Raiders Predicted To Hire Hottest Coaching Candidate Despite Skepticism

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Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis.

The Las Vegas Raiders weren’t expected to be in the mix to hire Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson but the hot coaching candidate accepted an interview with the team. While it remains to be seen how interested he actually is in the franchise, Las Vegas at least has a seat at the table.

In fact, some are starting to buy into the idea that the Raiders could convince Johnson to take their head coaching job. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic predicted how each head coaching opening will be filled and believes Las Vegas will hire Johnson.

“Buzz has been building about the idea of Johnson getting the Raiders job, especially with minority owner Tom Brady seemingly running things,” Rosenblatt wrote in a Jan. 13 column. “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.”

However, it’s important to note that Rosenblatt wrote this column before the news dropped that the Dallas Cowboys were moving from head coach Mike McCarthy. That could be a factor for the Raiders if they want Johnson.

“It’s also entirely possible Johnson sits out another cycle or waits for a team with a better quarterback situation, like if the Cowboys don’t reach an agreement with Mike McCarthy, or if things go sour in Philadelphia and the Eagles move on from Nick Siranni,” Rosenblatt added. “But 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.”

Is Ben Johnson the Right Coach for Raiders?

Johnson might be the most sought-after coach on the market right now. He’s been the architect behind one of the NFL’s most impressive and creative offenses and the only logical next step for him would be to lead his own team.

He’s turned opportunities before so why would the Raiders appeal to him? The lack of a quarterback is concerning but the team has a lot of draft capital and salary cap space to make significant roster upgrades.

Also, if Tom Brady is truly running the football side of things for the Raiders now, that has to appeal to Johnson and he could have a say on who the next general manager is. For the Raiders, they’ve tried defensive coaches and re-treads during their last several head coaching searches. It could be time for them to bet on a young offensive mind.

Are the Cowboys a Threat for Johnson?

There is no job more glamorous in the NFL than being the head coach of the Cowboys. They’re the league’s biggest brand and while that comes with a lot of pressure, it also has a lot of perks.

If Dallas likes Johnson, they’ll be significant competition for the Raiders. The roster isn’t as good as it was a couple of years ago but they have a quarterback and some really great pieces all over the roster. However, they have a meddling owner in Jerry Jones and Johnson would have very little say over personnel matters. That may be enough for him to favor the Raiders.