4. Las Vegas Raiders
It feels like Mark Davis could be a really good NFL owner. But he consistently seems to be in over his head, and incapable of hiring the right people. Taking on Tom Brady as a minority owner brings a certain amount of cache', which was certainly the point even if it interferes with his ability to do his job as a FOX game analyst as well as he could.
The Raiders are in position to draft one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class, and there are indications Brady will have input into the search for a new head coach (if Antonio Pierce is not back) and the eventual evaluation pertaining to a quarterback of the future. A new head coach, if there is one, would of course play a key role in determining who is selected as the quarterback of the future. But would Brady's opinion carry more weight? Would Davis allow the people he's paying to make that evaluation override the opinion of his "cool" minority partner?
The Raiders are generally not that appealing of a situation. The AFC West looks like a real bear moving forward, with three playoff-caliber teams this season (and one that has a rookie quarterback), so it's looking like an even bigger uphill climb to build a contender in Las Vegas than it otherwise would be. Johnson could find appeal in that challenge, but there are better opportunities that should be out there.
3. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys might do the inexplicable and keep Mike McCarthy, but it still doesn't seem likely. There have been ideas out there they would be or they should be willing to pony up with a significant financial offer to get Johnson as their next head coach.
If Johnson wants alignment between himself and the general manager, that might be a question in Dallas with Jerry Jones as the owner and general manager. Jones also shows himself as someone who doesn't acknowledge mistakes-how dare anyone question his approach to free agent signings, the timing of signing key players to long-term contracts, etc. Jones surrounds himself with "yes" people, and since Jimmy Johnson left almost everyone who has been the Cowboys' head coach tends to give off a neutered animal vibe.
There is a lot for head coaching candidates to possibly like about the situation in Dallas. But the oligarch running the show is a huge detriment to the pursuit of anyone who won't be seduced by the assumed magnetism of coaching the Cowboys. Johnson won't be seduced by that assumed appeal, in concert with how Jones runs things.