While NFL fans and experts alike have their eyes set on the Detroit Lions‘ critical game on Saturday, January 18, against the Washington Commanders for the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs, some are looking at what could happen after the season wraps up. Since the Detroit Lions have been hot for so long, both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn are in great demand for interviews with teams looking for a new head coach.
Now, a report indicates that Johnson is not only very close to a deal with one NFL team and could take a Lions quarterback with him.
Lions Quarterback ‘Already Knows the Ben Johnson System’
It’s no secret that Johnson is being courted by the Las Vegas Raiders. In fact, according to a January 15 report from Pro Football Post, Johnson really impressed the Raiders with his football knowledge during his first interview, and also “came incredibly prepared with a clear direction he believes he would be able to go with his coaching staff.” That’s impressive, and we would expect nothing less from Johnson.
So, now the talk has turned to who Johnson would train as a quarterback for the Raiders.
On the Wednesday, January 15, episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast, Sports Illustrated Raiders analyst and expert Hondo Carpenter discussed the Raiders’ quarterback dilemma as they start to wrap up their head coach search.
He talked about the idea of bringing over a Detroit Lions quarterback and hinted at having some inside information, stating that he “did not come up with” the idea by himself.
“Ben Johnson is clearly their no. 1 target,” Carpenter said, adding, “What would you trade for a Hendon Hooker?”
He then talked about what Hooker could bring to Vegas, stating, “He’s got a couple years experience in the Ben Johnson system, so he comes in… and competes and you could still go draft a guy. You still have Aidan [O’Connell] there, so he instantly competes.”
Carpenter added that Hooker, who’s Jared Goff‘s backup quarterback, “already knows the Ben Johnson system, and what if you get him for a second, or whatever you get him for.” He also said that he thinks this idea isn’t “getting enough attention,” so he’s throwing it into the world and that he thinks it’s “a very viable option for the Raiders.”
Detroit Would Have to ‘Want to Do’ the Lions QB to Raiders Deal
He also pointed out that if this were to happen, the Lions “would have to want to do the deal, but I think if the Raiders were to get Ben Johnson, and he’s clearly the front runner… I think it’s is a real possibility and I did not come up with that on my own.”
The Raiders gig is sounding more and more like a done deal. The the Wednesday, January 15, episode of “The Insiders,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said, “The people who are associated with the Raiders job, I’m talking other candidates, I’m talking agents, people are the NFL, there does seem to be an acknowledgement that Ben Johnson is the leading candidate and there a lot of people who, frankly, think he is getting it”
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