All signs point to looming betrayal for Lions and Ben Johnson
By Mark Powell
The Detroit Lions are living in the moment, as they should be. Detroit has the best record in the NFC and are fresh off defeating the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving by a surprisingly-close margin. Much of the Lions success can be attributed to the coaching staff, specifically offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
Dan Campbell did a tremendous job finding Johnson and Glenn, and then keeping the coaching staff together for this long. The goal in 2024 is simple, and that is to win a Super Bowl. Whether they achieve that goal or fail to do so, it'd be a surprise to see both Johnson and Glenn back on the coaching staff against next season.
This isn't because of anything wrong with the Lions, but rather what they are doing right. Teams in need of a new head coach look at Detroit's culture and want a piece of it, hence the likely interest in Glenn and Johnson. For the latter, a division rival could finally pluck him from the Lions coaching staff after the Washington Commanders failed to do so last offseason.
Ben Johnson could leave the Lions for the Chicago Bears
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, there are rumblings around the league that the Chicago Bears will have interest in Johnson. As Schefter stated on Sunday, the interest is mutual, as Johnson could very well leave Detroit for Chicago.
As Johnson saw first-hand on Thanksgiving, there is plenty to like with this Bears team. Were it not for their inept former head coach, Chicago very well could've walked out of Ford Field with a victory this week. Thankfully for Detroit, Matt Eberflus was in a giving mood.
Caleb Williams has the chance to be an elite signal-caller with the right tutelage. The Bears have weapons around Williams, specifically in DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. The offensive line is lacking, but that is something Chicago can prioritize in the draft next April.
Johnson would enter a winning situation, albeit with a franchise that doesn't exactly know what to do with a talented roster.
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