They hired Jesse Minter as the head coach and gutted the coaching staff. The team’s offensive and defensive philosophies have changed, along with an emphasis on improving the interior offensive line. Baltimore continued to add to its edge rushing with the addition of Zion Young in the second round of the draft. Then, the team added four pass catchers in receivers Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Surratt in the fourth round, along with tight ends Matthew Hibner (fourth round) and Josh Cuevas (fourth round).

Here are five things that we learned about the 2026 Ravens before their first regular season game.

Jesse Minter is here to be aggressive

Minter is going to be the play-caller for the defense. He’s going to have his defensive backs play more aggressively and attack in man coverage, based on trends from last season. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper cited stats from Tru Media Sports to explain how he could employ more Cover 0 as well:

https://x.com/danielrpopper/status/2008651121553011039

Minter additionally showed his creativity during the preseason when he brought pressure from the B and C gaps on both sides by the defensive tackles and edge rushers. Though both of his middle linebackers showed blitz, he dropped one into coverage, eventually bringing him through the A gap and bringing a corner off the the edge.

https://x.com/ChrisCooper_NFL/status/2089125536983322983

His ability to create an advantage for his blitzers is going to be of the utmost importance come Sunday.

Delan Doyle can build the most explosive offense in Ravens history

Lamar Jackson already has two Most Valuable Player awards. Derrick Henry, a future Hall of Famer, is his running back. Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers have returned at receiver position, along with their newcomer compatriots. Baltimore’s tight end group is revamped and brings back Mark Andrews.

All are going to be important to Baltimore’s offensive success, but the single most important piece may be Declan Doyle as the unit’s coordinator. He will get creative with motions and shifts – he will change the personnel groupings too. Doyle, who served as the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator but not the play caller in 2025, oversaw an offense with head coach Ben Johnson that ranked just 23rd in 11 personnel usage. The Bears used a ton of multi-tight end sets, according to Jacob Infante. Baltimore has four tight ends on the roster – from Andrews, to Hibner, Cuevas and former Bear Durham Smythe.

https://x.com/jacobinfante24/status/2020611791454130514

That is just the tight end position. Baltimore has an opportunity to use more orbit, jet, return and short motions with the team’s receivers. Running backs can get involved in the pass-catching game as well, being sent in tear motion away from Jackson.

Baltimore’s interior offensive line has improved, but already has a major injury

The Ravens made some of the biggest changes to its offensive line in recent history this offseason. Right guard Daniel Faalele walked in free agency to the New York Giants to reunite with John Harbaugh and was subsequently traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars – to much of the fan base’s delight. Center Tyler Linderbaum inked a 3-year, $81 million deal to play with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Baltimore drafted right guard Vega Ioane with the 14th pick in this year’s draft and added John Simpson to flank him on the left side. The team brought in a flurry of centers in former Indianapolis Colt Danny Pinter, former Atlanta Falcon Jovaughn Gwyn and former Cleveland Brown Ethan Pocic. Pocic has the most experience, but Pinter was slotted to start initially, as the former is in the process of returning from an Achilles tear last season.

Unfortunately for Baltimore, Pinter went down with a torn patellar tendon in his right knee – a season-ending injury. With Pocic still recovering, Gwyn has stepped into the starting role for Baltimore ahead of the team’s opener against Indianapolis. Gwyn has experience with offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford and his blocking schemes in the running game, as both spent time with the Falcons.

“[Jovaughn Gwyn] came in with obviously a lot of experience with [run game coordinator/offensive line coach Dwayne] Ledford and some things schematically that carry over to kind of how we’re playing now,” Minter said in Monday’s media availability. “So, I think there is a lot of familiarity there and some of the terminology in the run game and things like that.

“Then again, he came here knowing that there was an opportunity and has been in a competition all the way back from the second he signed. [He] has just taken advantage of getting a lot of reps. He’s been training for this moment for the last few years under these O-line coaches that we have, so there is some familiarity there and a comfort there amongst the coaches. Again, I just think [I’m] happy for him and proud of him for the job that he’s done taking advantage of the opportunity.”

Could this be an advantage for Gwyn going forward? Potentially, but only time will tell.

Nnamdi Madubuike could play in Week 1

Madubuike missed the majority of last season with a potential career-threatening neck injury. Baltimore removed him from the physically unable to perform list during training camp and could potentially play Week 1.

“It’s just a process I would say,” Minter said on Monday. “[Nnamdi Madubuike]’s been involved more and more just about every day. So, he’ll be involved in practice this week, he’ll be in team. He’ll be doing things, and we’ll kind of see how it shakes out as we get closer to see if it’s even possible for Week 1.”

