Friday is a big day for the Washington Commanders’ future, as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will meet with team officials virtually.
Johnson is considered a frontrunner to land the job in Washington but is also a highly coveted candidate leaguewide. Johnson checks both boxes that teams are looking for right now in a coach — he is a sharp offensive mind who can call plays, and he is a leader who players love playing for.
He’s also picky. Johnson was wooed by the Carolina Panthers last year before turning the job down, and withdrawing his name from consideration with the Colts and Texans.
At 37 years old, Johnson would become the NFL’s second-youngest coach — only Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots is younger.
Johnson met with reporters in Detroit on Thursday as the Lions prepared for Sunday’s playoff game against the Buccaneers.
He was asked by Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post if he knew new Commanders general manager Adam Peters.
“I know him just very briefly,” he said. “I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things about people that have worked with him directly or have met him over the course of scouting on the road. So, look forward to meeting him and talking with him.”
Johnson emphasized that he didn’t want anything to distract him from the task of winning Sunday’s game, so he didn’t want to take any interviews until the game plan for the Buccaneers had been mostly finished.
In the meantime, the Commanders are chatting with other top candidates.
On Thursday they had conversations with Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.
Most of the Commanders’ interviews have been with coaches from the defensive side of the ball, and Morris in particular is considered one of the favorites because new owner Josh Harris has made clear his priority is to find coaches and executives who can set a tone and culture in the building that will lead to sustained success.
Morris was on the famed Redskins coaching staff with Kyle Shanahan and McVay, and is known as somebody players like to play for.
That criteria also likely rules out big-name hires like Bill Belichick or Jim Harbaugh, both of whom seem to have settled on their own destinations — Belichick in Atlanta, and Harbaugh with the Chargers if he decides to leave Michigan.
Those dominoes will help speed up the rest of the coaching carousel around the league, though many of the top names remain in action, meaning no hires can be made yet.
The other offensive coach, aside from Johnson, who seems to be garnering serious consideration in Washington is Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who coincidentally was also on the ‘13 Redskins staff.
Slowik has been a part of a resurgence in Houston behind rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, and has ties with Peters from his time as a 49ers assistant.
While Peters is expected to have a major voice in the hiring process, as will consultants Bob Myers and Rick Spielman, the final call will ultimately go to Harris, who hopes to make decisions that will keep him from having to conduct another search in the near future.
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