New Chicago Bears Hire Has Strong Resume as Developer for Tulane Football

Chicago Bears new offensive line coach Dan Roushar grew a strong foundation for Tulane Green Wave over two seasons that shows his ability to develop.

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The Chicago Bears are gaining a coach from the Tulane Green Wave with the valuable trait of development at the professional and college football levels.

New Bears coach Ben Johnson is hiring offensive line coach Dan Roushar away from Tulane football, and the team will miss his renowned ability to teach.

Roushar produced several Pro Bowlers in the NFL when he coached various offensive positions for the New Orleans Saints before joining the Green Wave coaching staff in 2023.

He was the offensive line coach for the Saints under Sean Payton from 2016 to 2020 and cultivated starters from the NFL draft and incoming free agents.

When he took over the unit, Andrus Peat was in his second season in the league. The same year that they drafted Peat, New Orleans traded for center Max Unger. Terron Armstead was in his fourth season. In that four-year span, the team drafted Ryan Ramczyk, Erik McCoy, and Cesar Ruiz.

From 2017 to 2019, New Orleans was in the top three of sack preventions across the league.

That coincided with Drew Brees’ final seasons as a Saint, showing Roushar’s ability to protect a veteran quarterback who wasn’t overtly mobile.

Roushar’s work at the collegiate level should be of more interest to Chicago fans, particularly in his final year with Tulane.

The Green Wave finished 67th in the nation in rushing offense and sacks allowed in 2023. Although it was the final season for quarterback Michael Pratt and the first for running back Makhi Hughes, the offense suffered from numerous injuries.

The offensive line was missing left guard Prince Pines half the season, and backup Shadre Hurst slotted in in both guard roles and at right tackle throughout the year for Rashad Green. Green played the season with two torn labrums.

Center and left tackle were the only positions to remain healthy. Pratt wasn’t fully himself after an injury in the opening game. He was down every single starting receiver as the year ended. 

Pratt was able to escape a lot of pressure due to veteran experience and more mobility than his successor, Darian Mensah, utilized.

With a healthy offensive line, however, Roushar showed what he could do to protect Mensah and return the rush attack to full form.

Hughes led the team to No. 17 in rushing offense, averaging 205.4 yards per game. The passing game was No. 6 in efficiency.

Mensah took over for Pratt as a redshirt freshman, and Tulane shot up to 29th in the country in sacks allowed, with 17 total in the regular season. Mensah amassed eight of those in the early Power 4 matchups against the Kansas State Wildcats and Oklahoma Sooners.

He learned to use his legs against the Navy Midshipmen but leaned closer to a pure pocket passer with a slight hesitance to take off. Mensah likely avoids several season sacks with the mobility he displayed in their shutout of the Midshipmen.

Roushar not only helped produce Mensah, but he also assisted the Green Wave in replacing the legendary Tyjae Spears, now a Tennessee Titan, in the backfield with Hughes.

He takes his talents to the Bears to protect a young quarterback in Caleb Williams, who saw a league-high 68 sacks in his rookie year. The team hasn’t produced a Pro Bowl offensive lineman since 2018.

Roushar’s resume as a valuable developer of talent is sorely needed at the unit for Chicago, and his best trait will be equally missed by Tulane football.