As the Las Vegas Raiders' head coaching search heats up, it appears they're all-in on Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. However, while the Raiders are clearly interested, it remains to be seen how much mutual interest there really is.
Say Johnson decides to return to Detroit for another year to hold out for better openings. That means the Raiders' top pick is off the market, and their other top picks could go elsewhere. The team also appears to like Pete Carroll, but what if he goes to the Chicago Bears or Dallas Cowboys?
The Raiders seem keen on making a big splash and going with a failed re-tread like Robert Saleh or Steve Spagnuolo isn't going to excite the fan base. That's where Deion Sanders comes in. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the Colorado head coach reached out to Las Vegas to express his interest in the job.
Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic then reported that the Raiders were not interested. That could be because they're fixated on the idea of adding Johnson. Sanders is too big of a name just to bring in for an interview only to not hire him.
If Johnson stays in Detroit or goes elsewhere, it may be time for the Raiders to reconsider Sanders. He's done a very good job turning Colorado around and has lots of NFL connections. Plus, he could help force his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, to the team.
It's not the ideal choice for the Raiders but they could certainly do worse than Sanders, especially if their options are limited. If Johnson falls through, it would at least be worth it to meet with Sanders to see what ideas he has for where he can take the franchise. At the very least, it'd be a lot of fun to see Coach Prime in Silver and Black.