After parting ways with Tanner Engstrand, the New York Jets’ search for their next offensive coordinator is moving quickly.
They conducted virtual interviews with five candidates and are currently narrowing their list to three finalists.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the first candidate named a finalist for the role is Greg Roman, who last served as the Los Angeles Chargers’ OC from 2023-24.
Roman is expected to meet with the team in person early next week, according to Fowler.
Former Chargers OC Greg Roman will be part of the Jets’ in-person interviews for an offensive coordinator early next week, per sources.
New York interviewed five candidates virtually and will whittle that list down to three for in-persons. Roman is one. pic.twitter.com/dgOzGrIuln
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 31, 2026
Use Roman’s rushing concepts
Roman, 53, is one of the most experienced names the Jets spoke with during their first round of interviews. Fresh off a two-year run as the Chargers’ OC, he has also served in that same role for the Baltimore Ravens (2019-22), the Buffalo Bills (2015-16), and the San Francisco 49ers (2011-14).
Throughout his tenure as an OC, his passing games have been inconsistent. However, the running game is where he thrives, as the John Carroll product is known as one of the league’s best run-game designers.
In Roman’s four seasons with the Ravens, Baltimore led the league with 175.2 rushing yards per game. While the Chargers’ run game wasn’t nearly as effective under his watch, ranking 20th in that same category during the 53-year-old’s first year (107.3 yards per game) and 14th in 2025 with 119.7, the decline was in large part due to the myriad injuries LA dealt with across their offensive line throughout his tenure.
Gang Green is the only team to interview Roman since the Bolts let him go.
Although I ranked him as the Jets’ best option among the candidates they’ve interviewed, there may be a more practical path forward.
Blend the best of both worlds
Instead of giving him full control of the offense, the Jets could pair him with someone like Darrell Bevell, another finalist for the job, or Frank Reich, who are better known for coordinating passing attacks, and implement a co-offensive coordinator structure.
In that scenario, Roman would handle the run game, where his track record is strongest, while someone like Reich or Bevell takes over the passing attack. Blend the best of both worlds: Roman’s rushing concepts with Reich’s quarterback expertise.
That feels far more balanced than simply handing one of the three frontrunners, Roman or Bevell, who’ve already earned second interviews, or Reich, full control of the entire offense.
Obviously, this strategy would hinge on the idea that Roman would be willing to take a non-offensive coordinator role, perhaps a run-game coordinator position instead.
Ultimately, none of these options is compelling, and it already feels like running it back with Engstrand could have featured the highest ceiling.