Tag: NFL head coaching candidates

Giants request interview with Ravens DC Don Martindale for head-coaching job

Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator confirmed the New York Giants requested an interview with him for their head-coaching vacancy

The Baltimore Ravens are in the midst of their first-round bye in the playoffs. And by being the best team in the league, offensive coordinator Greg Roman and defensive coordinator Don Martindale are getting quite a lot of attention for some vacancies elsewhere.

Martindale confirmed the New York Giants had put in a request to interview him for their head-coaching opening, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

While the Ravens had the top-ranked defensive unit last year, Martindale really worked some magic in 2019 and is earning serious praise for it. With a huge roster turnover including key starters like Terrell Suggs, Eric Weddle, C.J. Mosley and Za’Darius Smith all leaving in the offseason, it was expected the defense would suffer accordingly. Yet with some quick action by general manager Eric DeCosta to bring in impact free agents and trade for cornerback Marcus Peters in the middle of the season, Martindale was able to turn the defense around and once again make them a top unit.

At the end of the regular season, Baltimore ranks third in points allowed and fourth in yards allowed. They’ve handled some of the better offenses in the league along the way while putting up some points themselves, returning turnovers into the end zone for scores. In total, defenders have scored seven times this season (two pick-sixes, four fumble returns for touchdowns and a safety).

Martindale had previously said it would take a dream job for him to leave the Ravens. And with plenty of question marks surrounding Giants general manager Dave Gettleman, New York might not end up being it. However, with a franchise quarterback and a top running back already in place, the Giants might not be the worst situation to walk into either.

Teams can’t hire any of Baltimore’s staff until their season is over — either when they’ve been eliminated from the playoffs or until after they played in Super Bowl LIV. But teams can request an interview with them while the Ravens are on their bye week.

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Report: Browns request interview with Ravens OC Greg Roman for head coach job

The Cleveland Browns are showing some initial interest in Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman after his prolific season.

The Cleveland Browns are once again on the hunt for a new head coach. Cleveland fired coach Freddie Kitchens following the team’s Week 17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. It had been a disappointing season for the Browns, who had playoff aspirations on the back of an expensive offseason that saw the team add star players like wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

With another offseason without a coach in place, Cleveland has turned their attention to the Baltimore Ravens’ coaching staff. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns have requested permission to interview offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

Roman is a solid option for Cleveland, who has a wealth of offensive talent but wasn’t able to translate that into points. The Browns finished the season at 6-10 and ranked 22nd in the league in both points scored and total yards gained while seeing quarterback Baker Mayfield take a giant step backward in his development.

If Cleveland is looking for an offensive mind who has gotten results, they’d have it in Roman. Roman crafted a unique scheme around quarterback Lamar Jackson and a tough rushing attack that broke a 41-year old NFL record for single-season rushing yards and ranks No. 1 in the league in points scored (531).

Last week, Roman told reporters his focus was on the Ravens and the playoffs rather than head coaching vacancies. And with Baltimore holding the top seed in the AFC and currently the favorites to win Super Bowl LIV, it’ll be interesting to see if Roman shows some interest in the Cleveland job and if the Ravens would even allow him to leave for a division rival.

Of course, there’s no guarantee the Browns would even choose Roman for their top spot. They’ve also shown interest in several other candidates, including San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

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Ravens OC Greg Roman focused on Ravens, not other head-coaching jobs

Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman says he has too much to do to focus on potential head-coaching gigs

The Baltimore Ravens sit at 13-2 and look to be the best team in the league, largely thanks to their prolific offense. It’s a unit that has utilized quarterback Lamar Jackson to his fullest — making him the frontrunner for the NFL’s MVP award — and a rushing attack that has eyes on an NFL record in Week 17. So it should come as no surprise that the guy responsible for the scheme is considered a hot head-coaching candidate already.

Ahead of the final regular-season game of 2019 and with several teams really beginning their search for their next coach, Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman fielded questions about his future with the team.

Roman essentially deflected, focusing on the task at hand and his current job, rather than adding fuel to the kindling rumor fire.

As much as I’d love Roman to stick around for another year, the Ravens don’t really have a good track record of keeping any coordinators who’ve been rumored targets for head coaching jobs, let alone offensive ones.

The last time the Ravens had a stellar season offensively, spurred by one of the best performances a quarterback wearing black and purple has had, that coordinator promptly fled to Denver where he won a Super Bowl. I’m, of course, speaking of Gary Kubiak, whose playcalling and stewardship of the offense led to Joe Flacco’s best season (statistically) as well as a playoff berth and run.

Overall, we’ve seen some of Baltimore’s best coordinators depart for greener pastures (i.e. lucrative head coaching roles) after some of the team’s best seasons. Aside from Kubiak, Jim Caldwell left for Detroit after helping the Ravens offense win Super Bowl XLVII. On the defensive side of the ball, Marvin Lewis, Rex Ryan, and Chuck Pagano all left for head coaching roles after noteworthy seasons.

So if history is any indicator, the likelihood of Roman remaining with the Ravens after Lamar Jackson’s performance this season, and subsequently one of Baltimore’s best seasons offensively, is pretty slim.

But there may be an x-factor here which keeps Roman in Baltimore. The Ravens’ offense is unlike anything this league has seen or even capable of being run by any other team right now. It’s plausible that other teams shy away from Roman while they try to work with prior draft picks and existing players that don’t fit the scheme that has developed in Baltimore.

Now, that might change as teams try to capture their own magic by copying the Ravens’ formula this season. It’s possible that owners and general managers see Roman as a catalyst that could spark some new creativity for teams that are looking for a rebuild and rebrand of sorts.

Either way, the Ravens have proven one thing this year: Doing things differently, taking risks and unconventional approaches can take the league by storm. The team currently has the best record in the NFL, home-field advantage in the playoffs and the best odds to win the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, those factors undoubtedly make Roman a worthy target as opponents look to be the next Ravens . . . if it’s even possible.

What happens after the season is anyone’s guess, but Baltimore’s brass should do whatever they can to keep this unprecedented momentum moving forward.

Honestly, fans can only hope that Roman chooses to stay with the Ravens, especially with the prospect of being able to recapture and even build upon what this team has accomplished this season… if it’s even possible. Keeping Roman gives them as good a chance as any to make the possible a reality.

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