CLEVELAND, Ohio — We have the 2025 Browns schedule, and now it’s time to look at what each of the teams they will play this season has changed ahead of the season.
I will provide these opponent breakdowns over the next several weeks leading up to the start of the season as we look at the biggest addition, subtraction, best draft pick and what they all mean for when they play the Browns.
Next up in our series is the Browns’ Week 4 opponent: the Detroit Lions.
Detroit finished last season with the best record in the NFL at 15-2 but was surprised in a loss in the NFC Divisional round to Jayden Daniels and the Commanders. The Lions also have two new coordinators after offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn each took head coaching jobs.
Will the Lions be able to sustain their success despite losing their two coordinators?
Here is a look at the Lions offseason.
Check out links earlier posts in this series at the bottom of this post.
Biggest addition: CB D.J. Reed.
Despite investments in the secondary, the Lions were one of the worst teams in the NFL against the pass, finishing 23rd in yards allowed per attempt (6.4). Injuries played a role with LB Jack Campbell, DBs Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch and Terrion Arnold being the only Detroit defenders to play 16 games.
Reed comes to Detroit after three great seasons in New York opposite Sauce Gardner. He didn’t make a Pro Bowl, but he had 32 pass breakups and two interceptions in those seasons.
He should add a veteran presence to a Lions secondary that is strong at safety but needs help at corner.
Biggest subtraction: Johnson.
You could make a case that Johnson has meant more to Detroit’s turnaround than any one person. With Johnson calling plays, the Lions finished in the top five in scoring offense three consecutive seasons and led the NFL in 2024 with 33.2 points per game.
Johnson is now the head coach in Chicago as he attempts to work his magic on Caleb Williams.
Maybe no one with the Lions is under more pressure than Johnson’s replacement: John Morton. He was an OC in 2017 with the Jets, but New York was 24th in the NFL in scoring that season.
Best draft pick: DT Tyleik Williams
Part of Detroit’s turnaround started with heavy investment in the trenches early in the draft. So it made sense that GM Brad Holmes went back to that formula when he drafted the former Buckeye with the 28th pick of the draft.
While the attention on OSU’s defense was centered on Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, there was no doubt the presence that Williams had. He is athletic and disruptive in the interior.
Putting him on a line with Aidan Hutchinson, who was cleared to return to the field after suffering a season-ending broken tibia and fibula six games into last season, should make Detroit’s defense that much more difficult to deal with.
What it means in their matchup with the Browns
The talent the Lions have across the roster is just undeniable. It’s hard to look anywhere and not see a high-end player on the roster, particularly on offense.
The transition from Ben Johnson to John Morton could potentially tell the story of their season. But I can’t see the offense go from being elite to below average just with a coordinator change. They’re that good on offense.
This might be the one game on the schedule where the Browns have the worst odds of winning. They just don’t have the proven offensive firepower to keep up with Detroit in a track meet, although most teams don’t either. With Detroit adding D.J. Reed to its defense, the challenge of keeping up with its offense is that much tougher.
The best hope the Browns might have is that their game is a short turnaround for Detroit because it travels to Baltimore in Week 3 on a Monday night. It might make the game closer, but the Browns might have to play a perfect game to pull off a shocker and win in Ford Field.
