It’s that part of the NFL calendar where everybody starts stacking lists just to keep the conversation moving.
With the offseason dragging and rankings popping up everywhere, Dan Campbell has become the latest name to debate. ESPN is rolling out its position rankings based on execs and coaches, the NFL is already deep into its Top 100 Players of 2026 list, and the Lions have even started their own roster countdown from 90 to 1.
So here’s the question: where does Campbell fit among NFL head coaches?
The broad view seems pretty clear. Most rankings have him in the top 10, but probably not in the top five.
That feels about right. There are five coaches I’d put ahead of him without much hesitation: Sean McVay, Andy Reid, Kyle Shanahan, Sean Payton and Nick Sirianni.
After that, Campbell lands in a group with several coaches who belong in the same conversation. Mike Macdonald, Jim Harbaugh, Mike Vrabel, Matt LaFleur and Kevin O’Connell all make sense in that same tier.
Some of them have done more, but over a shorter stretch. Others have matched Campbell’s level of success.
There are also a couple of rising names hovering just behind that group. Liam Coen and Ben Johnson are getting close, but I’m not ready to slot a one-year head coach that high after one strong season. That kind of jump needs more proof, especially once the rough patches hit.
Campbell is a tricky case because he doesn’t fit the usual head-coach mold. He isn’t calling plays, and he isn’t the schematic mastermind driving everything on the field.
What he is, though, is a top-tier motivator who has helped build a winning culture in a place that’s spent years fighting that label. His aggressive, forward-leaning style has also played a major role in Detroit’s success in close games, and he knows more about the Xs and Os than he lets on.
That makes the comparison difficult. Is that more valuable than what someone like Mike Macdonald brings, with a defense that can look almost unfair no matter where he goes, plus a Super Bowl on the résumé? That’s not an easy call, because the jobs aren’t exactly the same.
For me, Campbell ends up just behind a legacy coach like Jim Harbaugh, and maybe even John Harbaugh too, with Macdonald also ahead of him. That puts Campbell around eighth or ninth among NFL coaches.
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Former Lions CB Terrion Arnold May Not Wait Long To Land
Terrion Arnolds next stop could come together quickly after the former Lions cornerback cleared waivers and became free to sign with any NFL team. His release has already pushed him into a market where teams are looking for secondary help, and his camp says the phone has started to ring.
Among the clubs that could make sense are the Jets, where a reunion with Aaron Glenn would be the obvious hook, along with the Chiefs, who could use more depth in the back end, and the Buccaneers, who still have questions to sort out in their secondary. For Arnold, the path to a new opportunity appears open, and the only real question now is which team moves fastest. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Roster Rankings Show Who May Already Be Slipping Away
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Luke Altmyer, Anthony Lucas and Colby Sorsdal are among the names drawing attention because each brings a different kind of intrigue, but also a clear path problem. Altmyer has the arm talent and poise to keep scouts interested, Lucas arrives with the kind of upside that can make an undrafted player hard to ignore, and Sorsdal is trying to find his way at tackle while facing a crowded room, which is exactly the kind of competition that can turn a projected depth piece into an afterthought before camp even settles in. [Read more 🡒]
This Lions Addition Could Quietly Change Everything In The Secondary
Roger McCrearys arrival in Detroit gives the Lions another layer of flexibility at cornerback at a time when the secondary is still sorting itself out. Signed to a one-year deal, McCreary brings experience inside and outside, which matters for a team that has been looking for dependable answers after Terrion Arnolds release opened up more opportunity in the defensive backfield.
The appeal is obvious for Detroit: McCreary has already shown he can handle different assignments and stay productive in the NFL, making him a natural fit to compete for a meaningful role right away. He is in the mix for one of the open starting jobs, and while the Lions have other options on the roster, this is the kind of addition that could quietly reshape how the defense lines up once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]