After attracting interest from the Carolina Panthers in the previous offseason and earlier this season, it is now reported that Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is once again catching the attention of Panthers owner David Tepper. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, there is speculation within the Carolina organization that Tepper might be willing to offer Johnson a significant contract, but Breer expresses some skepticism. He suggests that Tepper is likely to evaluate multiple criteria this time, aiming to satisfy 10 different requirements rather than focusing on just one aspect, as he did a year ago. Therefore, while Tepper may still pursue Johnson aggressively, the motivations behind the interest might differ from the previous year.
In the previous month, reports surfaced indicating that the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator has set a price of approximately $15 million per season if he were to depart and take on a head coaching position with another team. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson shared this information, stating, “I’ve been informed that individuals within the league are acknowledging that certain owners have been informed of #Lions OC Ben Johnson’s request for a head coach position, which is at least or around $15 million per year, according to a source.”