NFL hiring cycle officially kicked off, Ben Johnson was hyped as one of the best upcoming head coaching candidates. This has been a common theme for multiple offseasons now, with the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator frequently coming up with some of the best play calls in the NFL.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is among the top names in this year's NFL head coaching cycle —and according to one NFL insider, he's become "the candidate to watch" for one team in particular.

Ben Johnson has a local tie and a connection with the Patriots' most important player. Read more on Boston.com.