Now that the Detroit Lions’ season is officially over, all teams, including the Las Vegas Raiders can go full speed ahead with their head coaching interviews with Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn.
For the Raiders, this means they could have a solution to their head coaching vacancy sooner than many anticipated. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the first general manager candidate they’ve scheduled to interview is someone who knows Johnson well.
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Las Vegas Raiders interviewing potential GM to pair with Ben Johnson
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Las Vegas Raiders are interviewing Washington Commanders assistant general manager Lance Newmark for their GM vacancy. Newmark is a notable candidate because he spent 26 seasons with the Detroit Lions before joining Washington in 2024.
In other words, Newmark knows top coaching candidate Ben Johnson very well from their time together in Detroit. It’s very possible that Johnson and Newmark want to work together, and they view Las Vegas as the perfect opportunity to continue moving their career in the right direction.
As Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted, “Alignment with a GM is a top factor for Johnson.”
We mentioned potential for a Ben Johnson/Lance Newmark marriage in our Future GM column earlier this month (https://t.co/vfnr1lYVQl). And Newmark's emergence in the Raiders' fray certainly could be on Johnson's recommendation.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 19, 2025
Alignment with a GM is a top factor for Johnson. https://t.co/OtgNbEIn7x
If Newmark’s interview goes well, perhaps we’ll hear more news soon about the Raiders closing in on an agreement with Johnson to be their next head coach. If so, that hire would have to be considered a big win.
