The dominoes are beginning to fall. Not long after the Detroit Lions got eliminated from the playoffs, the Chicago Bears hired offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their head coach. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn could soon follow suit, as he's slated to meet with a pair of prospective employers in the upcoming days. This means that the Jacksonville Jaguars must act quickly and go all-in on Liam Coen if they don't want to be left out of the fun.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Media broke the news that Chicago was finalizing a deal to make Johnson their next head coach. Several outlets later confirmed the scoop.
A new day in Chicago: The #Bears are finalizing a deal to hire Ben Johnson as their head coach, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 20, 2025
Johnson is set to fly there soon and contract parameters are in place. Barring a last-minute snag, the #Lions OC lands with an NFC North rival. pic.twitter.com/Y1i4lRtpw5
Hours before Pelissero's report, NFL insider Josina Anderson said that chatter about Johnson going to be Bears was picking up steam.
Developing: There are league sources who now believe Ben Johnson is deeply considering the head coach vacancy with the Chicago #Bears, per league sources.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 20, 2025
Nothing is official or ever done until it's done!
We'll have to wait and see which team Johnson formally decides on.… pic.twitter.com/KmvzzkJ9rK
This doesn't come as a surprise, though. Johnson was going to lock in his schedule for in-person interviews following the Lions' disappointing playoff exit. Similarly, Glenn is slated to meet with the New York Jets and the New Orleans Saints in the upcoming days, so there's a strong chance he'll be hired by one of those two clubs.
That leaves the Jags with Coen and former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh as their top options for their coaching vacancy. The former hit it out of the ballpark during his first interview in Jacksonville, and the latter is well-liked in the organization. With Glenn and Johnson out of the picture, the Jaguars turn their attention to either one.
Liam Coen is the best choice for the Jaguars with Ben Johnson going to the Bears
Ben Johnson appeared to like the Jacksonville Jaguars but might've been turned off by the presence of general manager Trent Baalke. It's possible that the Chicago Bears offered him more control and freedom to install his vision. Either way, the Jags cannot do much but move on and resume their search for a new head coach.
For the sake of the argument, let's say Aaron Glenn lands with the New York Jets or the New Orleans Saints, Liam Coen would still be available and would be far from a consolation prize. During his stint as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he routinely got the most out of his players. Imagine what he could do for Trevor Lawrence and the ascending Brian Thomas Jr.?
Moreover, Coem impressed the Jaguars brass with his knowledge of football and leadership skills. And that's the thing, the Jags need more than an Xs & Os kind of coach. They need someone who can revitalize the team and steer the sheep in the right direction following a pair of disappointing seasons. Granted, Robert Saleh has experience at the job and could get the defense going, but the Jags may be better off hiring someone with an offensive background.
Either way, the Jaguars must act quickly if they don't want to be left standing in the proverbial game of musical changes. If anything, the news that Ben Johnson is going to the Bears must serve as a wake-up call to move fast.