The Detroit Lions lost their play-caller, with Ben Johnson leaving for Chicago, but Dan Campbell is confident there won't be a falloff.
The players are why Campbell is sure that one of the league's top offenses won't take a step back in 2025.
"This is a Detroit Lion offense, is what it is. ... This offense is Jared Goff, (Amon-Ra) St. Brown, (Jahmyr) Gibbs, (David) Montgomery," Campbell said last week, via the Detroit News. "It's Frank (Ragnow); it's (Penei) Sewell; it's (Taylor) Decker. I can keep (going). It's (Jameson Williams). ... That's what we are."
The Lions brought back 10 of 11 offensive starters, with only veteran guard Kevin Zeitler leaving in free agency.
For Campbell, it's less the coordinator and more Goff, St. Brown, Gibbs, Montgomery, Jamo, the offensive line, etc., who will determine how explosive and entertaining the offense remains.
"We can say, 'Well this is our scheme, this is what we're running.' No, no, no," Campbell said. "(The players are) the ones who make it what it is. That's our playbook, those guys."
During last year's run to the No. 1 seed, the Lions often discussed the heavier role Goff took in shaping the offense. With Johnson gone, Campbell anticipates the QB's influence to "take another step up."
What made the Lions offense unpredictable and entertaining were the creative explosives that Johnson not only helped install but wasn't afraid to unleash in a big moment -- such as a hook-and-lateral in the fourth quarter in Green Bay, for example. The question is whether new play-caller John Morton will continue that trend or regress to the mean, which would take some life out of Detroit's offense.
On paper, the Lions offense should maintain its stalwart play, but we won't have a complete view of how Morton differs from Johnson until September at the earliest.
