Phase three of the Detroit Lions’ offseason ramps up this week, and with it comes our first full look at the 2025 squad under two fresh play-callers. Sure, John Morton steps in for Ben Johnson on offense, and Kelvin Sheppard takes over for Aaron Glenn on defense—but don’t expect any seismic shifts. Thanks to continuity, familiarity and carryover talent, Detroit’s systems will feel more “evolution” than “revolution.”
John Morton’s Offense: If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It
Morton famously quipped, “I’m not changing much. I mean, why?” when asked about taking over one of the NFL’s most explosive attacks. That makes sense—he helped install many of these concepts back in 2022, tailoring schemes around Jared Goff’s quick release and Sam LaPorta’s playmaking underneath. Over 10 non-contact OTAs, look for the same tempo-based RPOs, play-action calls and pre-snap motions that left defenses flat-footed last year. Any tweaks—extra screen passes here, a different blocking stunt there—will be almost invisible to casual observers.
Kelvin Sheppard’s Defense: Built on Aaron Glenn’s Blueprint
On the other sideline, Sheppard inherits a secondary and front seven molded by Glenn and Dan Campbell. After two years as Glenn’s right-hand man, Sheppard knows exactly when to dial up the wide-9 overload or rotate nickel personnel. Early 9-on-7s will reveal whether he favors more zone drops from D.J. Reed or leans into man-press concepts with Terrion Arnold. At the line, expect familiar stunts that freed up Aidan Hutchinson for what was shaping up to be a DPOY season, only now sprinkled with unpredictable blitz angles.
Why Seamless Transitions Matter
Player Familiarity: Goff, Hutchinson, Amon-Ra St. Brown and company already know the verbiage. No relearning means sharper reps from Day 1.
System Continuity: Morton and Sheppard spent seasons refining these game plans under their predecessors—they’re more custodians than architects.
Roster Stability: With stars like Penei Sewell, Derrick Barnes and Jack Campbell locked in, schematic tweaks can be minor without sacrificing upside.
Coach-Player Trust: Players praising these coaches all spring signal buy-in, and buy-in lifts execution in every OTA period.
Springboard to Camp: Smooth OTAs set a fast pace for training camp, where pads come on and performance gaps really show.
Bottom Line
New coordinators often mean growing pains, but not in Detroit. With John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard already part of the organizational fabric—and a roster built on consistency—this spring’s OTAs will feel more like hitting “play” on a familiar highlight reel. In other words: new coordinators? No problem.