The case for Detroit winning the division: Yes, the Lions lost a lot of smart, talented coaches. But the talent on the field remains exceptional. They still boast the NFL’s best backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Sonic and Knuckles are Detroit’s identity, and I expect new OC John Morton to lean into them even more in 2025. The weapons on offense are excellent, with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta returning. If Jamo makes another leap, becoming a consistent player on intermediate routes and gobbling up YAC, this offense goes to the next level — I don’t care who is or isn’t calling plays. It stung Detroit that Ben Johnson left for Chicago, but it’s not as if these studs were simply a product of his calls. Teams don’t win 15 games in a season and then forget how to play. If Jared Goff continues to be a plus under center and avoids the compounding mistakes, the offense will still flourish.
The injuries on defense can’t continue, right? The Lions lost pretty much every significant front-seven player for at least a chunk of last season and still kept it together before the playoff collapse. Getting Aidan Hutchinson back immediately boosts the D. The secondary could be scary good if everyone stays on the field. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are arguably the best safety duo in the league. Adding D.J. Reed was a brilliant signing. If Terrion Arnold makes a Year 2 leap after improving down the stretch as a rookie, the secondary could be a lockdown unit. We’ll see how aggressive new DC Kelvin Sheppard is, but there is talent, particularly on the back end. Even if the Lions offense takes a step backward, the defense could flip the script if everyone returns to form and stays healthy — although another pass rusher would be helpful.
The focus in Detroit is on the coaches lost: Johnson defecting to a division rival; Aaron Glenn and Tanner Engstrand to the New York Jets. Not enough attention is on the coach who remains: Dan Campbell. This is the season that the man in charge can prove HIS program can withstand attrition. When things looked bleak for Campbell in 2022, he changed offensive coordinators and spearheaded the greatest turnaround in club history. With questions swirling, the coach can prove he’s in complete control of this Ford vehicle.
The case against Detroit: Brain Drain is real. Johnson was a sorcerer in how he constructed his offensive game flow. He knew the perfect time to call that trick play to break an opponent’s back. He might take some grief for how he managed the playoff loss, but the totality of his run as OC far outweighs a single game. What does Morton bring to the table? In his lone season as an NFL play-caller (New York Jets, 2017), his offense ranked 24th in points and 28th in yards. If things don’t click for Morton, particularly with Goff, the offense could take a step back from its soaring high.
Glenn kept things together despite a hellacious string of injuries. Could Sheppard replicate that if the issues persist?
Frank Ragnow‘s retirement stung. Detroit likely hoped it would have at least one season to prepare rookie Tate Ratledge for the full-time gig, which would have been a similar transition to the one Ragnow made, moving from guard to center early in his career. You simply don’t seamlessly replace a player of Ragnow’s caliber in the middle of an offense. The Lions were likely going to be very young in the middle of the offensive line regardless this season. Now, they could be uber green, particularly if soon-to-be 33-year-old Graham Glasgow doesn’t bounce back from a subpar 2024. With a pocket QB like Goff under center, the middle of the line is paramount. Right now, the Lions’ is a big question mark. Coming off a woeful playoff game, if Goff struggles out of the gate, those once-celebrated Ja-Red GOFF chats in Detroit could turn.
Coming off a 15-win season, the Lions are tied for the second-most difficult schedule in the NFL based on their opponents’ 2024 winning percentage. SOS isn’t always the best offseason indicator of future success or failure. However, just look at the QBs the Lions are slated to face during their gauntlet: Patrick Mahomes (on the road), Lamar Jackson (road), Joe Burrow (road), Jalen Hurts (road), Jayden Daniels (road), Matthew Stafford (road), Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield, Jordan Love (twice), Caleb Williams (twice), J.J. McCarthy (twice), Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson (or Jaxson Dart), and whoever wins the Browns QB battle. It’s difficult to beat good-to-great quarterbacks week in and week out. Detroit faces at least a handful of MVP-candidate QBs this season, particularly early in the schedule.