The Baltimore Ravens franchise faces plenty of intrigue heading into 2022 with several players and members being put in the spotlight.
Will Lamar Jackson’s contract situation get in the way of him enjoying a productive season? Can Ronnie Stanley recover to elite form by September?
One particularly interesting member of Ravens Flock is Greg Roman, who enters his fourth season as offensive coordinator in Baltimore.
Roman was heavily criticized last season for the team’s offensive woes, yet he still helped Ravens finish third in the league in rushing yards per game and improve their passing attack from 2020.
Roman’s handprints have been all over Baltimore’s run game for several years now as he molded the team’s offensive scheme to highlight Lamar Jackson’s unique strengths.
In Jackson’s 2019 MVP campaign, the Ravens set a new NFL single-season rushing record (3,296 yards and became the first team in history to average 200 passing and 200 rushing yards per game in a season.
Roman nonetheless continues to play the part of hated villain in the franchise — The Baltimore Sun’s Childs Walker named 10 intriguing people in the Ravens organization in 2022 and included Greg Roman on the list.
"“Here we are again. A loud contingent of Ravens fans wanted [John] Harbaugh to fire Roman after last season. Their gripes — unimaginative passing attack, overreliance on the power game, poorly conceived routes for the wide receivers — have become a chorus echoing behind everything the Ravens do (or don’t do) on offense.Given the Ravens’ lack of investment in wide receivers and their stockpiling of tight ends, many have wondered if Roman is aiming to recapture his formula from 2019, when the Ravens rolled up rushing yards at a historic rate and thrived on low-volume, high-efficiency passing. Regardless of his approach, Roman, and the hot seat he occupies, will be a story from Week 1 on.”"
Greg Roman is one of the most villainized members of the Baltimore Ravens
Earlier this summer, the Marquise Brown trade didn’t help Roman’s image as Brown reportedly left Baltimore to escape Roman’s run-heavy system.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, operate with a pass-first offense and would more likely pay Brown top-dollar money down the road if Brown impresses.
The Ravens are currently set to start 2022 with an extremely weak wide receiver corps consisting of Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, and James Proche, and it indeed seems like Roman and the Ravens are putting their stake in the tight end unit and in the run game.
Many fans were surprised when Baltimore chose to keep Roman and instead part with defensive coordinator Don Martindale this offseason, yet Roman’s job isn’t completely safe this year.
Roman no doubt has a chance to redeem himself in 2022, but if things go awry for the Ravens’ offense, he’ll be one of the first to blame.