Detroit Lions DL coach Kris Kocurek leaving for Miami Dolphins

The Detroit Lions have lost another assistant coach, this time their longest-tenured assistant on the defensive side of the ball.

Defensive line coach Kris Kocurek has agreed to become defensive line coach of the Miami Dolphins, his wife Amy confirmed late Tuesday on Facebook.

Kocurek joined the Lions as assistant defensive line coach in 2009 under Jim Schwartz, and was promoted to head defensive line coach a season later.

In Miami, he'll reunite with former Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and work under his old colleague with the Lions, Dolphins defensive coordinator Matt Burke.

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Kocurek is well regarded across the league for his work with pass rushers.

During his nine seasons with the Lions, he helped develop star players like Suh, Cliff Avril and Ziggy Ansah, and also get career years out of lesser-known players like Kerry Hyder, George Johnson and Devin Taylor.

The Lions ranked among the top 10 in sacks four times: 2010-11 and 2014-15.

The Lions plan to hire New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as their next head coach once the Patriots' season is over, and expect significant changes to coaches on the defensive side of the ball.

Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin left for the same job with the Cincinnati Bengals last week, and he hired the Lions' other defensive line coach, Matt Raich, as a defensive assistant.

The Lions still have 15 of Jim Caldwell's assistants under contract, including offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter and special teams coordinator Joe Marciano.

The Lions are expected to retain Cooter as offensive coordinator.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

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