I don't think Jordan or Lucas ever needed to be brought back for Denise have a story. To me, it showed how unimaginative and regressive DTC and company are given that the last time he was on the show with Santer (and the beginning of Kirkwood's tenure), it was the Lucas storyline that was going on.
Poor Diane Parish has to carry a number of really poor actors that are really not worth her time. I think they need to move Denise into a more community-based role, they've failed her tremendously with the characters they have surrounding her. For some reason, her family dynamics have never worked nor have they been allowed to work due to poor writing and bad actors/or actors not on her level.