“I wouldn’t rule any of those guys out for Week 1,” Minter said.

The interior defensive lineman has been hard to stop since his 2022 season. He had 5.5 sacks, followed up his career-high with 13 sacks in 2023 and had 6.5 sacks in 2024. Madubuike already had two sacks in two games last season. If he’s remotely the same player as he once was before the injury, his addition can add to Baltimore’s creativity in the pass rush.

Jake Moody has been pushing Tyler Loop at kicker – this is a good situation

The Ravens signed veteran free agent Jake Moody to its practice squad on Aug. 31 to compete with second-year kicker Tyler Loop. Moody has played with the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and the Washington Commanders with a 78% field goal percentage in his four-year career. Moody has gone 97.3% on extra points. His longest field goal is 57 yards.

Loop is only in the second year of his career and had an 88.2% field goal percentage in his first season. His longest kick was for 52 yards and he had an extra point percentage of 95.7%. Loop is perfect on field goals 39 yards or fewer (21-for-21) and has only missed one of nine field goals of 40-49 yards (8-for-9).

Where Loop has struggled is his field goal percentage from 50 or more (1-for-4). Moody, by comparison, is 8-for-14 from 50+. His lone missed field goal from the 40-49-yard range was a 44-yard miss against the Pittsburgh Steelers that would’ve put the Ravens in the playoffs.

Minter discussed how Loop responded to having competition at kicker. He has confidence in the former fourth round pick.

“To Tyler [Loop]’s credit, he’s responded really well to bringing somebody in at his position. [It’s] just like anybody [would] have,” Minter said. “If you bring a guy in at their position, normally it brings out the best when you’ve got the right type of guy. I don’t think he’s missed a kick since we brought Jake [Moody] in. Jake’s done really well as well. It’s [about] protecting the team, protecting the long-term outlook of the team. I have a lot of confidence in Tyler.

“I have a lot of confidence in him going into this first game to kick really well. After that, not to play into the hypothetical, but every position, really other than a few super established guys, is a week-to-week thing. It’s about going out there this week and producing and doing your job and doing what you’re supposed to do. [I] have a lot of confidence that he’ll do that, but again it’s about having things available just in case it doesn’t go the way you want it to go.”

If Loop continues to respond to pressure well, it could be a great omen for the Ravens.

The post Five Things We Learned About The 2026 Baltimore Ravens Before The Season Opener appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision, given the tremendous 18 years we have spent together and the profound respect I have for John as a coach and, most importantly, as a great man of integrity,” Baltimore owner Steve Bisciotti said in a statement via the Ravens team website.

“Throughout what I firmly believe is a Hall of Fame coaching career, John has delivered a Super Bowl championship to Baltimore and served as a steadfast pillar of humility and leadership. He and his family have deeply embedded themselves in this community. For these profound contributions, on and off the field, we should all be forever grateful.”

Harbaugh was the second-longest tenured head coach in the league, ironically behind Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin (19th season). It’s safe to say that Harbaugh’s time in Baltimore was a success – finishing with an 180-113 record ( a .614 winning percentage) in the regular season and a 13-11 record (.542) in the playoffs. While the numbers speak for his coaching successes, they also speak for his mistakes. The 63-year old went 58-77 (.430) on challenges, often ranking first or second in the league throughout his time in Baltimore – 1.9 on average. 

Baltimore had high hopes heading into the season. The Ravens were coming off of consecutive seasons in which they won the AFC North Division title and at least one playoff victory. There were ton of heartbreaking moments along the way – a fumble over the goal line by wide receiver Zay Flowers in the AFC Championship Game in 2024, along with a dropped two-point conversion by tight end Mark Andrews in the AFC Divisional Round in 2025. 

There were issues at both offensive guard positions throughout the season with Andrew Voorhees and Daniel Faalele struggling with small appearances by rookie Emery Jones. Lamar Jackson ran for his life on a consistent basis and yet still a 103.8 passer rating with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 13 games. Harbaugh’s quarterback was banged up all year and yet their was a lack of change to the offensive line. Even with the absence of Jackson, the struggles of Cooper Rush, who signed with the team on a two-year, $6,2 million deal and the resurgence of Tyler Huntley, in his third stint in Baltimore, Todd Monken’s offense ranked 11th in points.

