The Detroit Lions offseason evaluation will come down to two major changes that the team made on offense. Their offensive coordinator change and the offensive line shake-up could go either way, per Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report. Knox believes that these two factors will provide the best or worst-case outcome for the Lions.
The team moved on from offensive coordinator John Morton after just one year. They tried to keep things in-house to replace Ben Johnson, but they could not get the same magic, and the offense struggled. So, the Lions hired Drew Petzing from the Arizona Cardinals to call the plays. They also added former New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka to the staff.
On the offensive line, the team got a lot younger. In 2024, they had Kevin Zeitler, Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, and Frank Ragnow. Now, one of those players is retired, and the other three are free agents.
They added Blake Miller in the 2026 NFL Draft, Tate Ratledge in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Christian Mahogany in the 2024 NFL Draft to fill in. They also signed veteran Cade Mays, giving them a fresh look and plenty of youth. The question is whether these moves will work.
Detroit Lions Invested in Their Coaching Staff in 2026
GettyDrew Petzing explains why he thinks the Detroit Lions hired him.
Knox believes that the shift in offensive mind will be the best-case outcome. While Petzing did not get glowing reviews in Arizona, he was propping up Jacoby Brissett to end the year. The Lions have much better personnel, and the reputation that Petzing grew before Arizona tends to fit with the Lions’ identity.
The addition of Kafka is underrated as well. He was a rising assistant, but things stalled with the New York Giants. That could have also had to do with the environment more than his own doing.
They might never get the full impact that Johnson created, but the staff should be better.
Lions Questions Come on the Offensive Line
Meanwhile, Knox tends to think that the offensive line shift is a cause for concern. Not only do they have four relatively new starters, but they are also shifting Penei Sewell over from right tackle to the left side. Mahogany could not stay healthy last year, and Mays does not have a full season of starting. When you add in Ratledge being up-and-down as a rookie, the room could actually be better on paper.
It would not be a surprise if it took this group a couple of weeks to sort things out and get on the same page. The issue would be that the Lions are in a tough division and they cannot afford to lose tight games early in the season while the offensive line forms.
Still, asking for a group to come together so quickly on the fly is unrealistic as well.
If the line can gel, the youth and potential upside are well worth the shift. However, combining this change with a new offensive coordinator is why the entire group will be volatile in 2026. It brings a higher ceiling and lower floor than most years.
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