DFN Mailbag: Morton hire in hindsight, playing time and personnel, 2026 offseason needs and cheesesteaks

McNamara Terminal, DTW — Welcome to a pre-primetime addition of our Detroit Lions mailbag. Let’s see what’s on your mind.

Question: Do you foresee Tyleik Williams getting an increased snap count with his strength against the run game and Pat O’Connor on IR? — AW

Justin: O’Connor isn’t really a factor in this equation. His usage had declined even sharper than Williams’ in recent weeks, with the veteran logging three defensive snaps each of his previous two appearances.

If there’s a reason to believe we’ll see an uptick in Williams’ workload, it’s defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard highlighting that it’s on the agenda this week. But who loses time?

DJ Reader is a trusted starter, with a snap count hovering around a reasonable 50% the past two games. And Roy Lopez has earned more, not less, than the dozen or so reps he’s been playing.

We might see a handful of five-man, three-tackle fronts to counter Philadelphia’s dominant offensive line, but I’m not sure it will be a notable increase.

Question: If and when the Lions move on from Alex Anzalone, do you see a scenario where the defense moves to a nickel base with Brian Branch as a roaming nickel/LB, getting him more in the box to make plays, a la Kyle Hamilton with the Ravens? — Derek Aaron

Justin: It’s impossible to predict how personnel packages might change based on one potential departure. If the Lions don’t re-sign Anzalone, who is the third linebacker in 2026? Do they bring back Grant Stuard or Malcolm Rodriguez, or add someone via the draft? Or do they reshuffle the deck, moving Barnes to Anzalone’s spot and get Trevor Nowaske more involved? And where does slot cornerback Amik Robertson fit into this equation? Remember, he’s on an expiring contract, as well.

I think you might be underestimating how much Branch already plays close to the line of scrimmage. Both he and Hamilton have played six games this year. Branch has 140 snaps in the box to Hamilton’s 168, but when you factor in that the Ravens safety has played 54 more snaps overall, the percentages are pretty close.

Hamilton does see more than double Branch’s workload along the line of scrimmage, but Hamilton is also significantly bigger, making him better equipped to handle the rigors of those alignments.

Branch will continue to be a chess piece that the Lions move all over because of his ability to make plays in the backfield, protect deeper parts of the field from a deep zone, or cover a tight end man-to-man from the slot.

Question: How highly would you put kick returner on the list of Detroit’s off-season needs? Also, is TE2 a sneaky need? Feels like Brock Wright has fallen off, and it’s a place they could maybe save some dollars — BDR

Justin: I wrote about the quiet need for kick return help in a “Three and Out” column a few weeks back. Jacob Saylors and Craig Reynolds have been servicable, and there’s upside with Sione Vaki, but none of the three are burners. If special teams coordinator Dave Fipp is going to continue emphasizing the maximization of field position by getting vertical, it would be nice to have at least one guy with top-end speed to blast through those lanes.

That said, I’m not sure I’d address that need before the fourth round of the draft.

As for the second tight end spot, the Lions love Brock Wright more than anyone outside the building probably imagines. Also, there’s not a lot of savings there with the way his contract is structured. Yes, he has a nearly $5 million cap hit, but cutting him would save less than $1 million.

Given the complexities of the position and the reliability he has to execute a myriad of assignments, both on offense and special teams, I’m thinking he sticks.

Question: I was surprised to see Marcus Davenport and D.J. Reed listed as questionable. What do you think the chances are that they play? Also, Jackson Meeks to tight end? — Tony

I know they’re trying Meeks at TE, but what about Isaac Teslaa? Seems like that’d be a good way to get him involved with Sam LaPorta down. — Tom Blackwell

Justin: Based on coach Dan Campbell’s comments on Friday, I don’t expect Reed or Davenport to play this week, regardless of their current designations. Still, it’s encouraging that it’s even on the table after just one week of practice for both. We should know by 4 p.m. on Saturday, when Detroit would have to add either or both to the active roster.

With Meeks, it’s early, and they’re still in the exploratory and developmental stages at tight end. Remember, he came into the league at 212 pounds. He has a knack for finding space, contested catches, and he’s a willing blocker, but he’d have to tack on another 20 pounds, at minimum, to make more of a full-time switch.

Also, there aren’t many 6-foot-2 tight ends in the league. The most impactful with that type of frame is Taysom Hill, the do-everything weapon for the Saints. And, for what it’s worth, he’s far more athletic than Meeks.

