Detroit’s offensive and defensive coordinators face high expectations after Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn left for head coaching jobs.

Following the departures of Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn to become head coaches for the Bears and Jets, the Lions are pressing forward with John Morton as offensive coordinator and Kelvin Sheppard leading the defense.

Some wonder if Detroit can maintain its upward trajectory without Johnson and Glenn, who were pivotal in the team’s rise from irrelevance to division champs and top contenders.

That said, both new coordinators bring experience. Morton was the Broncos’ passing game coordinator last season and served as a senior assistant under Johnson in 2022.

Sheppard earned the DC promotion after four years as Detroit’s linebackers coach. He also enjoyed a solid NFL playing career from 2011-18 and steadily climbed the coaching ranks since then.

“We’re not going from Ben and [Glenn] to coaches who don’t know football. Let’s not pretend we’re hiring scrubs,” Amon-Ra St. Brown told Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports. “These coaches really know the game.”

Morton and Sheppard appear capable of keeping Detroit’s systems sharp. The Lions still boast elite talent, especially on offense, but it’s fair to question if the schemes might take a step back.

That’s no slight to the new staff—it’s just a reflection of how excellent Johnson and Glenn were. Both were instrumental in the Lions’ transformation.

With the knowledge and habits picked up from Johnson and Glenn, Morton and Sheppard are well-positioned to carry the momentum forward for Detroit.