There are well-worn narratives out there. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be intentional with head coaching jobs he interviews for, and he has criteria a new organization will have to meet. Truly, both of those things feel obvious, and Johnson is sure to be better-prepared for the process this time around.
Johnson has been easy to tie to the Chicago Bears' head coaching job. Their roster and salary cap situation are likeable, but there are questions about the situation above that in the front office and ownee. And those questions may ultimately turn Johnson off.
In his latest reporting on the upcoming hiring cycle, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer isn't so sure Johnson and the Bears are a lock.
"Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s name has been linked to Chicago forever. I think last year, the Bears would’ve been near the top of his list. This year? It’s probably more wait-and-see. He’ll be selective this year taking interviews, likely only to sit down with teams he can see himself working for. And while I expect him to take an interview with Chicago, his criteria will remain as we’ve outlined, with Johnson seeking alignment with a GM and an ownership group willing to identify and fix its mistakes. Maybe he’ll find that in Chicago. Maybe not. We’ll see."
New buzz points to head coaching job Ben Johnson should want
Breer pointed to Johnson and former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel as the "belles of this ball." Then he briefly cited where his sources think Johnson might fit best.
"Plenty of folks feel like the fit for Johnson might be in Jacksonville."
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson feels like a sure-fire "Black Monday" firing, and general manager Trent Baalke should be out the door with him. Breer recently wondered if the Jaguars are a better fit for Johnson than the Bears, that insider perspective shouldn't be ignored.
The Jaguars are heavily invested in quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and finally getting the coaching situation around him right has to be their No. 1 priority. He'll be on his third coach in five seasons next year, with a misplaced college coach (Urban Meyer) and one of the most overrated head coaches in recent league history (Pederson) preceding the next coach. There are some good offensive pieces around Lawrence, with some talent on the defensive side of the ball too.
NFL insider Benjamin Allbright sees Jacksonville as a situation where Johnson could have "more carte blanche to implement his vision." That idea could be in concert with a new general manager coming from the Lions' front office. In the same Twitter thread Allbright invited the idea Johnson could use the Jaguars as leverage with the Bears, but there's also "general interest" in the job on his end.
Back in November, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post previously reported a sentiment Johnson could "get a blank check" from the Jaguars to become their next head coach. Beyond money, the Jaguars can do what it takes to offer Johnson the organizational alignment he seeks.
The Jaguars' job is one that should appeal to Johnson. And for what it's worth, the buzz from a national reporter attaching the two parties is growing.