Bears reportedly interview veteran offensive coordinator Greg Roman |
At some point, the Chicago Bears will make a big splash this offseason, and many feel it will be a decision on Justin Fields or potentially trading the No. 1 pick. Those are the biggest storylines surrounding the Chicago Bears right now, but there are other stories to follow as we get further into the offseason.
One of those stories falls on the offensive coordinator search as Matt Eberflus continues to interview candidates to take over for Luke Getsy. Most of the names mentioned thus far have been hot commodities for years, but you are now seeing the Bears dive a bit deeper as they are going with experience in their most recent interviews. According to multiple reports, the Bears not only added another name to their list of candidates but also one who is widely considered one of the better OCs in the game Greg Roman. Interviewing a guy with Roman's experience comes with its perks, but that doesn't mean the Bears have decided what they will do at the QB position next year. Some have a sense of what Chicago may be thinking, as Roman most recently worked with the Baltimore Ravens and helped get Lamar Jackson to play at an MVP level. Comparing Fields to Jackson, both QBs have similar traits, so Roman would be stepping into a similar situation and has the experience working with a guy like Fields. When you talk about experience, not many offensive minds have as much experience as Roman, as his coaching start dates back to 1995 as a member of the Carolina Panthers. Since then, he has been with the Houston Texans (2002-05), had two stints with the Baltimore Ravens (2006-07, 2017-22), a stop with the San Francisco 49ers (2011-14), and two years with the Buffalo Bills (2015-16). Talk about a wide range of stops along the way, but one thing is for sure. Wherever Roman goes, success tends to follow, and he typically isn't one of those guys who sticks around for a year or two and then bolts. Considering Fields will be on his third OC in four seasons, having a guy with a track record of staying around for a while would be an excellent thing for the Bears as it would not only build trust, but would help Fields develop a connection with an offensive coach that he hasn't had. Although Roman most recently worked with Jackson, his best work may have been during his time with the 49ers when he had Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick playing at the peak of their careers. Like Fields and Jackson and Kaepernick are known for his running ability more so than his passing, so you can see a trend that would fit the Bears. Given what we have seen offenses do under Roman, his resume speaks for itself, so it is great that the Bears interviewed him for the opening. However, success or not, there are some wondering if he is the right man for the job, and they make a great case as to why he may not be the right guy. As good as Jackson and that offense was during his MVP season, they became far too inconsistent in the years after having some fans wonder if Roman failed to make adjustments. Then you look at this season, where the newly implemented Todd Monken has Jackson looking better than ever, which brings up the question as to whether or not Roman held Jackson a bit from reaching his full potential as a player. The Bears have invested a lot into this offense, and if they are going to stick with Fields, they need someone to take this offense to the next level. No one is saying Roman can't do that, but you at least need to question his playcalling ability when you look at his final two years in Baltimore compared to what the Ravens offense looks like now. However, the one thing that makes this seem like a logical first is the run-first attitude that Roman has. He is an old-school coach who wants to run the football, and the Ravens certainly ran the football under him. That alone was part of why their offense struggled a bit, as Roman didn't let Jackson throw as often as he should have. The same can be said about the Bears and their offense. We have seen what Fields can do with his arm at times, but it often feels like the team doesn't trust him enough. That is why they have gone with a run-first approach the past two seasons and even led the league in rushing during the 2022 season. If that is the approach they want to continue to have, Roman is the perfect guy to keep that scheme alive, as it will be something very similar to what the Ravens ran in Baltimore.
