Should Detroit Lions fans be confident in new offensive coordinator John Morton and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard? We debate.
As NFL analysts begin to make their predictions for the 2025 NFL season, you can already sense some skepticism about the Detroit Lions . While even the most jaded talking head will admit that the Lions roster remains one of the best in the NFL, the biggest source of doubt comes from the change at both coordinator positions.
The loss of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be used all offseason as an excuse to believe Detroit’s Super Bowl window is closed or closing. But is that fair?
On this week’s Midweek Mailbag podcast, Erik Schlitt and I debate the merits of worries that John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard won’t be able to carry the weight of their predecessors.
Erik and I agree that there is far less concern about Sheppard. Not only does he see the game the same as former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, but he also shares the ability to command a room and earn the respect of his players.
As for Morton, there are reasons for both optimism and pessimism. On one hand, Morton has been described as “passionate” and the kind of person who will stay overnight to do whatever it takes . He’s meticulous and detailed in his preparation. Most importantly, he already knows this offense and its players from when he was here helping install it back in 2022.
But there are some significant unknowns about him, too. With so little experience, how is he going to be as a play-caller? How is he going to adjust to Dan Campbell’s aggressive style—something Morton has openly admitted will take some getting used to? Given the Lions finished first in scoring last year, is it not fair to expect at least a small step back with Morton leading the group?
The debate on that topic begins around the 12:55 mark of the podcast below. Other topics on this week’s show include:
- Will 12 wins be enough to win the NFC North? How many wins will earn a No. 1 seed?
- Are the Lions done making roster moves?
- Are Jadeveon Clowney or Za’Darius Smith still on the table?
- How will the Lions continue to get better without being aggressive in free agency?
- Is the NFL too greedy? Are they at risk of losing fans with the expansion to streaming services?
- How novel was “grit” when the Lions popularized it?
- How many sacks do the non-Aidan Hutchinson edge defenders need to get to justify Brad Holmes’ modest strategy?
- What is more valuable to the Lions in joint practices: Playing starters in controlled environments or allowing developmental players to get plenty of preseason reps?
You can listen to the podcast below or watch full replays of the show on our YouTube and Twitch pages .