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The Grey Area: the Offseason Begins – Now What?
What We Learned Without a Game
In the offseason life comes at you fast. The Detroit Lions are sitting on a 9-8 season and a clear mandate. Fix the roster. Get better. Get back to the postseason in 2026. The belief remains that Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have earned the benefit of the doubt after four straight winning years. The NFL does not wait. Results matter now.
Grey underscores the league’s ruthless pace. Look around at Pete Carroll, Jonathan Gannon, Brian Daboll, Raheem Morris, Brian Callahan, Kevin Stefanski, Mike McDonald, and John Harbaugh. Tenures shift. Reputations shift. If the Lions miss the mark this offseason, the heat rises. Campbell and Holmes get the one-year reprieve to steer this roster. If the step forward does not happen, that seat gets hot in a hurry.
Extra Time and the Staff Fix
Exiting early stings, but the calendar helps. No playoff prep means time and attention can move to the coaching staff. The recent past showed how that can slip. John Morton arrived and then exited. Now the Lions need an offensive coordinator, with other staff decisions on deck. January without game plans opens hours for interviews, evaluation, and structure.
This is where detail matters. Identify the offensive identity. Match it with the next play caller. Build the room the right way. The roster has talent. The Lions must align scheme and staff to it. The extra weeks should sharpen choices and shorten mistakes. That is the kind of edge this organization needs to reclaim momentum in the NFL.
Across Lake Michigan: Ben’s Bears Change the Math
Ben might be a problem. He is winning playoff games with the Chicago Bears. He is teaching a young roster how to close even when the stat sheet says otherwise. Turnovers keep showing up. Point differential keeps getting defied. The Packers went down in flames, followed by that overdone WrestleMania handshake. It was funny. It was also a warning.
There is a reality check built in. The Bears still have the NFC West gauntlet ahead. A sophomore slump can happen. Luck on turnovers can flip. But for a first season with a young quarterback who needed psychological repair, this is real progress. It changes the neighborhood. The Lions cannot count on drift in the division to help. They have to set the pace.
Draft Wish List, Early and Different
The draft talk has started. The show teased an early wish list. It is different than most, and it is early by design. The Lions need targeted pieces, not noise. The approach reflects the offseason theme. Clear eyes. Tight priorities. No wasted motion. Detroit has the time right now. Use it, and 2026 remains in play.
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