The Baltimore Ravens search for their next offensive coordinator continues as the NFL enters the final stage of the 2022 season. The vacancy was created when the team parted ways with Greg Roman last month.
Roman was the Ravens playcaller from 2019 – 2022. In his first year, Roman produced one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses in 2019 when he was named the AP Assistant Coach of the Year. That was the same year that Lamar Jackson’s 37 touchdown passes led all quarterbacks and he was named league MVP.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh is looking for his seventh offensive coordinator since taking over in 2008. Harbaugh has always stuck to a run-heavy offense over the years, but he hinted at the possibility of a slight change.
“In terms of the vision for the offense, the identity of the offense is what is important in that vision. We’ve established an identity for our offense,” Harbaugh said.
“Everything changes, [and] everything evolves. You have to keep it moving. So, we’ll definitely keep it moving in ways that fit the players that we have, but it’ll definitely be within the identity that we have for our offense.”
Who will be tasked with shaping the identity? Former Cleveland Browns and current University of Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken has received a second interview. So has pass game coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, Brian Angelichio, and Dave Canales, who is the quarterback’s coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
Justin Outten, who was the Denver Broncos’ offensive coordinator last season, also was slated to get a second look. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, has also reportedly spoken to the Ravens about their vacancy. Leftwich has also been in talks with Notre Dame for their offensive coordinator spot. The Ravens reportedly put in a request to interview Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy for the same position as well. Bienemy’s contract is set to expire after this season, but he said at the Super Bowl that he is only fielding head coach interviews.
The team will include Jackson in their coordinator search. That’s significant because Jackson just completed the final year of his rookie contract by playing on the fifth-year option. Talks of a new contract are ongoing for Jackson. The Ravens can place the franchise tag on Jackson and try to hammer out a long-teal deal. The general consensus is that Jackson is best served in a multiple tight end with a fullback offense, but an opportunity to play in a spread system would be ideal.
Looking back to Jackson’s days as a Heisman-winning quarterback at Louisville, Jackson played under Bobby Petrino in a scheme that spread the field and gave him space to operate.
A new coordinator will be able to bring fresh ideas. However, there are some things that Harbaugh would like to retain from before.
“We’ve got coaches here, players here who have run those schemes, that have a feel for those schemes, so yes, that’ll be part of the new process,” Harbaugh explained.
“I’d like to keep a lot of those schemes around, and that’s passing schemes, too. The passing game that we put together [and] the schemes we have are excellent. So, whatever parts of the offense are able to kind of go forward, we’ll see how that goes.”