The Las Vegas Raiders are one of six NFL teams in need of a head coach, along with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Jets.
It’s not much of a stretch to say the Raiders gig is one of the least appealing of the bunch. The Bears and Jaguars have former No. 1 picks at quarterback while the Jets have promising young pieces on both sides of the ball. Still, Las Vegas has a huge fanbase and can leverage the greatest quarterback of all time and a minority owner of the team, Tom Brady, to find its next head coach.
With less talent than other teams on the coaching carousel, these off-field factors must play a significant role in landing a high-level candidate.
NFL Analyst Predicts Las Vegas Raiders Will Hire Ben Johnson
The Detroit Lions offense had a historic 2024 campaign, as they finished No. 1 in PFN’s NFL Offense+ Rankings. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson calls plays for that unit, and that success has made him the consensus top candidate for a head coaching job.
NFL analyst Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic predicts the Raiders will come out on top of the Johnson sweepstakes.
“Buzz has been building about the idea of Johnson getting the Raiders job, especially with minority owner Tom Brady seemingly running things,” Rosenblatt wrote. “The Raiders will be willing to throw a lot of money at Johnson and give him the space, and time, to build something. Johnson has been very selective when it comes to these jobs.
“The Raiders don’t have a viable quarterback option in place and might have won too many games to get a real shot at the draft’s top-two prospects, Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward (Vegas has the sixth pick). But if Brady can sell Johnson on building something together, Johnson might be willing to commit.”
Thus far, the Bears, Jaguars, and New England Patriots have conducted interviews with Johnson. Although the Patriots have already hired their next head coach in Mike Vrabel, Johnson’s standing among league circles is undeniable. While not completed yet, the 38-year-old offensive guru is expected to interview for the Raiders position as well.
“If Johnson wants to take a job now, this might wind up being his best option — and the Raiders want him. Keep an eye on Carroll for this job too,” Rosenblatt concluded.
What makes Johnson even more intriguing is his experience under Lions head coach Dan Campbell. Campbell is praised for building an incredible culture and identity in Detroit, something Las Vegas desperately needs. If he can combine his offensive innovation with his superior’s ability to connect, the Raiders could find themselves with a star on the sidelines.