Mike Florio points out major move for Bears to lure Lions OC to Chicago - "It's the cover charge to get Ben Johnson"

Ben Johnson is a near-constant among all the names that are coming up for head coaching vacancies. It does not matter which team is being discussed, whether the Raiders or the Bears, the Lions offensive coordinator's stock is high.

And one can understand the hype around him. The Lions have become the top seed in the NFC based largely on their offense. He has wrung the best out of Jared Goff, who not too long ago might have been written off as a bust. They have won playing exciting football with Ben Johnson drawing up trick plays and wrinkles that the opposition has failed to figure out.

The Bears have been one of the favorites to bring him in as their new head coach after getting rid of Matt Eberflus in the middle of the season. However, Mike Florio believes they have made a mistake by retaining general manager Ryan Poles. The NFL commentator said,

"I think it requires you to have a clear understanding of where you stand relative to the other teams. If you want Ben Johnson, but you have an ear to the ground about what Ben Johnson wants, what he's looking for. This whole notion of Johnson prioritizing alignment with the front office is code for I want to hire my own guy."

According to Florio, the Lions offensive coordinator has made it clear that he wants to be in perfect sync with the front office and he does not feel that it is currently possible with Ryan Poles still in place. Firing the general manager might be the "cover charge" for getting Ben Johnson, in the analyst's opinion. He continued,

"So if you really want him, you got to read the tea leaves... I think for the Bears to even have a remote chance at Ben Johnson, they're going to have to clear out the front office. And I'm not saying that Johnson is saying, do it. It's the cover charge to try to get Ben Johnson. You got to give him a runway to setting things up exactly how he wants."

Mike Florio contrasts Raiders' approach to the Bears in chasing Ben Johnson

The Las Vegas Raiders are another team that is on the lookout for a new head coach. Unlike Chicago, though, Las Vegas decided to fire general manager Tom Teleso immediately after cutting ties with Antonio Pierce. Telesco, who had a decade of experience in the same position with the Los Angeles Chargers did not last a year in his latest stint.

According to Florio, that indicates that they are serious about clearing out the front office and showing prospective candidates like Ben Johnson that they will have a clear slate to work with. The Chicago Bears' failure to do so might hamstring their efforts to poach the Lions' offensive coordinator across from their divisional rivals.