Ben Johnson is among the candidates that are “very high up” for the Jacksonville Jaguars in their head coaching search.
However, the Las Vegas Raiders are also in the mix, and they will be bringing in a general manager candidate for their opening that has strong ties to Johnson.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders are interviewing current Washington Commanders general manager Lance Newmark to fill their general manager role.
The connection to Johnson, as Schefter noted, is that Newmark had previously been a part of the Lions’ organization for 26 years and had worked with Ben Johnson from 2019-2023, with the two having a “strong relationship.”
Alignment between the head coach and general manager is one of the priorities that Johnson is looking for as he evaluates the opportunities that are out there.
This could create a potential issue for the Jaguars, who have retained Trent Baalke, although a report from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer suggests that owner Shad Khan does have some “flexibility” when it comes to the general manager role for the right head coaching candidate.
While there has been a lot of buzz around the Raiders and Johnson, one senior NFL executive believes that the Jaguars have a lot to offer as well. Meanwhile, NFL insider Jordan Schultz echoed similar sentiments, noting the better position that the Jaguars’ roster is in.