On the flipside, Baltimore’s defense under Zachary Orr struggled in the first six games of the season, allowing 32.3 points per game – even with Malachi Starks being drafted to upgrade the safety position, even with  the injured Ar’Darius Washington and allow All-Pro Kyle Hamilton to line up in the nickel. Two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike missed the rest of the regular following a neck injury suffered during the Browns game. Safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-round pick was acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers for defensive end Odafe Oweh and a 2027 seventh-round pick on Oct. 7, changing Baltimore’s defense for the better. Baltimore allowed 13.4 points over the next five games. The number jumped up to 22.8 points per game over the last six contests.

With mixed results, Baltimore went 8-9 on the season and missed the playoffs. Changes needed to be made and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini explained in a Tuesday post on X with Harbaugh being unwilling to make a change at the offensive coordinator position. The team went 3-3 in divisional play, featuring a 32-14 home Thanksgiving loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in primetime on Nov. 27 and being swept by the Steelers on Dec. 7 and on Sunday by scores of 27-22 and 26-24 respectively. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday that the team’s brass felt that Harbaugh had lost the locker room, including but not limited to Jackson. Rapoport reported on Wednesday that the team wants their next head coach to “reach” and “invigorate” Jackson. With those sentiments in mind, along with a laundry list of coaching candidates and Bisciotti’s 20-day search for a head coach in 2008 — Baltimore has a great deal to process before making its next move.

There will be questions for most of Baltimore’s candidates that Bisciotti and general manager Eric Decosta would love to have answered. First, would they consider themselves a scheme specialist as a coordinator and how have they proven themselves to be a leader of men? Secondly, how will they mesh with the front office? What type of staff will they put together? Is this person a good communicator and how? Are they good at handling the media and what type of relationships do they have with players and other staff members in their buildings? How does this person handle adversity?

Here are a few names that may be on Baltimore’s radar:

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator

Baltimore has requested to interview Brady following Buffalo’s AFC Wild Card game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, per a Friday post on X by Rapoport.

The 36-year-old has already been discussed heavily as head coaching candidate in years past. He’s coached since 2013, beginning as a linebackers coach for William & Mary (2013-2014). He immediately moved up to Penn State, joining the program as a graduate assistant under James Franklin (2015-2016) before moving on to the New Orleans Saints as an offensive assistant (2017-2018). Brady stayed in the state of Louisiana as LSU’s passing game coordinator in 2019 — where Joe Burrow led college football with a 76.3% completion rate, 5,671 passing yards, 60 touchdowns and six interceptions, with Ja’Marr Chase leading all receivers with 1,780 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns and Justin Jefferson putting up an Football Bowl Subdivision-high 111 receptions to go with 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns and winning a national championship.

He’s since moved on to the NFL, spending two seasons as the Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator (2020-2021) and moved on to the Bills to become the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2022, prior to being named the team’s offensive coordinator in 2023 — a role he’s held ever since. Brady’s first offense in Carolina was the No. 23 scoring offense in 2020 and ranked 26th in 2021. His offenses in Buffalo have fared much better, ranking fourth, third and fifth respectively from 2023-2025. The Bills were third in the NFL in expected points added per play (0.12), per Sumer Sports. However, Buffalo is 25th in average depth of target (7.54), which measures how far the ball goes downfield from a passer to a pass catcher.

Matt Burke, Houston Texans Defensive Coordinator

The 49-year-old defensive coordinator has coached at the high school, college and NFL levels since entering into the profession in 1998, following his time as a safety at Dartmouth. Burke first earned a spot as a defensive coordinator with the Miami Dolphins under Adam Gase in 2017. In two years with the Dolphins, Burke’s defenses ranked 29th and 30th in scoring. His fortunes took a turn for the better when he began working with the Texans in the same role with his defenses ranking 12th, 16th and sixth in scoring from 2023-2025.

While Burke isn’t the most well-known name, he has worked with a ton of head coaches including Jeff Fisher, Jim Schwartz for his entire tenure as his linebackers coach with the Detroit Lions (2009-2013), becoming the linebackers coach under longtime former Bengals head coach and Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator with the Ravens, Marvin Lewis (2014-2015), moving on to take on the same role with the Dolphins under Gase in 2016 before being promoted, working with Doug Pederson (2019-2020) as the defensive special assistant in his first season, then being moved to defensive run game coordinator and defensive line coach in 2020. He was under Robert Saleh as the game management coach, moved to work with Kliff Kingsbury in 2022 as the Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach before coming to the Texans under DeMeco Ryans, who has a 32-19 record (.627).

It’s a mixed bag of success and failure with Burke, but his ability to stay in the league and work with coaches who are vastly different may make him a candidate to look out for. The question becomes, how can he use his league-wide connections to build his staff if he were to be hired by the Ravens?

Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator

Baltimore has requested an interview with Flores, per Pelissero.

Flores is a case of a coach that may have been stuck with in neutral with a struggling organization. The former Miami Dolphins head coach went 24-25 (.490) in three seasons with the club and posted winning records of 10-6 and 9-8 in 2020 and 2021 respectively. In spite of his back-to-back winning records, he was dismissed following the 2021 season. Former Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who at 43 years old is just a year younger than Flores, explained on Dec. 2024 episode of Fitz & Whit that Flores became “a dictator” during his tenure with the Dolphins.

“The further removed we get from his tenure in Miami, the more people kind of forget about how that ended and the better his name becomes,” Fitzpatrick said… “I think he’s gonna have a really hard time if you’re interviewing for him as a head coach. I think in the interviews he’ll be likable, he’ll be relatable. But when people say ‘okay, gimme somebody from Miami that coached under you as a reference so we can talk to them.’ I think he burned a lot of bridges there. I think he alienated himself from the entire staff. … I think by the end of his time there he became a dictator. He ruined a lot of those relationships that he built up through the NFL.”

Prior to his head coaching tenure, he spent 2004-2018 with the New England Patriots in a variety of roles including scouting assistant, pro scout, special teams assistant, offensive and special teams assistant, defensive assistant, safeties coach and linebackers coach — winning Super Bowl XXXIX, XLIX, LI, LIII with the Patriots. Following his time with Miami, he worked under Tomlin as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach in 2022, prior to moving on to the Minnesota Vikings as the defensive coordinator in 2023. The Vikings had the No. 13 scoring defense in 2023, prior to moving up to the No. 5 mark in 2024 and they had the No. 7 defense this season. Minnesota had the fourth-ranked defensive EPA per play of -0.11 and total EPA -111.09, per Sumer Sports. By comparison, the Ravens had the 20th-ranked EPA per play (0.01) and total EPA (16.06).

With Flores’ focus on improving the defense, previous experience as a head coach in the NFL and no nonsense attitude, maybe Flores could be a good fit. The question is if he can adjust his coaching style to fit Baltimore?

Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator

Joseph will be interviewed by the Ravens on Thursday, per a post by NFL reporter Josina Anderson X. The 53-year-old previously served as a head coach with Denver in 2017 and 2018, posting an 11-21 record with the team. He left Denver to take over the Cardinals defense from 2019-2022 and returned to the Broncos in 2023 to become Sean Peyton’s defensive coordinator.

Denver’s defense started out in a state of disarray, placing 27th in points allowed in 2023. He quickly turned the unit around with two consecutive No. 3 scoring defenses in 2024 and 2025. Denver outside linebacker Nik Bonitto produced 14 sacks this season, along with outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper’s 8.0 sacks, defensive end John Franklin-Myers’ 7.5 sacks and defensive lineman Zach Allen’s 7.0 sacks. The Broncos sacked opposing quarterbacks 68 times, leading the league. The Ravens were tied for 28th in sacks with 30.

Joseph was accused of sexual assault by two athletic trainers while serving as the defensive backs coach of the Colorado Buffaloes from 2003-2004. The allegations were looked into by a state task force, Joseph was placed on administrative leave, but he wasn’t charged nor interviewed in the investigation, per a 2017 Jeff Legwold article for ESPN. The Broncos former head coach and current defensive coordinator has maintained that the claims were “false.”

Who would Joseph bring to his coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball? It could be Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, who is a big name in NFL coaching circles among candidates. Is Joseph ready for a second shot with the Ravens and more importantly, is Baltimore willing to make a decision that will generate harsh questioning from the media with the team’s “zero-tolerance policy”? Joseph’s name is clear, but questions will swirl.

Kliff Kingsbury, former Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator

Kingsbury was requested to interview for Baltimore’s head coaching vacancy, per a Thursday post on X by Rapoport.

The former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator was relieved of his duties on Tuesday, following a season where the team finished 22nd in the NFL with 318.8 yards per game and 20.9 points per game. His offense was ranked No. 5 in the NFL in points scored in 2024 with Jayden Daniels at the helm.

Kingsbury has coached both at the collegiate level and the NFL as a head coach. His offenses have been known to follow the free-wheeling form of the Air Raid system — quick passes as an extension of the running game to open up the deep passing attack and simplified play calls. While Kingsbury’s Texas Tech teams weren’t particularly successful and went 35-40 (.466) from 2013-2018, his offensive innovation convinced the Arizona Cardinals that he’d be a good fit to pair with then-rookie quarterback Kyler Murray in 2019. Kingsbury finished with a 28-37 record from 2019-2022 and made the playoffs once in 2021, losing to the Rams in the NFC Wild Card Round.

