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Replacing Greg Roman is proving not as straightforward as many might have expected. The Baltimore Ravens still need a new offensive coordinator almost a month after Roman stepped down, and their prolonged search could lead to former AP Coach of the Year Matt Nagy.
He’s among the potential candidates the Ravens can interview after the Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Waiting is a possibility, despite the Ravens already conducting second interviews with three notable candidates and expecting to speak with two more, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
Nagy spent this season with the Chiefs, working as quarterbacks coach for Patrick Mahomes. This is Nagy’s second spell in KC after he left to take charge of the Chicago Bears in 2018. He won COTY honors in his first season, but Nagy’s reputation declined as the Bears went 22-28 over the next three seasons while quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields failed to develop.
He has his detractors, but Nagy’s an interesting candidate for the Ravens, based on his experience working with multi-faceted QBs and how he could help Lamar Jackson.
Former Chicago Bears Coach Has Quarterback Expertise Lamar Jackson Needs
Getting more from the quarterback position is what the Ravens need from their next play-caller. Zrebiec noted the need is reflected in the candidates who’ve already met with the team: “Those three candidates are University of Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Minnesota Vikings pass game coordinator and tight ends coach Brian Angelichio, and former Ravens wide receivers and tight ends coach and Wisconsin offensive coordinator Bobby Engram.”
There’s a clear emphasis on developing a more expansive air attack for Jackson. It’s also why “at least two more candidates are expected in town Monday and Tuesday: Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales and Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Justin Outten.”
Current Chiefs’ OC Eric Bieniemy is also somebody the Ravens want to speak to, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Bieniemy is a high-profile name, but Nagy’s also an intriguing proposition, provided the Ravens are prepared to wait until Monday, February 13 for both. Nagy has spent six seasons working with Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid, the brightest offensive mind in the NFL.
During that time, Nagy helped Alex Smith enjoy a career-best, 4,042-yard season in 2017. Nagy’s finest work for the Chiefs might be this year, when Mahomes threw for a career-high 5,250 yards and directed the league’s most prolific offense, even after All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins last offseason.
Nagy outlined how Mahomes improved throwing from the pocket, per Ed Easton Jr. of Chiefs Wire: “Inside the pocket is where he’s grown, and he’s doing great with his feet, his timing, getting his timing down with the routes and concepts of these new receivers.”
The improvement showed up in the majority of Mahomes’ NFL-leading 41 touchdown passes, according to The Spoken!! Podcast:
This is the kind of refinement Jackson needs to take his game to the next level. He’s the game’s premier dual-threat signal-caller, but there’s still room for improvement as a passer.
Not that Nagy would ignore Jackson’s talents as a runner. Trubisky gained 421 yards and scored three touchdowns on 68 attempts when the Bears won the NFC North in 2018. He also experienced an increase in every positive passing metric from his rookie year, while posting the third-best QB rating in franchise history:
The one-season jumps both Mahomes and Trubisky enjoyed on Nagy’s watch would be a positive omen for Jackson. Choosing the right coordinator to replace Roman and his run-heavy schemes should go a long way to convincing Jackson to stay with the Ravens.
Right FrameWork Crucial for Lamar Jackson Stay
Jackson still doesn’t have a new contract, but there’ll be little point in the Ravens paying up if they don’t put a better framework around the face of the franchise. They must add quality wide receivers in both free agency and the 2023 NFL draft, but new personnel will only have so much of an impact.
A more creative, aggressive system is also necessary for making Jackson better. Nagy could help, but the struggles he experienced the last time he worked with a mobile quarterback still cast a shadow over his reputation.
Nagy couldn’t get Fields up to speed after the Bears drafted the former Ohio State star 11th overall in 2021. Some, including USA Today’s Doug Farrar, believed Nagy was never willing to design an offense suited to Fields’ particular skills:
It’s possible for coaches to earn a second act by learning from mistakes. Nagy could put his lessons to the test by proving he can make another of the game’s elite QB1’s even better.
Whether the Ravens hand Jackson a fully-guaranteed contract or use a pricey franchise tag, they’ll need him to improve as a passer to justify either investment.
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