Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy could part ways with the team in the offseason, and one “offensive genius” is being linked to the team.

Even well before the NFL offseason kicks in, plenty of NFL analysts and experts are looking at what various teams could do to their rosters and coaching staff after February to strengthen their franchise. For the Dallas Cowboys, many are expecting Jerry Jones to split with head coach Mike McCarthy and bring a new voice in.

It goes without saying that there are plenty of names being floated around as possible replacements for McCarthy. But, one could stand above the rest.

Everyone has their favorites when it comes to who should coach the Dallas Cowboys in the future, and Jerry Trotta of The Landry Hat has a top pick. In a December 12 feature for the publication, he states that Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, is his top choice.

“Johnson was one of the most coveted coaching candidates last hiring cycle. He took several interviews and appeared to reach an agreement with the Commanders but be backed out at the last-second to return to his post in Detroit,” Trotta noted.

Numbers don’t lie, and Ben Johnson has those on his side. The Detroit Lions, heading into Week 15, rank top in points per game 32.1 and second in yards per game at 394.8.

Partly thanks to those numbers and perhaps other factors, Trotta calls Johnson “one of the top play-callers in the NFL. He’s in the upper-echelon with Andy Reid, Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay.”

“Johnson is the architect of the entire operation,” Trotta said. “He calls the plays and designs the scheme. He’s propelled a very limited quarterback in Jared Goff into the MVP conversation.”

Trotta added that “it’s unlikely that Jerry and Stephen Jones” would hire someone with no previous head coaching experience, but that “Johnson’s offensive genius is exactly what Dallas should target after they made Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb among the highest-paid players at their respective positions.”

Just look at how Goff has flourished under Johnson. He could possibly do the same for Prescott, although one could argue that Prescott is more of a veteran quarterback than Goff, and Johnson could perhaps fit better with more of a rookie.

Another name being thrown around with the Cowboys is Mike Vrabel, the former coach of the Titans. In a column for ESPN, NFL expert Jeremy Fowler says Vrabel is a viable candidate.

“Some around the league have noted the Cowboys as a natural fit [with Vrabel],” Fowler stated. “They valued experience and pedigree with their last hire in Mike McCarthy and could lean that way again, if they decide to make a change at all.”

Vrabel was 54-45 in six seasons with the Tennessee Titans. Under his direction, the Titans went to three playoffs and won AFC South titles in 2020 and 2021.

Regardless of if and when the Cowboys get a new head coach, that’s likely not what’s on the minds of the Cowboys right now. The 5-8 team is looking ahead to a matchup against the Panthers on Sunday, December 15.