One thing that works Kingsbury’s favor is his time developing quarterbacks, having worked with Case Keenum with the Houston Cougars, Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M, Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech, the aforementioned Murray, Caleb Williams at USC and Daniels with the Commanders, the latter two were the No. 1 and No. 2 selections in the 2024 NFL Draft. The question is can he get the most out of Jackson and maximize his passing abilities? If he isn’t hired as Baltimore’s head coach, could he be a name to watch for offensive coordinator?

Klay Kubiak, San Francisco 49ers Offensive Coordinator

The Baltimore connections are strong with Klay Kubiak, as his father, Gary Kubiak, served as the Ravens offensive coordinator in 2014. Klay Kubiak’s brother, Klint, is the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. While Klay Kubiak doesn’t have the experience that his brother does, he has worked under offensive mastermind Kyle Shanahan since 2021.

The former high school coach spent seven seasons with Strake Jesuit College Prep in Houston, Tx., serving as an offensive coordinator from 2013-2015, before taking over as the head coach from 2018-2020. Klay Kubiak went on to become San Francisco’s defensive quality control coach in 2021, then served as the assistant quarterbacks coach for two seasons, before becoming the pass game specialist in 2024.

2025 was his first season as the 49ers offensive coordinator and it has been successful so far. The 49ers are seventh in yards and 10th in points scored. Brock Purdy and Mac Jones have combined for 4,157 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and 16 interceptions for a passer rating of 98.8, good enough for the league’s fifth-best offense in passing yards and the fourth-best offense in passing touchdowns. San Francisco had 481 carries for 1,817 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.

The biggest question is how much is it attributed to Shanahan’s West Coast offense? Has the 37-year-old Klay Kubiak shown that he’s ready to step outside of the shadow of his father like Shanahan once did? The same could be said about the next candidate.

Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Wednesday that the Ravens have formally requested to interview Klint Kubiak.

Klint Kubiak became the Seahawks offensive coordinator in 2025, becoming an assistant to former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Macdonald has since compiled a 24-10 record since leaving the Ravens for greener pastures as Seattle’s head coach.

Back to Klint Kubiak. He’s served as an offensive coordinator with three different teams — first with Minnesota in 2021, then in New Orleans in 2024 and Seattle this season. His offenses have ranked 14th, 24th and third in points scored respectively with Sam Darnold being selected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl. Klint Kubiak’s Seahawks offense went under center for the majority of their snaps and had the second-lowest percentage of shotgun snaps, per Sharp Football Analysis. Kubiak’s offense was eighth in EPA per pass (0.11).

His father is a Super Bowl winning head coach with the Denver Broncos and put together an 82-75 record (.522) in 10 seasons between his stops in Denver and Houston. With Jackson at the helm and a phone call away from his father who had experience with the Ravens, both Kubiak brothers have a chance to put together a strong offense in Baltimore.

Which Kubiak is more likely to land with the Ravens?

Mike LaFleur, Los Angeles Rams Offensive Coordinator

Mike LaFleur has a coaching pedigree that includes his brother Matt LaFleur, who has put together a 76-40-1 record as Green Bay’s head coach, along with stints under Kyle Shanahan as his his passing game coordinator rom 2017-2020, along with his time as the Jets offensive coordinator (2021-2022) and now as the Rams offensive coordinator (since 2023).

The 38-year-old has seen his fair share of struggles — the Jets had the 31st and 18th-ranked scoring offenses during his time with the team. Mike LaFleur, under the tutelage of Sean McVay, has seen a jump in productivity with the Rams, who posted the 11th, 17th and second-ranked scoring offenses in his three seasons. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is playing at an MVP level with a league-leading 4,707 passing yards and 46 passing touchdowns. Los Angeles’ running game is No. 7 in yards (2,152) and No. 14 in scoring (17 touchdowns).

If LaFleur can aid Stafford in reaching these heights in 2025, can he do the same for Jackson in 2026?

Dan Lanning, Oregon Head Coach

Baltimore has only had three head coaches in team history. Lanning would be the first to be hired from the collegiate ranks. Lanning has a 48-7 record with  No. 5 Oregon in four seasons and his team is gearing up for their College Football Playoff Semifinal matchup against No. 1 Indiana on Friday evening. He’s won the Big Ten title game against Penn State in 2024 and has two wins in the College Football Playoff this season.

