The Chicago Bears have hired former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their next head coach.
That is great news for New York Jets fans according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
“This impacts the Jets because there was talk of GM candidate/former Lions exec Lance Newmark going with Johnson to Las Vegas. Now the Jets can pair Newmark and Aaron Glenn if they so choose … if they can beat out the Saints for Glenn,” Cimini said on social media.
Everything is Lining up For The Jets to Get Their Men
There were three general manager openings across the NFL this offseason. However, only two of those openings also had an opening at the head coach spot.
That provided a potential clean slate for a new regime to come in. The Bears stuck with Ryan Poles so whoever they hired as head coach would be stuck with him. The same couldn’t be said for the Las Vegas Raiders and Jets gigs.
There was a fear that Johnson and Washington Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark could combine forces in Las Vegas. However, with Johnson going to Chicago, that potential reunion with Newmark is now off the board.
That leaves the door wide open for the Jets to close the deal on Tuesday, January 21.
Newmark and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn are both scheduled to interview for a second time with the Jets in person on Tuesday.
If everything goes according to plan, the Jets can hire both individuals on the spot and close the deal before they have a chance to speak with anyone else.
Glenn Better Have Guns at The Ready
If Glenn gets hired by the Jets this week, he better have some answers to the staff questions.
Moments after Johnson was hired as the next head coach of the Bears, leaks have emerged on his staff.
“Ben Johnson has been busy assembling a star-studded coaching staff. The leading candidate to become his defensive coordinator in Chicago is former Saints HC Dennis Allen,” ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter shared on social media.
For Johnson, a strong defensive coordinator was paramount. It’ll be the opposite assignment for Glenn. He is a widely respected defensive mind, but his most important hire will come on the opposite side of the ball.
Glenn will face plenty of skepticism as the next potential Jets head coach as a defensive guy and someone who would be a first-timer at HC. A great hire at offensive coordinator would go a long way toward quieting the noise around him.
The Jets still don’t know what their plan at quarterback is next season. Aaron Rodgers must decide if he wants to keep playing football. If he does, do the Jets want him back? If not would another team step up to the plate as a potential landing spot?
The green and white will need another solution at QB if they don’t believe Rodgers is the guy. Regardless of who is playing QB, the Jets are going to need a play-caller that either has experience or upside and finding that guy will be Glenn’s first big challenge.
