The Jacksonville Jaguars have shown strong interest in Ben Johnson to fill their coaching vacancy. However, they'll need to fend off the Las Vegas Raiders and the Chicago Bears if they want to land the crown jewel of this hiring cycle. Unfortunately, a recent update suggests the Jags could miss out on the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator.
Jacksonville can have a face-to-face meeting with Johnson (and hire him if that's what they want) following the Lions' upset loss to the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round of the Playoffs. That said, they may not get a chance to interview him.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that the Lions offensive coordinator is expected to lock in his schedule for in-person interviews, pointing out that the Jags, Las Vegas, and the Bears have interest in him. However, he may not meet with all three.
Ben Johnson is expected to lock in his schedule over the next days for in-person meetings. So far, three teams—Raiders, Bears, and Jaguars—have shown strong interest in him. That said, it’s possible Johnson won’t meet with all three, as he’s still figuring out his next steps.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 20, 2025
The Jags have set their sights on Johnson throughout the hiring cycle, and he's intrigued with their opening. That said, the Raiders and Chicago also have a realistic shot at landing the hot coaching candidate.
In fact, Las Vegas dismissed general manager Tom Telesco to pave the way for a front-office executive Johnson may feel more comfortable working with. Just recently, Lance Newmark applied for the vacancy, so the Raiders may have a leg up in the process. That said, don't count out the Bears.
Johnson has also shown interest in Chicago, and understandably so. They have a young quarterback in Caleb Williams and lots of cap space to add proven talent in free agency. The only turnoff could be the presence of general manager Ryan Poles, but other than that, they have a shot. The bottom line is that it currently looks like a three-way race, and things will speed up now that Detroit is eliminated from the playoffs.
The Jaguars must ramp up their pursuit of Ben Johnson
There's not a clearcut favorite for the Jaguars job. Ben Johnson is the leader of the house but Robert Saleh and Liam Coem are also generating buzz. All three are appealing options, but if Jacksonville wants to end up with Johnson, they'd better ramp up their efforts.
Granted, Johnson's willingness to meet with the Jags for the second time indicates that he's interested in their opening. On the other hand, the Raiders are offering a more enticing situation by interviewing Lance Newmark for their general manager job. That could ultimately give them the edge.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars are stubbornly holding onto general manager Trent Baalke. Even though owner Shad Khan trusts his football knowledge, he's known as someone who's difficult to work with. In fact, Baalke reportedly feuded with the coaching staff last year, and his presence could steer away Johnson.
Not long ago, a prominent candidate for the Jags opening said he was less inclined to take the job because of Baalke. Johnson may come up with the same conclusion and turn his attention to either the Raiders or Bears opening.
If the Jacksonville Jaguars really want to hire Ben Johnson to be their head coach, they may need to decide between him and Trent Baalke. It shouldn't come to that, but it appears that it will unless they kick their general manager to the curb.