Oregon has transitioned from a Pac-12 powerhouse to a Big Ten juggernaut, ranking sixth in the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards allowed per game (267.4) and ninth in touchdowns allowed this season (25). Lanning is a defensive-minded coach, having served as the Georgia Bulldogs outside linebackers coach in 2018, before taking on the defensive coordinator position from 2019-2021 — his final season with the program culminating in a 33-18 victory over Southeastern Conference rival Alabama.

Lanning has zero experience at the NFL level. However, fresh ideas may come from the mind of a coach that has seen the variety of offensive and defensive schemes that are coming from the college game. Creative ideas have come from the collegiate level including the higher use of shotgun and motions in the NFL, the structures of the offense, how plays have been simplified, etc. Lanning could be the one to combat the offensive game plans and put his focus on fixing a broken defense.

Is it time for Lanning to make a leap to the NFL ranks?

Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator

Minter has been Jim Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator for two years with the Chargers now and may finally get his shot. The 42-year-old has had one of the top-flight defenses in the league, ranking No. 1 in scoring defense in 2024 and No. 9 this year. He’s also been among the oft-discussed hot coaching commodities within the league.

Minter was a defensive assistant with the Ravens from 2017-2019 and took on the defensive backs coaching job in 2020. The former Ravens assistant became Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator in 2021, before moving onto Michigan in the same role under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan (who played for the Ravens by the way) for two seasons (2022-2023).

Will Baltimore trust a former John Harbaugh assistant to push the team to new heights?

Matt Nagy, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator

The Ravens are reportedly bringing in Nagy for an interview for their head coaching role, per Rapoport.

The Chiefs are one of the NFL’s most creative offenses. Kansas City went under center with tight end Travis Kelce plenty of times through Andy Reid’s tenure, the team lined up in the flexbone formation — an offense that is a feature of the service academies and Nagy has been touted as a creative football mind as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator. The Chiefs had the sixth-ranked scoring offense in his first season as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2017. He took over the Chicago Bears as their head coach — overseeing a No. 9 scoring offense, but never got over the No. 22 ranking in the following three seasons of his tenure with the Bears. After returning to Kansas City in 2022, he returned to the offensive coordinator role in 2023. The Chiefs had the No. 15 scoring offense for two straight years and declined to the No. 21 spot in 2025.

The second time could be the charm for Nagy. Multiple coaches had their struggles and successes in their first time as the leading man,. and boy, did Nagy have both with the Bears. Nagy took over the Bears with Mitchell Trubisky at the helm at quarterback in 2018. Trubisky actually took a step forward in his first season with Nagy as his guide, leading the team to a 12-4 record and a Pro Bowl selection for his 24–touchdown, 12-interception performance. Then, Nagy’s teams went 8-8 in 2019 and 2020, before dropping down to 6-11 in 2021 — resulting in Nagy’s dismissal.

Things could change for Nagy with more knowledge and experience as a head coach and as an offensive coordinator under Reid.

“I didn’t know how it was going to go, but it was one of the most profound things in five hours I’ve ever done in my entire life. It was revealing, just powerful,” Nagy said to CBS Sports. “I mean, anybody that’s going to sit here and listen to everything that 40 people are saying that you could have done better or also things that you did well.”

Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator 

Baltimore has requested an interview with Saleh, per a Thursday report by Schefter.

Saleh took over the New York Jets in 2021 as the head coach with his tenure lasting five games into the 2024 season. He had a 20-36 record (.357) before being fired by the Jets, but he may get another chance to take over as the head coach with a different organization. In his second time around as the 49ers coordinator. following his first tenure from 2017-2020, he used sub packages 81% of time on defense in 2026, trailing the just the Seahawks (92%), the Ravens (87%) and the Bears (85%). The 49ers only blitzed 21.7% of the time, ranking 24th out of 32 teams, per Sharp Football Analysis. The 49ers finished 13th in scoring defense, allowing 21.8 per game.

The 46-year-old could get a second shot at becoming a head coach without having the likes of Zach Wilson at quarterback. He’s proven that he can salvage the defensive side of the football with talent being provided — having his biggest success during the 2019 season, where the 49ers played in Super Bowl LIV. San Francisco ranked sixth in forced turnovers (27), fourth in sacks (48), second in total defense (281.8 yards per game) and first in passing defense (169.2). San Francisco went from the 25th-ranked scoring defense in 2017, to the No. 8 scoring defense at their peak in 2019.

Can Saleh look past his Jets tenure and move the Ravens forward?

