Patriots Rumors: 4 replacements for Bill Belichick
By Ryan Heckman
3. Ben Johnson, Offensive Coordinator, Detroit Lions
Probably the no. 1 head coaching candidate this next offseason is going to be Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. We already touched on the fact that Detroit is currently the no. 2 offense in football, but Johnson has been sought after even before this season.
Last year, Johnson turned down an opportunity to interview for the Carolina Panthers' head coaching gig because he wanted to return to the Lions and believed in what they had been building. Clearly, he wasn't wrong. The Lions are building something special, and are one of the best teams in football this year.
One aspect of Johnson that might intrigue the Patriots is his ability to get the best out of his quarterbacks. Jared Goff was supposed to come to Detroit as a guy that was ultimately replaceable, but now he looks like the long-term solution with the Lions. Could Johnson help Jones turn things around and have similar success? Or, would Johnson hand-pick his quarterback and transform this offense into what it should be?