New England met with apparent front-runner Mike Vrabel on Thursday and reportedly has a virtual interview scheduled with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for Friday morning.
The former Patriots linebacker, who won three Super Bowl titles in New England, makes perfect sense, given his ties to the organization and experience as a head coach, but according to The Athletic’s Chad Graff, Johnson could edge out Vrabel.
“Vrabel likely offers that more than a first-time head coach like (Aaron) Glenn or Johnson, respectively the defensive and offensive coordinators of the Detroit Lions, though that’s not to discount the other qualities that make them so sought after,” Graff wrote on Wednesday. “And there are still plenty of details that could lead to Vrabel landing elsewhere. In that event, Johnson would likely become the favorite for the Patriots job.”
Graff also noted Vrabel has other interviews lined up, and two Patriots legends could tempt him to join their team.
“Vrabel continued to accept interview requests for other openings even after the Patriots job opened up, a sign that his path to New England isn’t set in stone,” Graff wrote. “If, say, Las Vegas Raiders minority owners Tom Brady and Richard Seymour vowed to offer Vrabel $5 million more per year than the Patriots, perhaps Vrabel would head out west.”
Johnson, one of the most creative offensive minds in the game, has a ceiling that hasn’t even come close to closing. Although he is expected to be extremely selective about the teams he interviews with, Johnson appears to have a genuine interest in the Patriots’ vacancy.
