Time and time again, the most creative coordinators in the NFL are poached by other teams to become head coaches. That happened to the Detroit Lions as Dan Campbell lost his two coordinators to head coaching gigs. However, while that might spell trouble for some, one of Jared Goff‘s most reliable weapons said their new offensive coordinator is great.
After Ben Johnson’s departure to go to the Bears, the Lions brought John Morton to replace him. Of course, Morton’s appointment was filled with doubts. First, Johnson was one of the best offensive coordinators in the whole NFL. Secondly, this is Morton’s first gig as OC on any team. He previously was the passing game coordinator in Denver.
Sam LaPorta, tight end for the Lions, spoke to Jim Rome and had good things to say about Morton. “Fortunately, we kept a couple of our position coaches.” Laporta said. “So, fortunate for me, we have the same run game system this year, same verbiage, which, as you can imagine, is a lot. But Johnny Mo, pass game coordinator his whole life. Brilliant mind, I think he’s gonna call the offense great.”
LaPorta is ready to dominate
One of the best tight ends in the NFL, LaPorta has solidified himself as a total threat on this offense. In two seasons, he has 1,615 yards and 146 receptions, all capped off by 17 touchdowns. LaPorta is so good, the Lions traded away another top-tier tight end in T.J. Hockenson.
Sam LaPorta #87 of the Detroit Lions runs the ball up the field in the second quarter of a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 13, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.
While he didn’t go to the Pro Bowl last year, he was still very valuable for this team. Now with Morton designing their offense, it will probably be pass-heavy, where having LaPorta surely will help.
see also
Dan Campbell turns heads after revealing main goal for Lions next NFL season
The Lions offensive roster is very talented
Besides LaPorta, this team is stacked. Jared Goff is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league and he enhances his talent once the running game gets going. He is deadly in play-action.
They have the most dangerous running duo in the NFL with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Also, having a top-tier wideout like Amon-Ra St. Brown will always help on offense. As if all this wasn’t enough, they have a certified deep threat in Jameson Williams too and a top-tier offensive line. The Lions will be a problem even with a new offensive coordinator taking the lead.