As for TeSlaa, no chance. He’s still having moments of confusion with some of his receiving responsibilities. You’re not going to add tight end duties to his plate mid-stream. He’s not big enough to align in the backfield or attached to the offensive line. He might enjoy blocking, but it’s different handling a defensive end than a receiver in space.

Question: Kick coverage has been pretty bad this year. Why? — Benjamin Walker

It's felt like the Lions may be in the bottom third of the league in field position after a kickoff, on both sides of the ball. Where do they rank for starting field position for kickoffs on both sides? — thisguyoverhere

Justin: Fipp pointed out this week that the kickoff is more volatile this year, leading to more explosive returns across the league, with coverage units allowing an average of three returns of 40 or more yards.

So it’s the adjusted rules, resulting in more returns, that’s warping your feelings. Detroit isn’t doing great, but they’re not bad either, ranking in the top half of the league with an average starting field position allowed on kickoffs at the 30-yard line.

Perceptions are actually further from the truth with kickoff return, where the Lions rank fourth in average starting field position, a little beyond the 32-yard line.

I’ll admit that one surprised me, too. I’d say kickoff returner might not be as significant a need as I thought, but with a long return of 39 yards, there’s room for improvement.

Question: Is there an official protocol on the types of questions allowed to be asked in the postgame press conference? — Z-Money

Justin: No, there are no restrictions. I’m not aware of the criticisms that might be out there, but I started skipping postgame press conferences in favor of going into the locker room after launching the Detroit Football Network.

I miss not being able to ask the questions I have for Campbell, but there’s more value in trying to mine original content and quotes from the locker room than a podium session that streams on YouTube.

Question: Which org besides the Lions has the best pre-game intro package? — Andrew Tomlinson

Justin: The Vikings, hands down. I’m sure there are plenty of others, but I actually stop what I’m doing and always make sure to take in Minnesota’s pre-game experience. Here’s a link to last year’s video. It starts around the 2:55 mark.

Question: Did Campbell make a mistake in hiring John Morton? — John

Do you think that Morton just has to learn how Campbell wants the offense to be called? Is there a disconnect between Morton and the players with him being up in the box? — Michael Murphy

Justin: No, I don’t think the hiring was a mistake. I’m also reasonably convinced Campbell was always prepared for the contingency that he’d need to take over the play-calling at some point this season.

Morton was brought on for multiple reasons, but first among them was his ability to keep the previous system in place. There was no interest in abandoning a scheme that maximized the talents of quarterback Jared Goff, generated three straight top-five scoring finishes, and set the franchise record for points in a season a year ago.

Beyond that, Campbell trusted Morton and valued that he had coordinating experience, both in college and the pros. Even if the play-calling didn’t immediately work out, Campbell is happy with the other aspects of Morton’s responsibilities, including game-planning the matchups the Lions want to exploit each week.

It’s difficult to suggest that the viable alternatives for the job, including Scottie Montgomery, Hank Fraley or Tanner Engstrand, would have fared better. Filling Ben Johnson’s shoes without missing a beat was always going to be an impossible task.

I don’t know if Morton ever gets play-calling back. Getting a better feel for Campbell’s preferred rhythm for calling a game and being able to mimic that will be key.

I don’t think Morton being in the booth had a meaningful impact. The play designs were the same. The differences against Washington were better blocking and better balance.

Morton’s play-calling often looked worse because of execution errors, usually led by the blocking, but Campbell did a far better job getting the team’s vast array of weapons involved, instead of the week’s production being heavily skewed toward one or two guys.

Question: Which teams, if they played the Lions 100 times, would beat them at least 51 of those? — Darryl Christensen

Justin: Neutral field? There are only a handful of teams where it would be a coin flip. That group, for me, consists of Kansas City, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Seattle and a healthy Baltimore.

Hell, who am I to deny the way the Colts have played this season? Let’s put them on the list, too, especially after the addition of Sauce Gardner. Denver and Green Bay probably are the next tier.

Question: How concerned will you be with our playoff prospects if we have another subpar offensive line performance on Sunday? — Dale Schober

Justin: Minimally. I’m adept at not overreacting to a single game. It’s a road matchup in a tough environment. Philadelphia has a tremendous defensive line, particularly the interior. And Detroit is still starting a rookie and a backup on the inside.

Frankly, I expect the Eagles to win that trench battle. The Lions just can’t afford for that victory to be lopsided if they want to win this game.

