When the Detroit Lions take the field Sunday afternoon in front of a nationally televised audience at Lambeau Field, they'll be doing so with a new offensive coordinator, a new starter at center and three new starters total along their offensive line.
Offensive coordinator John Morton was on this staff as an offensive assistant in 2022 and worked closely with quarterback Jared Goff that season. The two know each other well. Graham Glasgow has made nearly 40 starts at center in the NFL and Sunday won't be the first time he's snapped the ball to Goff in Detroit.
But still, there's a little bit of the unknown there with new pieces sliding into critical roles on offense. The constant in the equation is Goff, who enters Year 10 in the league and is coming off arguably his most impressive season as a professional where he was second among all NFL quarterbacks in passing yards (4,629), completion percentage (72.4) and passer rating (111.8) and was fourth with 37 touchdown passes.
With all the changes, Goff has taken more ownership of the offense at the line of scrimmage and has welcomed the bigger workload.
"I really try to see how much I can handle every week, and I think it's kind of – I try to ask for more, ask for more, ask for more, and it's kind of their job to governor that," Goff said this week.
"Ultimately we've done a good job over the past handful of years doing that and then this year it's kind of ramped up a little bit, which is great and I've owned it. I'm in my tenth year and feel like there's certain things I can help with. Johnny's been awesome listening as well as giving me feedback when he disagrees with something that I think, and I think that's important."
No doubt the Lions are going to lean heavily on Goff, especially early in the season, as the new version of this offense takes shape. Morton said having a quarterback as experienced as Goff, who can handle a lot, has been a huge asset to him.
"It's made it a lot easier, it's been awesome," Morton said. "The dialogue we've had – we call it RCE, recognize, communicate, and execute. We're just talking all the time because we have to get to know each other.
"Everyday, we learn about each other. And he's just been awesome. Ideas, what I'm thinking, film, we're talking on the phone, it's been awesome. And that's the way the coordinator and the quarterback should be."
QB ADDED TO PRACTICE SQUAD
The Lions announced the signing of quarterback C.J. Beathard to the practice squad Thursday afternoon. To make room for Beathard on the 16-man squad, the team released edge rusher Isaac Ukwu.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said earlier in the week the Lions were on the lookout for an experienced No. 3 quarterback behind Goff and backup Kyle Allen. Beathard has six years of experience playing in 32 games with 13 starts for the 49ers and Jaguars.
View photos from Detroit Lions practice on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch (32) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Grant Stuard (15) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (6) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Avonte Maddox (29) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during practice at the Meijer Performance Center on Sept. 2, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
VETERAN PRESENCE
D.J. Reed has been the veteran presence both on the field and in the meeting room the Lions thought he'd be when they signed the cornerback in free agency this offseason.
On the field, Reed has fit perfectly into defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's heavy man scheme. Off the field, he's been a terrific leader and example of what a pro's pro looks like to the younger players in the room.
"He's meant everything to our defense," Sheppard said of Reed. "He's been a plug and play guy not only on the field, but in the classroom, in the locker room. D.J. Reed, I can't say enough about him."
Aidan Hutchinson and Alex Anzalone were named the defensive captains for the Lions, but Sheppard said Reed could have easily earned that role too. That's how he's viewed by his teammates.
"Everything he does is by his work, all you have to do is watch him," Sheppard said. "Watch his attentiveness in meetings. He asks me the most questions of anybody. Like, sometimes he'll stop the tape and say, 'Shep, I messed up right there.' I'm like, 'Damn, you're telling on yourself?' But just his level of accountability, the level of trust not only myself but this unit has in him. And those guys follow him, so it's been very good having D.J. here."
