When the Detroit Lions open training camp this week they will do so with enviable continuity on both sides of the ball.

Aaron Glenn is the longest-tenured defensive coordinator in the NFC (and tied for third-longest in the NFL), and no non-head coach has been calling offensive plays for his team longer than Ben Johnson has for the Lions.

Lions coach Dan Campbell said this spring that stability gave his team an edge in its offseason preparations, one that should carry over to training camp.

The Lions finished spring ahead of many other teams with their offensive and defensive installations, and plan to pick up where they left off when they hold their first practice of summer Wednesday.

“I talk about this Level 401,” Campbell said during organized team activities. “We need to be playing and thinking in Level 401 now because we have all been together and we’ve got the talent here, we got smart guys, we got competitive guys, and so now, some of these teams that are starting from scratch – now we need to be like, ‘Hey man we’re in Year 4, we’re all together and we’ve been together.’ That’s what I’m looking for.”

Beyond Glenn, one of Campbell’s first hires when he took over as Lions coach in 2021, and Johnson, who helped with play-calling duties after an in-season promotion that first year, the Lions return special teams coordinator Dave Fipp and top assistants Hank Fraley (offensive line), Kelvin Sheppard (linebackers), Antwaan Randle El (receivers) and Mark Brunell (quarterbacks) for their fourth seasons.

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They will have new faces in key places throughout the defense – free-agent additions D.J. Reader and Marcus Davenport are expected to play big roles up front for new defensive line coach Terrell Williams, and Carlton Davis III, Amik Robertson and rookie Terrion Arnold could start at cornerback under new secondary coach Deshea Townsend this fall – but the offensive nucleus remains largely intact and the Lions were able to keep another key offensive assistant this offseason despite job interest elsewhere.

Passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand was a candidate for offensive coordinator jobs with the New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks this offseason.

Engstrand said this spring he “couldn’t be happier to” have remained in Detroit, though going through the interview process made him realize how far he’s come as a coach.

“It’s a little different place that being on the University of San Diego (staff) a few years back,” Engstrand said in June. “It’s, we’ve come a long way in a short amount of time and we just, we look forward to what we have continuing to build and grow here and the opportunities that we’re going to have here with this team.”

Like Campbell, Engstrand said he expects the Lions’ unusual continuity to pay big dividends this fall.

“I think it’s been fantastic because, again as coaches you’re always coaching but last year there was a lot of coaching the coaches because they were new,” he said. “This year, everybody’s on the same page, we all know what we’re doing. We’re able to jump into Year 3 in the offense and not necessarily be dragged, but bring it along slowly as we’re teaching the players and the coaches. Now, the coaches are coaching the players as we go and everybody’s really on the same page in continuity, understanding why we’re doing things, what are the details, where do we need to be. And so I think that’s been a huge advantage for us this spring, for sure.”

No substitute for Sudfeld

Nate Sudfeld was not one of four players the Lions placed on a restricted list over the weekend, which should clear the way for him to compete with Hendon Hooker for the backup quarterback job at the start of camp.

Sudfeld tore his ACL in the Lions’ preseason finale last year and missed all of the 2023 season. He spent most of the fall rehabbing in California, but returned to be around the team in the playoffs.

“There’s no substitute for a veteran presence in that room, the experience that he has,” Brunell said last month. “Now, he hasn’t played a lot but he’s been around a lot. This is what Nate brings to the table: He’s been in multiple systems, he is a hard-working guy with a great attitude. He’s excellent in the room, he’s excellent in the locker room, guys like him. But he’s very smart. He understands situational football as well as anybody I’ve been around.”

Hooker is expected to take the bulk of the second-team and preseason reps as the Lions groom the 2023 third-round pick for a roster spot. But for one of the NFC’s leading Super Bowl contenders, Sudfeld might offer the Lions better insurance.

An eight-year NFL veteran who saw limited playing time with the Lions as a backup in 2022, Sudfeld was a limited participant in OTAs and June minicamp.

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“We ask a lot of our quarterbacks at the line of scrimmage and in the huddle,” Brunell said. “We ask our guys to get us into the right play, and so if you have a play and there’s a problem over there, you got to be able to fix it. And within the parameters of the play, we have the opportunity to go from one play to the next depending on what we’re seeing. Ninety-nine percent of the time, Nate is right.

“He understands defenses. He knows what to look for. He’s just very, very smart, and he can get you into the right play and that’s half the battle. If you can do that, and then you go execute it, you’re going to move the team. And so having him in the room with that ability and his ability to work well with the other guys and be a resource for Jared, much like David Blough was last year and much like Nate has been, having those guys in the room is a huge asset for the quarterback and the quarterback coach, really.”

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Continuity puts Detroit Lions at 'Level 401' for training camp