How do you measure the cumulative impact of brain drain? In a league where schemes and coaches have an overwhelming impact on the results of games each and every week, how difficult can it be to ascend in the face of sweeping defections? Say a team that has reached “Super Bowl or bust” status loses the architect of a dynamic and unpredictable offense, an accomplished defensive coordinator and then the veteran center who served as the central nervous system of the offense. Just how devastating could that be?

Well, the 2025 Detroit Lions are about to find out. They enter this season in a strange petri dish, having opted to promote Kelvin Sheppard from within as their new defensive coordinator and hire John Morton as offensive coordinator after a stint on the staff in 2022, rather than searc

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