After blocking him from interviewing for other jobs before the team found a head coach, the Chargers finally let Kellen Moore explore his options and it did not take long for him to find a new job. Less than a week after the Chargers hired Jim Harbaugh as head coach Moore found his next gig: offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Justin Herbert will now be on his fourth offensive coordinator in five seasons and as promising as Moore was initially, the hope is that the next offensive coordinator can be much better. Herbert needs stability and he needs a play-caller that can fix the team's disastrous run game.
There is a prominent former Harbaugh offensive coordinator who knows how to fix a run game in Greg Roman, who emerged as the early favorite to be the team's offensive coordinator. While Roman would undoubtedly turn the team's running game around, there were early concerns about him being the team's play-caller, as that did not go very well in his last stint with Baltimore.
Chargers fans may not have to worry about that situation as the team may be getting the best of both worlds. Roman is expected to join the team in "some capacity", which means that he could theoretically come in to help the rushing attack without being the team's offensive coordinator and play-caller.
The Insiders on @NFLGameDay: Bill Belichick, with no coaching landing spot, may land on TV; #Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is set to bring on DC Jesse Minter from #Michigan; The #Eagles hire OC Kellen Moore, who will bring fresh ideas. pic.twitter.com/pk64U5C87L
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 28, 2024
Chargers may get the best of both worlds with Greg Roman
In a perfect scenario, the Chargers would hire Roman to be the team's run game coordinator and perhaps even offensive line coach. This is a role that Frank Smith held with the team in 2021 and we all saw how big of a difference there was when Smith left to be the offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins.
This would allow Roman to get his hands on this offensive line, the tight end room, and whatever the running back room looks like next season to make much-needed changes. But it would do so without giving Roman full control of the offense, which is smart with Herbert under center.
Herbert is unlike any quarterback that Roman has ever coached and the Chargers do not need a Ravens-style offense. That isn't to say that Roman can't adjust to Herbert, but with both Lamar Jackson and Colin Kaepernick it was clear where Roman's strengths were as a play-caller.
If Harbaugh brings in someone else to be the offensive coordinator (perhaps even the next Ben Johnson), it would allow the team to still commit to a vertical offense with Herbert while also fixing the run game to take some of the burden off his shoulders.
Does this mean that the Chargers are doomed if Roman does get the offensive coordinator job? Not at all. The entire reason the Bolts hired Harbaugh was to steer the team in a new direction and fans simply have to trust his judgment with who he hires.
But in a perfect world, Harbaugh would get the best of both worlds and he likely knows this as well.