Pros and Cons of Detroit Lions Hiring Jake Peetz as OC

The Detroit Lions will continue their expansive search for their next offensive coordinator this week, interviewing Seattle Seahawks passing game coordinator Jake Peetz, according to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo.

While Peetz lacks the name recognition of some higher-profile candidates, his background presents a mix of upside and uncertainty that would make him a classic pros-and-cons hire for Detroit.

Peetz’s biggest selling point is his extensive work with productive NFL passing attacks.

Over the past few seasons, he has been part of offenses that have consistently gotten the most out of their quarterbacks and wide receivers.

His time with the Los Angeles Rams enabled him to work hand-in-hand with Sean McVay, who is widely viewed as one of the league’s brightest offensive minds. That should bode well for Peetz’s candidacy for offensive coordinator vacancies across the NFL.

He joined McVay’s staff in L.A. in 2022 as an offensive assistant and then worked his way up to pass game specialist the following season (also Matthew Stafford’s first Pro Bowl campaign in nearly a decade).

In fact, in 2023, Stafford threw for 3,965 yards and 24 touchdowns. Plus, then-Rams first-year wide receiver Puka Nacua set NFL rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486).

That experience with the Rams alone would resonate in Detroit, where Stafford’s success still serves as a blueprint for how veteran passer Jared Goff can thrive in the right environment.

More recently, Peetz has been a key contributor to Seattle’s success through the air.

The Seahawks have remained one of the league’s more productive aerial attacks despite transitioning from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold, a testament to Peetz’s ability to adapt from one signal-caller to the next.

If given the OC job in Detroit, Peetz would likely build a solid rapport with Goff and enable him to continue to succeed as the team's starting quarterback. Undoubtedly, that's a big plus when it comes to the Seattle passing game coordinator's candidacy to be the Lions’ next offensive coordinator.

On the flip side, he's never been a play-caller in the NFL.

While he has called plays at the college level (with LSU), he has yet to run an offense on Sundays from start to finish. That leap – from assistant to full-time coordinator – can be seismic, particularly for a Lions team heading into next season with serious Super Bowl aspirations.

Still, Peetz's wealth of experience working with NFL offenses, including with McVay in Los Angeles, makes him a viable candidate to replace John Morton. I think he'd be able to grow into the job with time and become a more than competent play-caller for Dan Campbell's offense.

He wouldn't quite be a slam-dunk hire for Detroit, though, and it's why I don't think he should be on the top of the organization's list of OC candidates.

I believe he'd be a middle-of-the-road type of hire for the Lions due to his overall inexperience calling plays.

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