Before Robert Kraft decided to fire Jerod Mayo after just one season as the head coach, rumors had been speculating about the former linebacker's fate since almost the beginning of his tenure. As the season went on and the team continued to lose, theories about who might replace Mayo in 2025 became a topic of conversation, with Mike Vrabel leading the charger.
The ex-Titans head coach had been rumored to be Kraft's favorite after moving on from Bill Belichick last year, but Vrabel didn't officially become available until after Mayo was already named the next head coach. Now that he's a free agent and the Patriots need a new coach, he remains the most favored for the job.
Even with that said, the other prominent name the Patriots are considering is Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who met with the team virtually on Friday morning. He has been a highly sought-after candidate over the last two years, and because of his success with Jared Goff and Detroit's offense, he has become a fan favorite to land the Patriots gig.
He is said to have impressed the organization during their meeting and made them think twice about quickly turning to Vrabel, but a big question might be the ultimate decision maker that would lean in Vrabel's favor.
The Patriots possible concern with Ben Johnson should not deter them from hiring him
Hiring Johnson would be a significant change to how Kraft normally operates and a solid sign that he was ready to move the team in a new direction. Hiring a head coach with no ties to the team would be a surprise, on top of bringing in an offensive mind after having back-to-back defensive-heavy coaches.
That could be a massive asset for Drake Maye's development and for turning around the offense as a whole, especially after seeing the Lions' offense flourish under his coaching. But that's where a concern from the Krafts has arisen.
According to NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry, the Patriots needed a concrete answer regarding how Johnson would divvy up his time as the head coach and play caller, and without a solid plan, it's fair to assume they might pass on adding him to their staff.
“After speaking to multiple league sources, one question that arose when it came to projecting Johnson as a head coach was this: How exactly would he manage his time as a play-calling head coach?”
It's a reasonable concern for ownership, but Johnson being the play caller is nothing unique in the NFL. There are plenty of offensive-minded head coaches who call the plays on Sunday without any problem, so it's hard to imagine that would be the case for Johnson in New England.
It's also hard to imagine that he was unable to give them a good enough answer to make them comfortable enough to hire him. Interviewing with the Patriots wasn't his first, nor was it his last. He's not inexperienced with those kinds of questions, so he almost certainly has an answer to any and all concerns.
It is, however, a bit of a concern to hear this kind of detail slip through the cracks and make its way to the public, and it doesn't provide much confidence that the Krafts will go against their comfort zone and not hire Mike Vrabel.