Fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars have recently grown frustrated with Shad Khan's inaction, but he's letting things play out instead of making a move that he could come to regret. In fact, it's probably just a matter of time before the Jags dismiss head coach Doug Pederson. Once they do, they must set their sights on Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who may have legitimate interest in their opening based on recent updates.
Before Jacksonville beat the Tennessee Titans in Week 17, Benjamin Allbright of KOA Colorado told a Twitter user that Johnson doesn't necessarily have a preference, but the Jaguars would allow him "a little bit more carte blanche to implement his vision.
I talked about that yesterday on the insider segment before the Broncos game on @KOAColorado
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) December 29, 2024
I think that the situation there will allow him a little bit more carte blanche to implement his vision.
I wouldn’t necessarily say there’s a “preference” yet. I wouldn’t necessarily… https://t.co/QpPrRyvSDs
Later in the thread, Allbright says that Johnson's team is trying to create smoke to increase the pressure on the Chicago Bears but there's also general interest in the Jags' potential opening.
For context, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote one day before the Titans game that Jacksonville could turn out to be a better fit than the Bears, pointing out that he and Chicago have many things to figure out. Here's the skinny.
"Then, there’s what Johnson wants. He’s going to be picky on which jobs he interviews for, and I believe he would take an interview with the Bears. But he has criteria for these jobs after two years of taking interviews. He’s looking for alignment with a general manager, whether he inherits that GM or not. He’s also looking for an ownership group that sees its prior mistakes and is willing to fix them. Which gives the Bears boxes to check.
I’m not saying that this won’t happen. While I do wonder if a place like Jacksonville might be a better fit, there are reasons a Bears–Johnson marriage could work. But there’s also a lot for both sides to figure out."
Johnson will be the crown jewel of the next hiring cycle, and he's been linked to Chicago in recent months. While there are a handful of things that could incentivize him to take the job, there are a couple factors that could make him pass. The biggest one is Ryan Poles.
The Lions offensive coordinator has stated that he wants to work with a general manager whose vision is aligned with his. Poles may not be that guy, and the Bears will probably need to dismiss him if they want to have a realistic chance to sway Johnson.
The Jaguars, for their part, are keeping their plans under wraps. They have yet to dismiss Pederson or Baalke, and it looks like owner Shad Khan will make a decision until the offseason. There's a chance he could keep his head coach and general manager, but if he moves on from both, Johnson should be at the top of his wish list.
The Jaguars check off nearly all the boxes to land Ben Johnson in 2025
The Jacksonville Jaguars have all the things that make the Chicago Bears an enticing destination for any potential head coach candidates: A young quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, ample talent to work with on both sides of the ball, and the resources to address in the offseason. The thing that could ultimately seal the deal is the presence of owner Shad Khan.
Even though Khan has gotten lots of flak for not turning Jacksonville into a perennial contender, he's known for not making impulsive decisions or meddling with team affairs like some of his counterparts tend to do. That's an appeal for potential candidates. After all, Doug Pederson and Trent Baalke have been able to work without the interference of the owner. Their potential replacements will want to operate under the same conditions.
Speaking of Baalke, he will likely be a potential turn-off for candidates, and Khan cannot afford to take half-measures. If he wants to truly rebuild the team and steer it in the right direction, he'll need to also look for a new general manager. That will increase the Jaguars' odds of landing Ben Johnson or whatever candidate they prefer.
Ultimately, this is a fluid situation. We won't know what Shad Khan do until the season is over, but hiring Ben Johnson seems like a realistic possibility if that's what he decides to do.