NFLN: Lions OC Johnson ‘A Very Strong Candidate’ for Commanders HC amid Seahawks Buzz

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson remains a hot coaching candidate during the current head coach vacancy cycle.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on NFL GameDay that the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks remain heavily invested in Johnson, with the Commanders looking like potential favorites to land him as the next head coach.

“There are two openings left right now, the Commanders and the Seahawks. Johnson is in play for both of them,” Rapoport said. “Both of these organizations expected to be in Detroit early this week to do interviews with Johnson. Obviously in Seattle he is still in play but keep an eye on the Commanders, he is a very strong candidate.”

Johnson has been a notable name throughout the season as a potential head coaching hire. He has been with the Lions franchise since 2019 and in the offensive coordinator role since 2022. When looking at how the unit has fared in 2023, it’s not difficult to see why he is looked at in such high esteem.

The Lions had the No. 3 offense in the NFL in 2023 and notably had the No. 4 ranked offense in 2022. This production helped the team achieve a 9-8 record in 2022 and a 12-5, division-title winning season in 2023.

While the Lions playoff run has kept Johnson busy over the past few weeks, the links to Washington have been consistent, with him being the next coach even being considered a foregone conclusion. The Commanders have the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which could be intriguing for Johnson giving the strong offensive prospects in the draft class.

Before this can come to fruition, Johnson still has some work to do in Detroit as the Lions prepare to face the San Francisco Giants in the NFC Championship.