The Detroit Lions are kicking things off strong, thanks to some encouraging updates about their offensive line and its impressive depth.
Now, nobody’s pretending there aren’t mixed feelings about former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson leaving for the Chicago Bears. Let’s be real. It stings a bit when someone so vital to the team’s rise heads off to a division rival. Even if people won’t say it out loud, there’s always that little hope he doesn’t thrive—at least not against Detroit.
Still, with Johnson now leading the Bears’ offense, the Lions aren’t slowing down. In fact, they’re thriving. Quarterback Jared Goff continues to lead the charge, and as we near the 2025-26 NFL season, it’s worth examining how Detroit stacks up against other teams—especially those in the NFC North like Chicago.
Beating the Bears again would feel great. No need to jump the gun, but based on recent updates about the offensive line’s power and depth, Detroit is sitting pretty in a strong early position.
Detroit’s offense has become the talk of the league. In a July 8 ESPN feature, NFL analyst Bill Barnwell ranked the best offenses and detailed what sets them apart. His evaluation leaned on advanced stats, accounting for pace and context, judging each snap’s impact.
If Johnson caught the ranking, he might get emotional. Not really cry—but almost. Detroit landed at No. 2 in the NFL, climbing from No. 7 last year. Only the Eagles are ranked higher in Barnwell’s list.
Barnwell singled out Amon-Ra St. Brown for praise: “Once seen as a fourth-round slot guy, Amon-Ra St. Brown keeps proving critics wrong.” Last year, he posted an 81.6% catch rate—second-best since 1992 for players with 100+ targets. Barnwell added, “His 70.2% success rate on those passes was fifth-best among wideouts with that volume,” citing Pro Football Reference.
He didn’t stop there. Barnwell highlighted how nearly every offensive starter on Detroit’s roster is high-caliber. In fact, Gennaro Filice from NFL.com had Detroit as his No. 1 offense overall.
That said, Barnwell did mention Johnson’s exit as a potential challenge to their offensive rhythm. “If there’s a flaw in Detroit’s playmaker lineup, it’s the loss of their brilliant schemer,” he wrote. “Ben Johnson played a major role in maximizing the roster’s talent. Without him, some of those creative tweaks and wild play designs may fade.”
John Morton is now calling the offensive plays, and the Lions hope he continues the momentum Johnson left behind. Meanwhile, the Bears? They landed at No. 25 on Barnwell’s list. Yikes.
