Raiders insider shuts down conspiracies on Ben Johnson using Tom Brady's franchise as leverage to land Bears job

And then there were five. On Monday, January 20, reports emerged detailing how Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, arguably the hottest name in the 2025 coaching carousel, had chosen the Chicago Bears job. Johnson's decision handed the Las Vegas Raiders a major setback, especially given how Tom Brady was pulling out all the stops to make sure his franchise would land the offensive genius who took the league by storm over the last two seasons.

Raiders insider Vincent Bonsignore outlined why Johnson, whose Lions were knocked out of the playoffs this weekend thus leaving him free to join another franchise, picked the Bears over the Raiders.

"Per source: Ben Johnson choosing the better overall situation, including young quarterback in place with the Bears over the money the Raiders were prepared to offer, the chance to help pick the next GM and opportunity to work with Tom Brady," he wrote.

Bonsignore also noted how the Lions being beaten by Jayden Daniels' Washington Commanders came at the worst possible time given the fact that it drove home the point that a franchise needs a young, electric QB in place to have some success from the get-go. He also shut down any notion that Johnson used Brady's Raiders as leverage to get the Bears to put an offer on the table.

The Raiders currently have the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, putting them out of reach when it comes to Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward, two quarterbacks expected to be top-3 picks in April.

By most draft analysts' consensus, the drop-off from Sanders and Ward is a bit steep. Alabama's Jalen Milroe, Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, and Texas's Quinn Ewers track to be the next QBs off the board, though all of them figure to be Day 2 picks at the earliest.

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Raiders coaching rumors: Who Tom Brady could turn his attention to next

The Raiders have interviewed former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll who is reportedly the franchise's top option as per The Athletic. The Raiders are also reportedly in touch with Jed Hughes to coordinate their GM and head coach searches.

Hughes helped lead Carroll to the Seahawks back in 2010. The only concern is that Carroll will turn 74 next season, which would make him the oldest head coach in NFL history, though he does have more than enough experience to steer the Raiders the right way over the next couple of seasons.

The Raiders have also interviewed former Jets head coach Robert Saleh and former Commanders HC Ron Rivera.