Seahawks, Lions O-Line Coach to Meet For Second Offensive Coordinator Interview

Only a few days after his current team was ousted from the playoffs, the Seahawks will have a chance to meet with Hank Fraley in person.

Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley watches action from sideline against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of the preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. / Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Following his current team's elimination from the postseason this past weekend, Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley remains a viable contender for the Seattle Seahawks' vacant offensive coordinator position.

According to Dan Graziano of ESPN, the Seahawks will meet with Fraley in-person for a second interview for their offensive coordinator position on Tuesday. He will join Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Vikings assistant quarterback coach Grant Udinski as the third candidate to speak with the team for a second time after previously interviewing on January 10 virtually.

Fraley has never been a play caller at any level previously, but with coach Mike Macdonald desiring a "physical, complementary" offense after the dismissal of former coordinator Ryan Grubb, he may be the ideal successor to fulfill that vision. A rapid riser on Dan Campbell's talented staff in Detroit, the 11-year NFL veteran has been instrumental in the development of an elite offensive line built around former top-10 pick Penei Sewell and All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, helping the franchise capture back-to-back NFC North titles.

After a three-year stint as an assistant offensive line coach with the Vikings from 2014 to 2016, Fraley spent one season at UCLA before returning to the NFL as the Lions assistant offensive line coach in 2018. When Campbell replaced Matt Patricia as head coach in 2021, he retained Fraley as one of the few holdovers from the previous staff after receiving positive feedback from players, and that decision paid major dividends for the organization.

With the offensive line starring, the Lions began their ascent in 2022, narrowly missing out on a playoff berth while ironically helping the Seahawks clinch the final wild card berth in Week 18. Providing sterling protection for quarterback Jared Goff, Fraley's unit allowed 24 sacks - the second-fewest in the NFL - and a fantastic 3.9 percent sack rate for the season.

This first sign of success proved to be just a taste of what the Lions could do on offense, as Detroit ranked fourth in sack percentage (4.8 percent) with 2,311 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground in 2023 as Fraley's offensive line played a pivotal role in guiding the team to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1991.

Though the Lions disappointingly didn't advance past the Divisional Round following a 15-2 regular season record that notched the No. 1 seed in the NFC, that shouldn't take away from everything the team accomplished during a record-setting season for the franchise. Under Fraley's direction, the team finished 10th in quarterback sack rate (5.7 percent), sixth in rushing yards (2,488), and second in rushing touchdowns (29).

Showcasing the balanced, physical attack Macdonald covets on offense, Seattle clearly views Fraley as one of the finalists to take the reins after moving on from Grubb after just one season with hopes he can implement a similar system as a first-time coordinator. Bolstering his candidacy, his track record of building strong offensive lines would be a game changer for a team that has consistently struggled in the trenches for more than a decade.

It will be interesting to see if the Seahawks quickly make a decision after speaking with Fraley on Tuesday, as the Lions themselves could attempt to keep him as a replacement for Ben Johnson, who accepted the Bears head coaching job on Monday. It's also possible Johnson could pursue Fraley or defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn could try to take him with him if he lands the Jets or Saints head coaching job in coming days, creating urgency to get a deal done if he's the favorite.

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