Ben Johnson passed on leaving his post as red-hot Lions offensive coordinator for his first NFL head-coaching job in 2024. That will likely change with higher-profile openings in 2025.
The Patriots already hired Mike Vrabel, but the six other teams in need of a replacement should try to wait it out until Johnson is done with Detroit's NFC playoff run and take their best shot at hiring him.
Although the early rumors have two teams favored most for his services, here's breaking down the options for Johnson, from best to worst:
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Ranking Ben Johnson's best coaching fits in 2025
1. Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones will be tempted by the thought of Deion Sanders, but a more established NFL offensive coaching mind is a better way to go. Jones can pay Johnson the elite salary he is seeking to lure him to work with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
Johnson and Jones can look to keep upgrading the offensive line and land a needed feature back (Ashton Jeanty?) while also increasing the potential of Lamb's complementary targets. This would be stealing from the Commanders' quick turnaround game plan with former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and OC Kliff Kingsbury.
2. Chicago Bears
Johnson can't ignore making a move within the division to inherit Caleb Williams, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, and D'Andre Swift. Chicago should revamp its offensive line this offseason to boost Williams and improve the overall balance, explosiveness, and productivity. Johnson's familiarity with helping a team win big in the NFC North is a bonus.
3. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders need to find a quarterback, but establishing a strong offensive system first is critical as they transition from defensive-minded Antonio Pierce. Johnson also can be courted well by new part-owner Tom Brady. Las Vegas is ripe with possibilities with a clean slate and a hand-picked new franchise passer.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence and a passionate owner in Shad Khan. Along with Brian Thomas Jr. and other promising young players, will that be enough to lure Johnson to a not-as-marquee position? It seems unlikely Jacksonville will be able to convince him to make the jump to the AFC.
5. New Orleans Saints
The Saints have a mess of a salary cap and are in the strange position of not quite being in full rebuilding mode, so that could mess up their appeal to Johnson. They have a longer path to winning and being relevant again than the four teams listed ahead of them here.
6. New York Jets
The Jets have been rumored as the spot for Johnson for a while now with Vrabel out of play. But why would Johnson want to try to clean up a dysfunctional mess with uncertainty around Aaron Rodgers and a tough media market? The Jets have some strong defensive pieces, but the offense might need a lot more new answers should Rodgers move on or retire.