The Washington Commanders hired San Francisco 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters as their new general manager on Friday. Peters was Washington’s top target throughout its search for a new GM.
Next up for the Commanders is hiring a new head coach.
Washington requested permission to speak with seven candidates earlier this week. However, the Commanders couldn’t talk with any of these coaches who had teams in this weekend’s wild-card round. Washington did request permission to interview two coaches on the Baltimore Ravens’ staff (defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald and associate head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver) and have already interviewed Weaver virtually. It isn’t confirmed if the Commanders have spoken with MacDonald yet.
Washington could speak with those coaches because the Ravens are on a bye this week as the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
With Peters in place, does Washington already have a favorite to be its next head coach?
According to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is “firmly in play.”
The expected hire all the way through. Peters will now work to tab the next #Commanders coach, with #Lions OC Ben Johnson firmly in play. https://t.co/LC6T9VdmfK
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 12, 2024
Like Peters in the GM search, Johnson is considered by many to be the top head coaching candidate available on this carousel.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN offered the following on Johnson and the Commanders:
Some league circles are watching a potential pairing of Lions OC Ben Johnson with newly appointed GM Adam Peters in Washington. #Commanders now have lengthy HC search ahead but Johnson will be coveted by many.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 12, 2024
Johnson and the Lions host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in the NFC wild-card round, and he can officially interview virtually with teams next week.
Several teams have requested permission to interview Johnson for their vacant head coaching positions.
This search still has a long way to go, with the Commanders needing to interview several other candidates, but there certainly appears to be smoke around Johnson.
