The New York Jets made their pick at offensive coordinator, bringing in Frank Reich to lead the unit. But before Reich got the nod, the team did its due diligence, sitting down with veteran offensive minds Darrell Bevell and Greg Roman. While neither landed the OC job, there was some buzz that the Jets might still find a role for one or both - Bevell as a potential quarterbacks coach, Roman as a run game coordinator.
That never materialized.
Instead, Greg Roman is heading across town - or more accurately, across the locker room hallway at MetLife - to join the New York Giants' offensive staff under coordinator Matt Nagy. The title hasn’t been made official yet, but all signs point to Roman stepping in as the Giants’ run game coordinator.
It’s a move that makes sense for Roman. The Jets weren’t offering full reins of the offense, and when you've been an OC in the league for nearly a decade, that matters. So Roman opted for a role with a staff he’s more familiar with - and one that could give him more influence in shaping the run game.
This will be Roman’s second time working with John Harbaugh, having previously served under him in Baltimore - first as tight ends coach and senior offensive assistant from 2017 to 2018, then as offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. That stint in Baltimore is where Roman really made his mark, crafting a ground game that was nothing short of dominant. With Lamar Jackson under center, the Ravens never dipped below third in rushing yards per game during that four-year stretch.
But Roman’s Harbaugh connections go even deeper. This will actually be the fourth time he’s worked under a Harbaugh brother.
He was Jim Harbaugh’s OC in San Francisco from 2011 to 2014, helping guide the 49ers to three straight NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl appearance. And just recently, he reunited with Jim again in Los Angeles, serving as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator from 2024 to 2025.
That L.A. stint didn’t end on a high note. Roman was let go after the Chargers' early playoff exit, largely due to a passing game that never quite clicked.
But context matters - and Roman was working with a banged-up offense. The team lost both of its top tackles, Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, for stretches of the season, and first-round running back Omarion Hampton also missed time.
Still, Roman did what he does best: scheme up an efficient ground attack. Despite the injuries, the Chargers finished 12th in rushing yards per game and 13th in EPA per rush, according to Sumer Sports. Not elite, but certainly respectable given the circumstances.
That’s the kind of resilience and schematic savvy the Giants are hoping to tap into. They’ve struggled to find consistency on offense, and bringing in Roman could be a key step toward establishing a more physical identity on the ground.
Now, Roman will be tasked with helping develop a young core that includes quarterback Jaxson Dart and running backs Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy. None of them have Lamar Jackson’s MVP pedigree, but Roman has shown he can elevate a run game with the right blocking scheme and play design - even when the personnel isn’t perfect.
For the Jets, missing out on Roman stings a bit. His track record with the run game is proven, and pairing that with Reich’s more balanced offensive approach could’ve been a solid blend. But the Giants are the ones cashing in now, and if Roman can recreate even a fraction of that Baltimore magic, it could go a long way in turning things around for Big Blue.