The Detroit Lions have a new offensive coordinator in John Morton following the departure of Ben Johnson in the 2025 offseason. Johnson left to take the head coaching gig with the rival Chicago Bears while Morton is coming back to some familiar stomping grounds in Detroit. Prior to being named offensive coordinator in 2025, Morton was a senior offensive assistant in Detroit in 2022.
And he's got a familiar face coming with him already as David Shaw is also leaving the Denver Broncos to join the Detroit Lions as their new passing game coordinator. Shaw was working with the Denver Broncos' front office this past season and given his presence evaluating the roster, perhaps we have the makings of the perfect storm.
The trade winds could very well start blowing in the near future, but who would be good fits for Morton (and Shaw) to bring with them from their time in Denver? What about other possible connections?
3 Trade Ideas With John Morton as Offensive Coordinator for the Lions
1. Josh Reynolds, WR, Jaguars
Here's an idea that would fit in the categories of "makes a ton of sense" and "financially responsible". Josh Reynolds was outstanding as a member of the Detroit Lions and left for the Denver Broncos this past year when he became an unrestricted free agent. After starting the year off strong in Denver, Reynolds suffered a broken hand on a touchdown catch against the Raiders which was the first domino to fall in a wild series of events.
Reynolds was placed on IR, and shortly thereafter, he was involved in a shooting near a nightclub in Denver. Despite being shot in the head, Reynolds miraculously survived.
Later in the year, the Broncos actually cut Reynolds and he wound up signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's under contract for 2025 with Jacksonville, but could probably be pried away from the entirely new staff there for the right price. With Tim Patrick hitting free agency in 2025 as well, a reunion with Reynolds -- who played for Morton in Denver and Detroit -- could make a lot of sense.
2. Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos
I'm a bit skeptical that the Broncos would actually want to trade Courtland Sutton at this point, seeing as they've already declined offers for him in the past.
Not to mention, receiver is an area of need for Denver in 2025 as it is.
But even with that in mind, the Lions might be able to pry him away. They've actually been a destination for a number of former Broncos under general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, and that should figure to be even stronger now with John Morton and David Shaw in the building.
With Morton calling the offense and David Shaw as the passing game coordinator, how could you not love the idea of a big-play threat like Sutton? Sutton is the perfect "X" receiver to pair up with the perfect slot (Amon-Ra St. Brown) and "Z" receiver (Jameson Williams).
It would cost a little over $13 million to bring Sutton in, but for a guy who has racked up 18 touchdowns over the last two seasons, that would be a bargain. Sutton would be a huge upgrade over the likes of Tim Patrick or even Josh Reynolds, and the Lions could continue to keep their dominant aerial attack too multi-faceted for most defenses to handle.
Sutton is a big-time red-zone weapon and a great asset in the locker room. Again, it's a little hard to see the Denver Broncos parting with him but for the right price, you never know. And he obviously fits very well with John Morton.
3. Luke Wattenberg, OL, Broncos
The Denver Broncos may be in the market to upgrade on the interior offensive line in the 2025 offseason, specifically at the center position.
Luke Wattenberg was the starting center for the majority of the 2024 season (when healthy) and did a solid job in his first full year as a starter. Entering a pivotal contract year, the Broncos have to decide if they believe Wattenberg is worthy of a long-term look at the position or if they need to start looking at upgrades now.
John Morton was there the last two years as Wattenberg developed from a backup offensive lineman to a starter who replaced departed big-money free agent Lloyd Cushenberry. If the Broncos make moves to upgrade center over Wattenberg, then he would be a nice, versatile weapon to add for the Lions with his experience at both guard and center.
Although Wattenberg appears to have settled in at center, the Lions might have needs at the guard position this offseason, and Wattenberg's familiarity with Morton could be a huge asset.
Not only that, but David Shaw should be extremely familiar with Wattenberg not only from his year in Denver but also his time coaching in the Pac-12. Wattenberg played his college ball at Washington, so Shaw probably has scouting reports on him from years ago.
Having a guy like this with starting experience on a team-friendly deal might make him less likely to be traded overall, but if Wattenberg does become available, the Lions should try and swing a deal for a late-round pick with the Broncos and get him into the mix.