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With openings at both offensive and defensive coordinator, the Chicago Bears are currently in the midst of interviewing candidates for both positions.
Peter Schrager of the NFL Network reported that former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s name was added to the list of candidates to interview for the team’s OC vacancy, and according to one of the most in-the-know people covering the team, Roman wants the job so he can work with quarterback Justin Fields.
Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog has been one of the most accurate insiders covering the team over the last decade. Most recently, Hughes correctly predicted the team would retain head coach Matt Eberflus and fire offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Now, he dropped the following nugget on Roman:
“Greg Roman has been publicly angling for the job of Justin Fields’ OC. Interviewing him is solid due diligence. Hiring him is a big mistake,” Hughes wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on January 15.
A Look at Greg Roman’s Coaching History
Roman, 51, began his coaching career in 1995 as an offensive line assistant with the Carolina Panthers. He has coached solely on offense and has worked with several high-level coaches, most notably the Harbaugh brothers, Jim and John.
Jim, the current head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, was a popular candidate amongst Bears fans, many of whom wanted Harbaugh to replace Eberflus as Chicago’s next head coach. Bears general manager Ryan Poles decided to stick with Eberflus, but some Bears fans find Roman’s ties to the Harbaughs intriguing.
Roman worked with Jim at Stanford in 2009 and 2010, when he served as associate head coach to Harbaugh’s HC. He followed Harbaugh to the NFL in 2011, where he served as Jim’s OC with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2014. Roman had a stint as offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills (2015-2016) before heading to Baltimore to work with John Harbaugh.
John has been head coach of the Ravens since 2008, and Roman served multiple roles on his staff, including: senior offensive assistant and tight ends coach (2017), assistant head coach (2018) and offensive coordinator (2019-2022).
Named the NFL’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 2019, Roman’s offense became the first in NFL history to average over 200 rushing yards and 200 passing yards in a season (206.0 rushing and 201.6 passing).
Known for his run-heavy scheme, the Ravens and Roman had a mutual parting of the ways at the end of the 2022 season, as the team desired a more pass-oriented approach on offense.
What Would Bears Be Getting With Greg Roman?
There’s no question Roman has done some great things in the league. He was a huge part of Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson’s MVP-winning season in 2019, as he engineered that offense.
His rumored interest in Fields is interesting. One of the league’s best rushing quarterbacks, Fields has gained 1,800 yards on the ground over the last two years, but has struggled to get over the hump as a passer, throwing for 6,674 yards, 40 TDs and 30 interceptions over his three-year career.
If the Bears plan to stick with Fields, hiring a guy like Roman would make some sense, as he has experience working with some notable rushing QBs.
“I’ve been around some athletic quarterbacks, starting with Andrew Luck at Stanford, Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick with the San Francisco 49ers, and Tyrod Taylor with the Buffalo Bills,” Roman wrote in a piece for the 33rd Team in March of 2023.
But if Chicago plans to utilize the No. 1 overall pick on a different QB, the Bears will likely want to add a coach who has a better track record of developing quarterbacks in the passing game.
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