Detroit Lions News Could Make Ben Johnson Cry

Sure, there are no hard feelings when it comes to former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson packing up and heading to the Chicago Bears. Or, are there? C’mon. Of course they are a few hard feelings when a guy who was such an important part of the Lions for so long ends up going to a competitor. It’s just human nature to be a bit burned and not want to see them do well, especially if it’s at the Lions’ expense.

Well, the Lions are now forging ahead with Johnson heading up their offense, but the good news is that the team still has a solid lineup on offense, spearheaded by quarterback Jared Goff. As the 2025-26 NFL season approaches, it’s a good time to look at who the Lions have on their squad and see how it stacks up to other teams in the NFL, including the Bears.

Boy, would it be sweet to beat the Bears again this season. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but the Lions are certainly off to a good start, judging by some news they just received about their offensive line and the strength that it possesses.

Lions Get Boost in Offensive Ratings

The Lions’ offense is really the envy of the NFL right now. In a July 8 feature for ESPN, NFL expert Bill Barnwell lays out the best offenses in the league and says what makes them so great. For the ranking, he “tried to use advanced metrics, adjusting for elements such as pace and opportunity, to see how players performed on a snap-by-snap basis.”

Looking at this ranking, it just may make Johnson cry. Probably not, but at least tear up. The Lions rank No. 2 in offense, up from No. 7 in 2024. The only team higher is the Eagles.

Barnwell praises Amon-Ra St. Brown in the piece, stating, “For a player who was originally a fourth-round pick and then written off as strictly a slot receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to exceed expectations.” Last season, St. Brown racked up an 81.6% catch rate, which is the second-best rate for a wideout with 100 targets or more since 1992. “His 70.2% success rate on those targets, per Pro Football Reference, was the fifth-best mark for any wideout with those same constraints,” Barnwell adds.

Of course, he has more kind words for the rest of the Lions’ offense and makes the case that pretty much every guy on here is solid and that the team is stacked. It’s worth noting that Gennaro Filice of NFL.com has the Lions ranked No. 1.

One Negative for the Lions

He does mention Johnson leaving, though, and how that could be a disruption to their budding offensive line. “The only knock I can place on the Lions’ playmaker spots is the departure of one of the league’s schematic masterminds,” he states. “Ben Johnson was undoubtedly a huge help to the offense and getting the most out of this talent, but with the former Detroit coordinator now off to the Bears, there probably won’t be the same endless array of trick plays and brilliant adjustments that we saw in years past.”

Now, the Lions will have John Morton calling the shots, and hopefully he’ll take off right where Johnson left off. The Bears, by the way, are ranked No. 25 on the tally. Ouch.