5 Mike Kafka replacements the Giants should already be thinking about

2. Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson is quickly rising the coaching ranks and won't only have several offers from multiple organizations after this NFL season, but even head coaching offers. Johnson is the Lions' offensive coordinator and has helped lead Detroit to a 7-2 overall record. They're in first in the NFC North.

The Lions had struggled to get back to the playoffs and create a consistent flow on the offensive side of the ball; however, in the last few years, that trend has flipped, and a significant reason could be Johnson. The 37-year-old OC joined the Lions in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach after spending time with Boston College and six years with the Miami Dolphins.

In 2020, Johnson was retained by the Lions when Dan Campbell was hired to become the franchise's 30th head coach and was promoted to tight ends coach, where he can work with TJ Hockenson. The Lions struggled, finishing Campbell's first season with a 3–13–1 record. Last season, Detroit opened the year at 1–6; however, they finished the season with a 9-8 record and completed their first winning season since 2017. The Lions are considered a top contender in the NFC and an absolute lock for playoff contention.

With the recent success of the Detroit Lions and the sudden emergence of this explosive offense displaying Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta, it's pretty clear plenty of teams will be calling Johnson this offseason. It will be interesting to see where he lands, but whichever team gets their hands on him will be lucky to have him.