Ex-Pro Bowl center's surprising pick for NFL's most complete team

The conversation about which NFL team is the best is settled only once per year, and even after a franchise wins the Super Bowl, the argument soon resurfaces ahead of the following season.

While fans and analysts will debate the subject endlessly between now and next February, one former Pro Bowl center has revealed his early pick, and his choice may surprise some.

Mitch Morse spent every snap of his ten-year career in the AFC, blocking for Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City before anchoring a Buffalo Bills offensive line that former MVP Josh Allen once called "the best I've ever been around."

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You could forgive him for being biased and choosing one of his former teams, but instead, he flipped the script and sided with an NFC team.

Appearing on Good Morning Football, Morse explained why his pick, who missed the playoffs and are ranked outside the top five of almost every power rankings available, have the NFL's "most complete team."

Why Morse ranks the Detroit Lions above all others

"I am looking at this projected starting offense and defense for the Detroit Lions, and it's gonna be hard-pressed for me to find another team in the NFL with a more complete team on paper," Morse began.

"They have the pieces, Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac Teslaa," he continued.

Nobody would question the talent of those players, with Goff playing at a high level, Gibbs our pick for 2026 OPOY, and St. Brown a truly elite wide receiver.

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In fact, it's the omissions that stand out, including elite tackle Penei Sewell, ascending guard Tate Ratledge, and tight end Sam LaPorta, who can be a real difference-maker when healthy.

Morse didn't forget about the other side of the ball either.

"On defense," he continued, "They also have Alim McNeill, who is one of the most underrated D-tackles, and you get to work with him and Aidan Hutchinson.

"Listen, I've game-planned against these two," he added. "Alim McNeill gets the credit he deserves in the offensive line rooms and the protection rooms."

Once again, few would argue, especially in Hutchinson's case. And then there are a handful of others not mentioned who really push this roster into borderline-elite territory.

Jack Campbell headlines those left out, and he just enjoyed one of the best seasons by a linebacker in 2025.

Then there's the secondary, where Brian Branch is among the best safeties in the league and Kerby Joseph can dominate when healthy.

Why aren't others as high on the Lions?

Put simply, the 9-8 record in 2025 doesn't really do Dan Campbell's unit any favours, but there's context to consider, and it all centres around injuries.

On offense, LaPorta missed eight games, and only one offensive lineman - Ratledge - played all 17 games.

It was far worse on defense, where McNeill missed seven contests, Arnold nine, Joseph 11, and Branch five, and that doesn't even cover the full list.

Some of those players are still working their way back, but not all are expected back before the season starts.

Can the Lions back it up in 2026?

Even with a depleted roster, the 2025 Lions offense ranked third in the league in passing yards, third in passing touchdowns, ninth in rushing yards per average, and seventh in rushing touchdowns.

The offensive line changes may take some time to come together, but with all of the key skill players returning - save for David Montgomery - Goff should once again lead a potent offense with new OC Drew Petzing at the helm.

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Given the attrition on defense, it was no surprise that Detroit's 2025 defense didn't fare nearly as well as their offensive counterparts.

And without Branch, who may not return until December, and with no clear timeline for Joseph's return, the defense will be tested to their limits once again in the upcoming season.

But while the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks might dispute Morse's claim about which team boasts the NFL's most complete roster, if Detroit enjoys better injury luck this season, reaching the playoffs should be the absolute minimum expectation for a squad this talented.