NFL Rumors: Latest on Mike Tomlin Trade, Ben Johnson and Raiders, Jaguars HC Jobs

Could Mike Tomlin be on the trade block?

One team found out the answer loudly and definitively recently when they reached out to the Pittsburgh Steelers about potentially acquiring him.

That latest development in the offseason coaching carousel headlines a collection of insider reports that also features an update on Lions coordinator Ben Johnson and which former Jets coach could be in play for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Bears Attempted Mike Tomlin Trade

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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JANUARY 11: Head coach Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on prior to an NFL football wild card playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bears is one of the most attractive head coaching vacancies in the NFL, thanks partly to No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams. The organization has completed interviews with different candidates for the job but according to Adam Schefter, they attempted what would have been a blockbuster trade for a different option.

The ESPN NFL insider reported that the Bears called the Pittsburgh Steelers about a job for the long-tenured coach.

The Steelers rebuffed the offer and that may have been for the best.

To say that Tomlin has yet to develop a young quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired in 2021 would be kind. In the three seasons since the future Hall of Famer hung up his cleats, he has played five different quarterbacks, and in that time, the head coach has yet to field an even remotely explosive offense.

While he is lauded for his leadership, he has made several questionable personnel decisions to the detriment of his offense. Sure, he has never had a losing season at the helm of the Steelers but he has had plenty of middling seasons in which there were no playoff trips or Super Bowl runs.

Putting him in a position to shape the long-term future of Williams would be a disastrous scenario for the Bears as Tomlin is more likely to yield greater results in a situation with an established quarterback who can do his own thing while he oversees the team.

The Bears need a young coach with fresh ideas who can help develop Williams and best utilize his abilities to the benefit of the player and the team. Tomlin has yet to show an ability to do that.

Update on Ben Johnson and the Raiders

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DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 18: Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson sits on the sidelines looking at replays during the NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Detroit Lions and the Washington Commanders on Sunday January 18, 2025 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Ben Johnson saw an improbable early exit from the playoffs Saturday as the No. 1 seed Detroit Lions fell to the No. 6 seed Washington Commanders, 45-31, opening doors for him to make a decision on his coaching future sooner than he likely expected.

Mike Florio of NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk reported that "alignment" with a new general manager remains important to Johnson and that the Las Vegas Raiders are the best situation for that.

The organization fired GM Tom Telesco shortly after dispatching head coach Antonio Pierce, creating a scenario where Johnson and the new hire in that position can align their vision for the team's future.

One of the hottest commodities on the market this offseason, thanks considerably to everything he accomplished in Detroit with that offense, it makes sense that Johnson would want to have some leverage or say in what happens from the perspective of player acquisition and team building.

Whether he finds that in Las Vegas, an organization that has been among the worst in the league for the last two decades, is the question, but he is likely banking on Tom Brady's influence as part of a new ownership group to change the culture in the building.

Johnson and Former Jets Coach Favorites in Jacksonville

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 29: Robert Saleh head coach of the New York Jets stands on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium on September 29, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)

Johnson is a popular candidate for many positions, including the Jacksonville Jaguars, where is joined by former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh as one of the favorites to land that job, per NFL Insider Albert Breer for SI.

Johnson would be an intriguing option because he would have the opportunity to work with a talented young quarterback in Trevor Lawrence who has only lacked consistent coaching during his first handful of years in the league.

The question would be whether Johnson and his desire for alignment would end Trent Baalke's time with the organization.

If the Jags do not wish to move on from the general manager, Saleh would make the most sense. Based on his time in New York, it is difficult to imagine that we saw the best of Saleh and his ability to be a head coach in the league. The Jets are an organization in disarray and have been for years, as witnessed by the complete ineptitude to take advantage of the young stars the organization has on its roster in Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, and Sauce Gardner, and field a consistently competitive team.

The Jaguars' track record of late is not much better, but there are pieces to build around, including Lawrence, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., and Josh Allen. While there is still considerable work to be done, it would provide Saleh a rare second chance to prove his worth in that position at a time when the San Francisco 49ers are actively attempting to lure him back as the defensive coordinator with a record contract.