The Detroit Lions’ season has come to an abrupt end, and the concerns many had about their coaching situation have now become reality. The departure of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has proven especially damaging, as his replacement, John Morton, was eventually relieved of play-calling responsibilities by head coach Dan Campbell.

Although the offense showed brief improvement after Campbell stepped in, the added workload appeared unsustainable. Given how the season unraveled, it seems unlikely that Campbell will feel confident handing full control of the offense back to Morton moving forward, even with occasional signs of progress from Jared Goff and the ground game.
Because of this uncertainty, Detroit may look outside its current staff for a solution — potentially even to a familiar rival.

CBS Sports insider Jonathan Jones reports that Campbell could explore the idea of bringing in a coach from Johnson’s current staff, just one year after Johnson left Detroit. League insiders believe Campbell is preparing to search for a new offensive coordinator, and targeting someone molded under Johnson’s system is viewed as a logical next step.
While Chicago has the ability to prevent offensive coordinator Declan Doyle from interviewing elsewhere, other assistants are fair game.

Jones identifies pass game coordinator Press Taylor and quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett as two names that could draw Detroit’s interest. Taylor has earned praise for his work overseeing Chicago’s passing concepts, marking his first prominent offensive role without Doug Pederson. Barrett, a former Ohio State quarterback, has steadily climbed the coaching ranks and is expected to receive coordinator interviews this offseason.

Barrett, in particular, brings a direct connection to Detroit. He previously worked with the Lions as an offensive assistant and later as assistant quarterbacks coach before joining Chicago. His familiarity with Campbell and the organization, combined with the added benefit of weakening a divisional opponent, could make him an appealing candidate.

Despite the disappointing finish, Detroit’s offense was far from ineffective. The Lions ranked near the top of the league in scoring and total offense, finishing third in points per game and fourth in both overall and passing yardage.

However, their rushing attack regressed significantly, finishing in the middle of the league despite a talented backfield, and their third-down efficiency lagged behind expectations. With the personnel still in place, the Lions’ offensive issues appear fixable — provided they find the right play-caller. If that solution comes from Ben Johnson’s coaching tree, Detroit may be more than willing to pursue it.