The New Orleans Saints have played better football recently under interim head coach Darren Rizzi, but that will not prevent a full, extensive head coach search after the season concludes for the black and gold.
Rather, they will hold plenty of interviews, and one of those could be with one of the lead ascending offensive minds in the NFL. That's Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Ben Johnson
According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, the Chicago Bears, New York Jets, and New Orleans Saints are all expected to go after the Lions OC in some capacity.
I expect Johnson to be of interest to each of the three teams that currently have openings, at the very least. Bears fans in particular are enamored with the idea of seeing what Johnson could do with quarterback Caleb Williams and those talented wide receivers. -- Graziano, ESPN
Johnson is the play-caller for the top offense in football. Of course, there's gonna be interest in him around the league. The challenge for New Orleans will be selling their potential future to him.
Pelissero noted that Johnson is not looking for the "perfect" opportunity in a job to leave the Lions, but there are expectations for his new team. He simply wants alignment and a chance for long-term success, according to Pelissero.
-- Saints' future head coach candidate explains exactly what he would want from them in order to take the job
A former walk-on QB who earned math and computer science degrees at North Carolina, Johnson has established himself as one of the brightest minds in football. He was a coveted candidate during each of the past two hiring cycles, interviewing for seven jobs (Chargers, Colts, Commanders, Falcons, Panthers, Seahawks and Texans) before ultimately deciding to stay put. He isn't necessarily waiting for the "perfect" opportunity -- Johnson just wants to know there's alignment and a chance for long-term success. Otherwise, he'll stick with a job, team and city he loves in Detroit. Johnson coached quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends before becoming the Lions' offensive coordinator in 2022, giving him a good feel for the whole picture. And he is more prepared now than ever before to run his own show. The Lions' video game numbers -- including 52 points and 645 yards in this past Sunday's rout of the Jaguars -- certainly help Johnson's cause. He'll be among the top candidates again. -- Tom Pelissero
The Saints' pitch may change over the final handful of games to complete this season, too. It is a fluid process in the NFL.
If they struggle and keep a top 5-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, they may offer Johnson the idea of drafting a QB or simply the higher value they will hold in the draft process.
If they find some wins down the stretch and com closer to .500, they can try to pander to Johnson (and other HC candidates) that they are on an upward trajectory and have some young talent who helped them finish 2024 in a strong manner.
Either way, Johnson seems to be the biggest fish in the sea, but he will almost assuredly be on the Saints' radar this offseason.