Question: There’s an old debate that still pops up now and then: That the Lions should have drafted Jalen Carter a few years ago. The consensus is they didn’t because he wouldn’t have been good for the culture. Did you buy this? Do you think the Lions are too protective of their culture? And how many “bad guys” do you believe a good culture can withstand? — Jamelle Cooper

Justin: It was clearly a character concern. The good news is the Lions didn’t miss. Instead of sticking at No. 6 and taking Carter, they traded down, selected Jahmyr Gibbs, and used the No. 34 pick they received in the swap to select Sam LaPorta. With Alim McNeill already filling the Carter role on defense, you make that deal 100 times out of 100.

As for the Lions being too cautious with their culture, no, I don’t think so. The foundation was built on it, and while it can handle minor disruptions, there’s little reason to risk long-term damage for short-term gain.

I asked Campbell a version of that question before the 2023 draft, regarding how many bad apples the Lions can afford to take on. His answer: one, maybe two.

The locker room is strong enough to police itself, but every time you reduce that strength of character, you risk poisoning the well. 

Question: Halfway through the season, what do you feel is the Lions' most glaring need in next year’s draft? — Simon Platford

Justin: So much will hinge on what the team does in free agency, which is the portion of the offseason where you genuinely focus on needs, unlike the draft, where it’s about taking the best talent available.

Setting an early table for the offseason, the Lions have a number of pending free agents, including Anzalone, Robertson, Marcus Davenport, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike and Roy Lopez.

The most obvious need will be addressing the defensive end position, although re-signing Muhammad would lighten that burden. As discussed above, linebacker and nickel corner become issues if Anzalone and/or Robertson depart. I know Ennis Rakestraw remains in the fold, but it’s overly risky to rely on him after two injury-plagued seasons to begin his career.

Detroit should also strongly consider adding to the offensive line, either tackle or on the interior. I know there’s a thought Ratledge could shift to center, but if you have a chance to snag one of the two best players at the position and keep Ratledge at guard, Holmes shouldn’t hesitate.

Also, it might not be a popular opinion, but it wouldn’t be a bad thing to take another swing at a backup quarterback after the Hendon Hooker experiment didn’t work out.

Question: What type of cheese do you put on your cheesesteak? — JW

Justin: I lean American with an authentic cheesesteak, but, honestly, is there a wrong answer?

Question: Of the four big contracts coming up next year, how would you rank them in terms of priority? — Bill G

Justin: So the four players up for extension that Bill is referring to are the stars from the 2023 draft class: Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Branch and LaPorta. I’m sure the Lions will make a run at signing them all, but here’s how I’d prioritize the group:

Gibbs, Branch, Campbell, LaPorta.

We’ve moved beyond the era where people believed you can plug in any back off the street and your offense will work the same. Gibbs is a rare, game-breaking talent who has averaged a staggering 5.4 yards per carry during his first three seasons. He has an unreal nose for the end zone and continues to get better as a pass-catcher, with the development of a lethal Texas route coming along nicely. Without him, the offense would take a significant step back.

Branch and Campbell might as well be tied on my ranking. Branch’s versatility is rare, and he gives the defense a lot of schematic flexibility, particularly on third downs. As for Campbell, he sets a tone on the field with his physicality and in the locker room with his work ethic and dependability. He’s a player who makes those around him better.

With LaPorta, there’s no questioning he’s an upper-level tight end in the NFL. He’s been an elite pass-catching threat since arriving and has worked hard to become a reliable blocker, exceeding expectations in that department.

Each of the four figures to draw top-of-the-market deals. The only reason I would put LaPorta a hair below the others is the number of other weapons Detroit has on offense.

Question: The Packers and Eagles game was interesting. Do you feel like their defenses are just that good, or is there something wrong with their offenses? — Matt Hunter

Justin: I’m more passive about how I watch games I’m not covering, but I went back and buzzed through the broadcast of this one.

It boils down to good defensive fronts and costly errors. In the first quarter alone, the Packers and Eagles worked into scoring range, but the Packers got driven back by a sack, and Eagles QB Jalen Hurts lost a fumble. A botched exchange between the center and the quarterback killed Green Bay’s second drive. That’s a lot of self-inflicted wounds.

Negative plays and penalties put both teams behind the sticks throughout the first half. Saquon Barkley getting dropped behind the line, a false start, a hold.

It’s a lot of the same stuff we’ve seen when the Lions aren’t clicking on all cylinders offensively. But, I go back to the fronts. They’re both really, really good and force some of those errors. Plus, neither team has to rely on the blitz, allowing them to crowd the back end with their zone coverage schemes.

The Lions could struggle to generate big plays on Sunday night. That’s OK, if they can be patient, take what’s given to them and stay ahead of the chains.