensive-line rotation could help address that.
His scheme also asks defensive backs to play fast and communicate decisively. That is precisely where Detroit has been uneven. Dan Campbell admitted the Lions had multiple busts in the secondary against Buffalo, while D.J. Reed pointed to the challenge of players adjusting to different packages and systems.
Schwartz Should Advise, Not Replace, Sheppard
Schwartz is not a perfect answer. His aggressive style can leave a defense exposed if the pass rush does not get home, and his fronts can be vulnerable against the run when players lose their gaps. Detroit just watched what poor gap discipline can do against Buffalo’s rushing attack.
That is why this should not be framed as Schwartz taking over Sheppard’s defense.
A senior advisor role could give Sheppard another experienced set of eyes on game plans, pressure packages, rush-lane discipline, and secondary communication without stripping him of the coordinator job. Schwartz’s résumé includes a Super Bowl-winning run as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator, an NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award in Cleveland, and the experience of leading Detroit as head coach from 2009-13. Reuters reported that he resigned from the Browns after the team passed him over for its head-coaching opening.
The Lions should not create a divided staff or undermine Sheppard two games into his tenure. But good organizations do not ignore available expertise when a major problem is obvious.
If Schwartz is willing to join the staff in a clearly defined advisory role, Campbell and Brad Holmes should explore it. Detroit does not need to abandon Sheppard. It needs to give him every possible resource to get this defense fixed.
