Could Lions' Ben Johnson Be the Answer For Jaguars?

There continues to be growing buzz for Ben Johnson as a top fit for the Jacksonville Jaguars if they look for a new head coach in 2025.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson watches a play against Tennessee Titans during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Word coming out of Irving, Texas with the 2024 NFL owners meetings is that many people think the Jacksonville Jaguars could be a perfect fit for Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

Johnson, who last year took interviews before pulling himself out of the running for jobs, is widely expected to be the most sought after coach in the 2025 coaching cycle. So far, jobs have already opened up in New York, New Orleans and Chicago, and conventional wisdom is the Jaguars will join them after the season.

It isn't hard to see why the Jaguars could be such an appealing fit for Johnson, who has a perfect set-up in Detroit. Johnson can afford to be picky with the team he chooses the lead, but the Jaguars check off several key boxes.

The first and arguably most important box is Jaguars owner Shad Khan. Khan has already proven he is willing to pay, he is willing to give the long-term deal to the right guy and he is willing to let his football leadership craft the team in their image.

There is a tremendous amount of respect around the league for Khan due to the fact that he is an owner who is extremely patient while also having a focus on winning.

With Johnson, Khan could have the best of both worlds of his last two hires -- a coach with an offensive acumen that has produced championship-level offenses, like Urban Meyer, while also being a coach of integrity and respect like Doug Pederson.

Khan has proven he is willing to hand over the keys to his franchise and offer the ultimate support off the field. How many other franchises would be able and willing to give Johnson a long-term deal and a clean slate to build the team in his vision?

Another aspect of why the Jaguars could strongly appeal to Johnson is the presence of Trevor Lawrence. No other coach opening this season will offer the chance to coach a quarterback like Lawrence, who both is already experienced and still full of untapped potential.

Lawrence is a bonafide franchise quarterback. Ultimately, he needs some help from the Jaguars to reach the next level. And Johnson could be just the guy to do that, just like he has been the guy to do it for Jared Goff.

And while the Jaguars do not have a Super Bowl roster around Trevor Lawrence, the talent pool is far from barren. The Jaguars have a legit No. 1 receiver in rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr., one of the top pass-rush duos in the NFL in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, a No. 1 cornerback in Tyson Campbell, bookend offensive tackles in Walker Little and Anton Harrison, and key veterans such as Evan Engram, Ezra Cleveland and Foyesade Oluokun.

It might not be a stacked roster, but it is far from a rebuild. It is also a roster that has hung tough with playoff teams like the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Houston Texans. The right coach could quickly turn the Jaguars back into contenders.

This feat could be easier done in Jacksonville than other spots, too. The Jaguars are presently in a division with a lack of blue-chip team leading it. The Houston Texans didn't take the step most expected, while the Indianapiolis Colts continue to flirt with mediorcirty.

As for the Tennessee Titans, Johnson could see two wins on the schedule after the Titans scored just six points at home against a porous Jaguars defense that was averaging almost 30 points allowed per game over the last month.

Simply put, there are too many reasons to count as to why Johnson and the Jaguars are a good fit for one another. We will see in the coming weeks and months just how much the fit means for the Jaguars' pursuit of the right coach to lead them out of the NFL's cellar.

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