Chargers hiring Greg Roman, Jesse Minter as offensive, defensive coordinators

The Los Angeles Chargers have filled their coordinator positions in quick succession.

The Chargers are hiring Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter as the team’s next DC, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday, which the team later confirmed.

Shortly after, Rapoport reported that Los Angeles had agreed to a deal with former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman to become the team’s OC.

Minter spent the past two seasons coordinating Michigan’s defense under Jim Harbaugh, who has recruited him again to his staff after taking the job as L.A.’s head coach.

Minter, along with Harbaugh, helped the Wolverines win the College Football Playoff National Championship last season. In that game, the 40-year-old’s defense allowed just 13 points to the Washington Huskies’ high-powered offense, which had averaged 37.6 points per game and was coming off a 37-point performance in the Sugar Bowl.

Before serving as defensive coordinator for the Wolverines, Minter spent time in Baltimore with Jim’s brother, John Harbaugh, from 2017-2020, working his way up from defensive assistant to defensive backs coach. He worked as Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator for a season before making the move to Michigan.

After firing head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco following a 63-21 Week 15 loss to the Raiders, the Chargers have been taking big swings to alter the trajectory of their franchise this offseason — starting with luring Jim Harbaugh back to the NFL, pairing him with a proven winner in new general manager Joe Hortiz (another Baltimore connection), then Tuesday reuniting a Michigan power duo and one from Harbaugh’s more distant past.

Roman served as Harbaugh’s OC at Stanford from 2009-2010, then as Minter has chosen to do, followed him to operate in the same role with the 49ers from 2011-2014.

The 51-year-old coordinator also ran Buffalo’s offense in 2015-2016 and, again, like Minter, worked with John Harbaugh in Baltimore. He served on that staff for six years, with the last four as the OC entrusted with Lamar Jackson‘s development.

Roman parted ways with the team before the 2023 season and then sat out the year. Now he’s back with the younger Harbaugh, where the offense will be led by another prolific talent, Justin Herbert, albeit one who will run Roman’s offense far differently than Jackson — or even Colin Kaepernick before him.

Much like the offensive side of the ball, L.A. has a talented defensive roster built to contend with players like Joey Bosa, Derwin James and Khalil Mack. Still, both units underperformed in 2023, with the offense finishing 21st in scoring and the D ranking 24th.

Minter and Roman will be tasked with taking that foundation and providing better results moving forward as they aid Harbaugh’s latest attempt at a franchise turnaround.