Jim Schwartz, Cleveland Browns Defensive Coordinator

There is a lot of history in Baltimore, the state of Maryland and the area at-large when it comes to Schwartz. First and foremost, he was born in Halethorpe, Baltimore County on June 2, 1966. He graduated from Mount Saint Joseph High School in 1984, where he was a standout linebacker, going on to play college football with the Georgetown Hoyas for four seasons and becoming a Division III CoSIDA/GTE Academic All-American and team captain. 

Schwartz spent time as a graduate assistant with the Maryland Terrapins in 1989, then went on to Minnesota in the same role the following year, spending the 1991 season at then-Division II North Carolina Central as the secondary coach and becoming the linebackers coach at Division I-AA Colgate in 1992. 

Annapolis native Bill Belichick hired Schwartz in 1993 as a personnel scout with the Cleveland Browns – spending time in the role for three seasons. Schwartz moved with the Browns to Baltimore, where he worked with the Ravens from 1996-1998 as a defensive assistant under Ted Marchibroda – who previously spent time with the Baltimore Colts as the head coach from 1975-1979. 

Schwartz later became the Detroit Lions head coach in 2009 and held a 29-51 record (.363) in five season with the team. His best year was the 2011 season – the lone year that his Lions team made the playoffs. Since then, he’s served as a defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2014, the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016-2020, where he won a Super Bowl in 2017, a senior defensive assistant with the Tennessee Titans (2021-2022) and he’s spent the last three seasons as the Browns defensive coordinator. 

Is this Schwartz’s opportunity to take over his hometown team?

Chris Shula, Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator

Just like Schwartz, Shula has a connection to Baltimore. His grandfather was Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Don Shula, who was the head coach of the Baltimore Colts from 1963-1969, winning an NFL championship in 1968. Shula’s father, David, played one season for the Colts in 1981 where they were housed at Memorial Stadium. 

Chris Shula has spent the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams in his current role with his defense ranking 17th in points allowed per game in 2024 and 10 in 2025. The 39-year old is a football lifer, having spent time coaching at Ball State, Indiana and John Carroll before moving to the NFL ranks.

Will Shula get the call over fellow Rams coordinator Mike LaFleur?

Kevin Stefanski, former Cleveland Browns Head Coach

Before getting into Stefanski’s tenure with Cleveland, he was a long-time Vikings assistant from 2006-2019. He worked under Brad Childress (2006-2010), Leslie Frazier (2010-2013) and Mike Zimmer (2014-2020). Stefanski paid his dues since the time he was 24 to age 38, where the Browns hired him as their head coach.

He had a tall task ahead of him for the 2020 season — fixing a culture in Cleveland that had just two playoff appearances since 1990 prior to him getting there. The Browns finished 11-5 in his first season and they beat the Steelers on the road in the AFC Wild Card Game, prior to losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round and the team went back to the playoffs in 2023, posting an 11-6 record and finishing second in the division behind the Ravens. Ultimately, he couldn’t get Cleveland back to the playoffs, going 3-14 in 2024 and 5-12 this season.

Stefanski’s offenses have ranked No. 14 (2020), No. 20 (2021), No. 18 (2022), No. 10 (2023), No. 32 (2024) and No. 31. While he’s been touted as an offensive-minded head coach and his featured unit hasn’t been the greatest, he has proven that he can turn around a franchise in flux. He hasn’t had a Jackson-sized weapon at the quarterback position. Could that be the difference?

Anthony Weaver, Miami Dolphins Defensive Coordinator

Pelissero reported that the Ravens have requested to interview Weaver, who spent time with the team as both a player and coach. The 45-year-old Weaver has been a defensive coordinator in three seasons (2020, 2024-2025) with mixed results. His defense was No. 27 in points allowed, though he improved the Dolphins defense to No. 10 in scoring defense, but the Dolphins regressed to the No. 26 scoring defense in 2025.

Weaver was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft and played with the team for the first four year of his career and started 54 games. He then signed with the Houston Texans and played three seasons with them before calling it a career in 2008. Weaver went on to join the Florida Gators in 2010 as a defensive graduate assistant and moved on to North Texas as the team’s linebackers coach in 2011.

He moved onto the NFL in 2012 as the Jets assistant defensive line coach under former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan and spent time as a defensive line coach with the Browns (2014-2015), the Texans (2016-2019, prior to being promoted to defensive coordinator with Houston in 2020. He came back to Baltimore as the defensive line and defensive run game coordinator in 2021 and was promptly promoted to associate head coach for the 2022 season. With Orr receiving the nod at defensive coordinator, Weaver moved to Miami as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2024 — where he’s served since.

Will the former Raven take over Baltimore and return its defense to its old glory?

