The Los Angeles Chargers just made a major offensive change, firing coordinator Greg Roman after the 2025 season. Naturally, that has Lions fans asking an interesting question: Should the Detroit Lions take a look at him?

Roman, long associated with Jim Harbaugh and run-heavy, physical offenses, is suddenly available. And with the Lions searching for the right offensive leadership to maximize a Super Bowl window, the idea of turning “Harbaugh’s trash into Detroit’s treasure” is at least worth a serious conversation.

Let’s weigh the pros and cons.

The Case For Hiring Greg Roman

Proven Run-Game Architect

Roman’s biggest strength has always been the run game. His offenses in San Francisco, Buffalo, Baltimore, and Los Angeles have consistently ranked among the league’s best in rushing design, gap schemes, misdirection, and quarterback-friendly play-action.

Detroit already boasts one of the NFL’s most dangerous backfields in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery (or his eventual replacement), and Roman’s scheme could:

• Lean into physical identity
• Create explosive play-action opportunities
• Reduce pressure on the offensive line by simplifying protections
• Control tempo late in games

With a young defense and playoff aspirations, a ball-control, trench-dominant approach still has real value.

Chargers Offense Wasn’t a Disaster

Despite the criticism, Roman’s 2025 Chargers offense wasn’t bad on paper:

• 12th in total offense (333.8 yards/game)
• 13th in passing yards (3,953)
• Around 12th in rushing (2,067 yards, 4.4 YPC)
• 368 total points scored (middle of the pack)
• 11–5 regular-season record

The bigger problem wasn’t play design, it was execution, especially along the offensive line. PFF and ESPN both graded the Chargers’ line near the bottom in pass protection and run blocking despite high preseason expectations. Roman’s scheme requires physical linemen who can move and finish blocks. He didn’t have that in L.A.

Put that same system behind Detroit’s elite offensive line, and the results could look very different.

Quarterback-Friendly Structure

Roman’s systems have historically helped quarterbacks by:

• Creating defined reads
• Using heavy play-action
• Manipulating linebackers and safeties
• Simplifying third-down looks

For Jared Goff, who thrives when protected and allowed to work off rhythm and timing, this could be a comfortable fit.

The Case Against Hiring Greg Roman

Passing Game Ceiling

Roman’s biggest criticism is also well-earned: his offenses can become predictable and limited through the air.

Even in 2025, the Chargers ranked just 13th in passing despite having a talented quarterback. Route concepts can feel compressed, spacing can be tight, and when defenses force obvious passing situations, Roman’s units have sometimes struggled to adjust.

Detroit’s offense under Ben Johnson, and now Dan Campbell, shows how dangerous creativity, motion, and layered route concepts can be. Moving to a more conservative, run-first structure could feel like a step backward in terms of explosiveness and adaptability.

Playoff Concerns

The Chargers’ season ended in disaster: a Wild Card loss in which they scored only three points against the Patriots. That performance crystallized many of the concerns about Roman’s ability to evolve when defenses sell out to stop the run and force high-volume passing.

Detroit isn’t just trying to make the playoffs; they’re trying to win in January. The question becomes whether Roman’s style can consistently beat elite postseason defenses.

Philosophical Fit with Dan Campbell

While Campbell loves physical football, he also embraces modern offensive flexibility. The Lions have built a roster designed to attack every blade of grass, vertically and horizontally. Roman’s offenses tend to shrink the field, emphasizing power and misdirection over spread and spacing.

That philosophical tension matters.

Bottom Line

Greg Roman is not a bad coach. In fact, he’s one of the NFL’s best run-game designers and a proven builder of physical, efficient offenses. The Chargers’ 2025 numbers — 12th in total offense, top-half rushing, double-digit wins — show that his system still works.

But Detroit isn’t searching for competence. They’re searching for the final piece of a championship puzzle.

Roman could raise Detroit’s floor.
The question is whether he raises their ceiling.

In that sense, Jim Harbaugh’s former lieutenant might be a fascinating option — but one that comes with a very real risk of trading creativity for conservatism.

Sometimes one team’s trash becomes another team’s treasure.
Other times, it’s a stylistic mismatch that never quite shines.