Report: Raiders Expected to Land Ben Johnson

The Las Vegas Raiders are on the hunt for a new head coach, and while there are many candidates, one name seems to have emerged as the favorite.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

Johnson has been the hottest name on the coaching carousel heading into the offseason, and it's looking more and more like he will end up with the Raiders.

Las Vegas seems so confident that it will land Johnson that it is trying to bring in Lance Newmark—who is very familiar with Johnson from his days with the Lions—as its new general manager. Plus, the addition of Tom Brady to the front office seems to be weighing on Johnson's mind.

Not only that, but the Raiders are evidently willing to pay whatever it takes to land the offensive guru.

"The exact answer I was given was 'If Ben Johnson isn't the coach of the Raiders, the reason will have nothing to do with money.' There you go," our own Hondo Carpenter reported. "The Raiders are willing to spend what they have to spend to go get their guy. If you're concerned about the Raiders going cheap ... that will be of no concern with the Raiders. I am not implying that Ben is going to get it, I am simply telling you that he is the lead guy."

Carpenter added that the deal for Johnson could be six years and $90 million.

The caveat is that the Raiders don't exactly have a whole lot to offer Johnson up front in terms of roster talent.

Offensively, Las Vegas has tight end Brock Bowers, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and not much else. Yes, the Raiders have plenty of cap room to sign some major weapons in free agency, but trying to convince them to sign with the club may be difficult.

Remember: Las Vegas does not currently know who its quarterback will be for 2025, and having the sixth pick in the NFL Draft may not help the Raiders in that category.

Nevertheless, perhaps Johnson is intrigued by the idea of coaching one of the NFL's marquee franchises, and his reputation would certainly skyrocket if he were able to turn Las Vegas—which has made just two playoff appearances since 2004—into a winning ballclub.