Ben Johnson will be selective, values “alignment” with front office

Yes, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be a hot commodity in the freshly-spinning coaching carousel. There will be one key word as he explores his options for 2025.

Alignment.

He needs to be on the same page with the front office. If alignment isn’t there, he won’t be interested.

That doesn’t mean he’ll make a power play, requesting that a G.M. be fired. He just won’t be interested.

Johnson will take interviews, but he will be selective. He might say no. Teams that might otherwise be interested that he would have declined might not even ask for him (e.g., the Jets).

While it’s unclear where he believes alignment will exist, there’s one place where alignment is not believed to be possible — Jacksonville if (as it appears) G.M. Trent Baalke will be returning.

In the end, it’s not a given that Johnson will go. It all comes down to alignment.