Rumors and reports continue to swirl around Ben Johnson, the top head coaching candidate this hiring cycle. So, what does the latest report tell us about the Jacksonville Jaguars’ chances of landing Johnson?
According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, there are league sources who believe that Johnson is “deeply considering” the Chicago Bears head coaching job.
Anderson made sure to note that nothing is official or “done until it’s done.”
As of Monday, teams can begin holding in-person interviews with head coaching candidates whose current teams are no longer in the playoffs.
The Jaguars are among the teams that have “strong interest” in Johnson, as The Athletic’s Dianna Russini put it, but so do the Bears and Las Vegas Raiders.
Russini added that Johnson is still determining what his schedule this week will look like and it’s “possible” that he doesn’t interview with all three teams.
In addition to the Jaguars having interest in Johnson, Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Liam Coen is another candidate connected with the team, according to SI’s Albert Breer. And for an under-the-radar candidate, Breer also mentioned Robert Saleh, along with Johnson and Coen when discussing the Jaguars’ opening.
As the top candidate this hiring cycle, Johnson will be the one deciding where he goes and he has some leverage to work with. It’s well known at this point that alignment with the general manager is a top priority for Johnson. The Jaguars, of course, made the decision to retain Trent Baalke.
