As expected Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was in high demand for head coaching interviews, but he has also been somewhat selective. It's fair to assume the two teams with openings who did not ask to interview him, the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints, knew he had little or no interest in their job.
Johnson split his four head coaching interviews between two days, with the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders on his docket for Friday with the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars to follow on Saturday.
After removing himself from the interview process in each of the previous two years, it's hardly guaranteed Johnson leaves the Lions for a head coaching job this time around (or ever, possibly). He is right to be selective, and intentional in terms of only interviewing for jobs he would actually take.
But on the chance Johnson does leave, Dan Campbell will of course have to replace him. It's also fair to assume Campbell is preparing for the possibility Johnson leaves, and as a tentacle of that Johnson will have (and surely has had) great communication with his current boss regarding where he is in term of taking a head coaching job this year.
So let's get down the brass tacks of who could replace Johnson if he does leave for a head coaching job, and it is a big 'if' until shown otherwise.
5 potential candidates to replace Ben Johnson as Lions' offensive coordinator
5. Tanner Engstrand
Current Job: Lions Passing Game Coordinator
Engstrand has had a similar track as Johnson over his time as a Lions' assistant, going from offensive assistant (2020), to offensive quality control coach (2021) to tight ends coach and passing game coordinator (2022) to passing game coordinator the past two seasons.
The 42-year old has a long coaching resume, going back to 2005 as a grad assistant under Jim Harbaugh at the University of San Diego. He was at that school until 2017, serving as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach over his final five seasons.
Engstrand reunited with Harbaugh as an offensive analyst at Michigan in 2018. In 2020, he served as offensive coordinator and running backs coach for the DC Defenders in that iteration of the XFL.
If not for the real possibility of following Johnson elsewhere to become his offensive coordinator, Engstrand would be higher on this list. In any case, he is undeniably a rising star.