Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is expected to be one of the hottest candidates on the coaching market this offseason, and he may have eyes for the vacancy in Chicago.

"My understanding is Johnson is intrigued by the Bears' job and he is going to be willing to listen," NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Sunday. "There's a lot to like in Chicago with Caleb Williams, tons of cap space, extra draft resources, also a major market."

Of all the current upcoming vacancies, which include the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Bears, Chicago's is easily the most ideal for coaching candidates. While other vacancies could come open—the Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants all feel like very real possiblilties, and other organizations could make changes as well—the presence of Williams in Chicago alone makes them intriguing.

He's not alone, of course—there are offensive playmakers in D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze and D'Andre Swift, while the defense has been solid—but having a young quarterback with a huge ceiling already on the roster makes life easier for an incoming head coach.

More than a few coaching candidates will likely have interest in the gig, with Washington Commanders' offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury previously linked to the opening.

But it's particularly exciting to envision what Johnson could draw up for Williams and the Bears. The Detroit offensive coordinator is one of the most creative and aggressive play-callers in football, routinely employing a number of trick plays throughout a game. How many teams have run a single hook-and-ladder in the past decade?

The Lions, meanwhile, have run several this season alone. And in the process, Detroit leads the NFL in scoring (32.8 PPG) and is second in yardage (403.9 YPG).

Excellent coordinators don't always translate as head coaches, of course. While coordinators can focus primarily on strategy and scheme, head coaches are like CEOs, running the entire operation while needing to understand where to delegate, how to appoint the right staff, etc. And Johnson eschewed head-coaching interest last season to remain in Detroit—if the Lions don't win the Super Bowl this season, it's possible he could do so again.

He does sound interested in making the leap at some point, however.

"I'd say this: I think there's a burning desire in every man to find what he's made out of, push the limits and see if he's got what it takes," he told reporters this past week. "So, yeah, there's a fire there. Now, when that time is, I don't know when that'll be, but there's certainly a fire there."

There's no doubt that Johnson would add a layer of creativity to Chicago's offense and improve upon the rather stale scheme the team employed during the Matt Eberflus era. Chicago and Johnson, at least for the time being, feel like a solid match.