The Fall of the Detroit Lions Is Closer Than You Think

Last season, the Detroit Lions had their best regular season in recent memory, finishing 15-2 and securing the #1 seed in the NFC. Unfortunately, their magical season came to an end at the hands of rookie Jayden Daniels during the Divisional Round. The belief around the league is that the Lions will be able to repeat their success and be a strong contender again in the 2025 NFL season. I don't agree.

Let's start with the positives. The Lions made one of my favorite offseason signings, grabbing star CB DJ Reed on a three-year deal. There was only one weakness on the Lions last year, and it was CB. This signing fills a huge gap in the Lions' defense, and I expect DJ Reed to put up a very solid season. Outside of Reed, there weren't any other major signings for the Lions. Fortunately, they were able to keep players like Derrick Barnes and Marcus Davenport, aiming to run the season back with a very similar roster.

However, the Lions' offseason had a lot more negatives than positives. To start, they lost guard Kevin Zeitler, safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, and cornerback Carlton Davis III. Additionally, center Frank Ragnow retired, leaving a hole the Lions must immediately fill. Most importantly, they lost both their coordinators in Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn. These departures simply cannot be overlooked. Ben Johnson played a huge role in the Lions' offensive success. From his trick plays to creative play-calling, his impact can't be replicated. The Lions brought in John Morton, the passing game coordinator for the Denver Broncos. Bringing someone in from another team means the offense will look very different in 2025. And it simply won't be as good. Moving to the defense, the loss of Aaron Glenn is also very detrimental for the Lions. The Lions' defense faced a lot of injuries last year, and Aaron Glenn did a fantastic job adjusting to these. Similar to Ben Johnson, his impact can't be replicated by new DC Kelvin Sheppard.

So, that leaves us with the question: How good are the Lions going to be in 2025?

Now, I'm not going to go out there and say they will finish below .500, because the talent on the roster can't be denied. However, I don't think it's unreasonable to say they won't win the NFC North. To me, the Vikings, Bears, and Packers all have a decent shot at winning the NFC North. The Packers have already proved they're a playoff team, the Bears look dangerous with new HC Ben Johnson, and Kevin O'Connell's QB-friendly system makes the Vikings and JJ McCarthy serious contenders for the division title as well. My ultimate prediction for the Lions is a wild card team that goes to the Divisional Round at the furthest. The Lions will still be good, just not great. Not like last year.

Record Prediction: 10-7

How many wins are the Lions getting?

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• 15+
• 13-14
• 11-12
• 9-10

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