ESPN: Detroit Tigers makes bold move by hiring ex-rival’s OC to coaching staff……

About a year ago, some flimsy documentation on Ben Johnson’s desired head coach for Detroit Lions surfaced. Of course he eventually returned to Detroit, as though someone could hold him responsible for that.

New but not very groundbreaking reporting has emerged as the recruiting cycle moves along. Johnson will obviously be deliberate with head coaching interviews; what he is looking for in a new company is already on display.

Money may be a difference for Johnson if all other factors are equal in head coaching positions he interviews for and most likely won’t be. Let’s not try to moralize or lament; it is a reality of human nature. Big offers or “blank checks” allegedly arriving Johnson’s way to persuade him to quit the Lions have generated stories and rumors.

Analyst believes a team need to offer Ben Johnson a “Godfather” contract.
To fix four NFL teams—the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and Cincinnati Bengals— ESPN’s Bill Barnwell lately suggested several offseason actions.

Among the five approaches to fix the Cowboys, Barnwell advised offering Johnson a five-year, $125 million contract to serve as head coach.

“The Cowboys cannot buy first-round selections or challenge the pay cap; their expenditure on coaches is uncapped. Paying Johnson this much would be a large outlay of funds and most likely cause resentment among every other team in the league, but coaches overall are underpaid. Forbes rates this franchise as worth more than $10 billion. Should this approach be successful, Johnson would be a bargain. Should it fail, the Cowboys would not miss the money.

At AT&T Stadium back in Week 6, Johnson closely examined Jerry Jones’s play-calling ability as owner/general manager. More recently, SI.com said Jones might be ready to pay Johnson’s asked fee.

The more important question is how the Cowboys complement Johnson’s expressed wish for “organizational alignment between the GM and the head coach” as well as “recognition from the organization of things that’ve gone wrong, and a willingness to fix them.”

The GM is also the owner in Dallas. Jones also has a reputation that he has all the solutions; he would even admit that his team is not perfect. The Cowboys might thus need a “Godfather” deal to acquire Johnson as their next head coach. Still, would that be sufficient to compel him to accept the job?