Detroit Lions Offseason Grade: Culture Tested – Can Campbell's Crew Survive Major Departures?
The hyper-competitive culture that Dan Campbell has built over his time as Detroit Lions head coach is about to face its biggest and most daunting test to date.
From the moment Kerby Joseph ran Aaron Rodgers out of Lambeau Field forever, to moments before running out onto the field against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game with the road to the Super Bowl in New Orleans paved through Detroit, the Lions have been among the most feared rosters across the league.
And, for good reason, general manager Brad Holmes has assembled an elite collection of young, homegrown talent with immense upside that not only fits Campbell’s mold collectively but individually have the traits to eventually develop into some of the premier players at their position, if they aren’t already.
Aidan Hutchinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, Penai Sewell, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Terrion Arnold, and Joseph have all been drafted by the Lions and represent a Super Bowl-caliber core that at least 25 teams have to be envious of.
However, as tends to happen across football at all levels when a program such as Detroit’s achieves prolonged success, turnover comes knocking and the winds of change start blowing like January gusts off the Detroit River.
The Lions’ offseason was defined more by some of the marquee losses than it was the additions to a Super Bowl caliber roster, and how Campbell weathers the gathering storm clouds will define Detroit’s ceiling in 2025, and likely beyond.
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What I Liked About the Detroit Lions’ Offseason:
Holmes and the Lions did a nice job of bringing back several veterans, key contributors, and leaders, after injuries inflicted a late-season disaster across the roster.
Perhaps the marquee addition was swapping former Jets ascending cornerback D.J. Reed for Davis, which could eventually become an upgrade if Reed recaptures his high level of play from the past couple of seasons.
Reed, 28, arrives in the Motor City off holding opposing quarterbacks to a 91.7 passer rating when targeting him, but is two years removed from finishing in the top-10 in run-stops and pass breakups among cornerbacks, showing his versatility to make plays near the line of scrimmage as well as in coverage.
While the Lions have yet to find a defined answer opposite Aidan Hutchinson to bolster the pass rush, the combination of re-signing D.J. Reader and selecting Tyleik Williams in the first round could provide a steady interior pass rush to collapse the pocket and quarterbacks into Hutchinson’s arms.
Holmes and the Lions’ front office has earned plenty of latitude and benefit of the doubt in terms of roster building, and this offseason the focus seemed to be preserving as much continuity as possible while targeting the top replacements where necessary.
What Worries Me About The Detroit Lions’ Offseason, 2025 Outlook:
From two coordinators to some of the most vital players on both sides of the football, the Lions suffered some big losses this offseason.
Most obviously, one of the league’s true quarterback whisperers and offensive innovators, Ben Johnson, departs to become the NFC North rival Chicago Bears’ head coach, and rising defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is now the prodigal son who returns to coach the Jets, hoping to usher in a new era.
Losing coordinators is a hallmark of a successful program, but there can be a learning curve that is at times significant for the players left behind by their former coaches.
Not to mention, Carlton Davis was a fixture in Detroit’s secondary which is why the New England Patriots paid him $54 million over the next three seasons to be the centerpiece of theirs.
However, while the landscape is littered with teams that took a step back after losing both coordinators, Campbell’s philosophy and culture could be built to withstand it. All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, who was equally vital to the Lions’ offensive line becoming one of the most formidable and dominant in the sport as he was a pillar of leadership in the locker room, is a void that could take more than Graham Glasgow stepping into the starting lineup to fill. At least immediately.
The NFC North sent three teams to the postseason last year, and the Chicago Bears have the pieces in place to be among the most improved teams in the NFL, so the margin for error is miniscule for the Lions to go from the bountyhunters to the hunted if Detroit struggles, especially with a grueling early stretch of the schedule.
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Detroit Lions’ Offseason Grade: B
The Lions were kind of destined for an offseason like the one they just went through, which likely adds to the disappointment in Detroit over last season’s early exit.
There is only so much cap space to go around, elite coordinators only stay coordinators for so long before teams come knocking to import what has made their current program a model for success, and Holmes deserves some credit for swapping Davis for one of the top cornerbacks on the market and bringing back some respected and productive veterans.
However, what the Lions do the rest of this summer, and perhaps ahead of the trade deadline at edge rusher, could dictate the trajectory of this defense.
Hutchinson is an All-Pro talent who is ascending into becoming one of the premier edge defenders in the sport, but how he returns from a gruesome leg injury is an open question, and the Lions could use a running mate for him on the opposite side of the defense.
Offensively, this should still be a fireworks show, with Jared Goff, Gibbs, LaPorta, St. Brown and Williams returning, but losing Ragnow stings, especially so late in the offseason.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Lions take a step back in the regular season, but if this team stays healthy and adds aggressively where needed, Detroit has the core in place to remain a Super Bowl threat out of the NFC.
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