With the new coaching staff, the Lions on offense and defense will look somewhat different.

It’s not just coach Jim Caldwell who will have a major impact on the Lions. 

The Lions’ offensive and defensive coordinators are younger and will coordinating in the NFL for the first time.

The 48-year-old Teryl Austin, who will run the defense, was most recently the secondary coach for the Baltimore Ravens while the 42-year-old Joe Lombardi was the quarterbacks coach for the New Orleans Saints the past five seasons.

They replace the 67-year-old Gunther Cunningham on defense and the 50-year-old Scott LInehan.

“I don’t really have a preference as far as the age of the coordinator or experience level of a coordinator, I just want good coordinators,’’ general manager Martin Mayhew said. “I’ve known Teryl Austin for a long time, I’ve talked to him on the sidelines at combines and Senior Bowls. I have great respect for his abilities.

“I just recently met Joe (Lombardi), I was in his interviews, he was outstanding, very highly recommended. Both of those guys were very highly recommended,’’ Mayhew added.

It’s a possibility that Austin and Lombardi will break the mold and move on to be NFL head coaches unlike other Lions’ coaches in the past.

“I don’t think it’s far-fetched to say that either one of those guys could be a head coach in four or five years. ... I’m really excited about our staff in general,’’ Mayhew said.

Cunningham will remain with the Lions in a new role, while Linehan has been hired by the Dallas Cowboys as the passing game coordinator.

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)