Lions will receive a third-round pick in 2025 and 2026 for losing Aaron Glenn

The Lions surely would have preferred to keep Aaron Glenn as their defensive coordinator, but the Jets hiring him as their head coach will bring them a return in the form of draft picks.

In the 2021 hiring cycle, the NFL began dangling a carrot for teams to develop minority candidates. Teams that lose minority assistants or front office staff to other teams receive two compensatory draft picks.

The Lions thus will receive a third-round pick in 2025 and a third-round pick in 2026 for losing Glenn. The selections are slotted at the end of the third round after other compensatory choices are made.

The 49ers (DeMeco Ryans/Ran Carthon) and Rams (Raheem Morris) have comp picks remaining for previous minority hires.

The Lions had six selections in the 2025 draft before Glenn's departure.