Davis Webb, Denver Broncos Quarterbacks Coach

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that 30-year-old Broncos offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb will interview with Baltimore on Thursday. Webb was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He played five more seasons — one with the Jets (2018), three with the Bills (2019-2021) and another year with the Giants (2022). Sean Payton immediately scooped him up as the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2023, where Russell Wilson had a 66.4% completion rate, 3,070 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Bo Nix took over the starting spot at quarterback in 2024. He’s since passed for 7,706 yards, 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

Pelissero reported that Webb will be interviewed for the Las Vegas Raiders head coaching position as well. While Webb is a sought after head coaching candidate, is he ready to take on the role despite being relatively inexperienced at coaching?

This article has been updated to include Flores, Kingsbury, Nagy and Saleh’s interview request. Baltimore has since completed interviews Joseph and Webb.

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There are many things that the Ravens need to correct for the remainder of the regular season to earn a spot in the playoffs. The good news is that it can be fixed.  

Lamar Jackson looks unlike himself 

There are few times that the Ravens can be mentioned without Jackson’s name coming up positively. Whether it is through his ability through the air or the ground, his leadership style and overall dynamism on the field – his actions have enthralled the fan base of the Ravens since 2018. He became the National Football League’s Most Valuable Player in two seasons (2019, 2023) and has been the boon of Baltimore’s offensive renaissance.  

None of this applied to Thursday night’s debacle in front of a home crowd. Jackson went 17-for-32 for 246 passing yards, zero touchdowns, an interception, two fumbles and a paltry passer rating of 65.4. This was not the only game where Jackson has looked like a shell of himself, as evidenced by his November stat line – 44-for-77 (57.1 completion rate) 522 passing yards (6.8 yards per attempt), one passing touchdown, two interceptions and a 71.5 passer rating. 

It is not just that Jackson is playing poorly, he is looking hobbled currently and has been listless for the better part of the four games that he has played since returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for three contests prior. He added knee soreness, ankle problems and a toe injury head of the Cincinnati matchup that potentially exacerbated the problem. 

Jackson could not plant his feet on throws, he has not been able to scramble well for much of the season – with the issue on display on national television on Thanksgiving – amounting to six carries for 27 yards (4.5 yards per carry). 

How to fix it: Baltimore needs to keep Jackson up. Despite Jackson missing multiple games this season, he has been sacked 27 times. The Ravens made a change at left guard, swapping Andrew Vorhees for rookie Emery Jones and opting to keep the right guard at his starting spot. Vorhees’ Pro Football Focus grade was at 58.9, ranking 45th out of 79 NFL guards, while Faalele’s grade of 58.4 landed him at 46th.  

Turnovers have crushed the Ravens 

Thanksgiving is a day of feasts and many families gather for dessert. Turnovers were the Bengals desert – snatching five takeaways from the Ravens. Thursday night’s game was just one of the times that Baltimore had multiple turnovers in one game, tallying three against the Cleveland Browns in a win on Nov. 16, three against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 12 in a loss, three more in a loss against the Houston Texans on Oct. 5 and two against the Kansas City Chiefs in a loss. 

How to fix it: This all goes back to technique. Ball carriers must return to the basics with the five points of contact – holding the ball tightly with their fingertips, in their palm, tight to their forearm, bicep and chest. That is as simple as it can be stated, though attempting to tough it out against some of the most physically gifted human beings in the world punching the ball is a tall task.  

Fixing the fourth down conversions both on offense and defense 

The Ravens are a middle-of-the-pack team in fourth down conversion percentage. Teams are converting 57.1% of fourth-down plays against the Ravens, amounting to 18th. While not a particularly poor display by Baltimore, much of this stems from being a mediocre pass defense (2,784 yards allowed), ranking 25th in the league.  

One can mention injuries to Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins and Kyle Hamilton respectively in the defensive backfield. Another point of emphasis is the lack of pass rush – Baltimore is ranked 29th in sacks per game (1.6), just a smidgen over the likes of Cincinnati, the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers. The Bengals are 4-8 and at the bottom of the AFC North, while the Panthers (7-6) and 49ers (9-4) are second and third and their divisions.  

How to fix it: While there is not a correlation between sacks and team success based off the bottom four teams, it would necessarily hurt the Ravens to be a bit more like the No. 1 team in sacks per game – the Denver Broncos (4.3). Speaking of pass rush and injuries, the Ravens are potentially getting outside linebacker Tavius Robinson (foot) and safety Ar’Darius Washington (Achilles) back soon.  

Baltimore missed putting Hamilton in nickel situations earlier in the year before acquiring safety Alohi Gilman from the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of Baltimore’s matchup with the Rams. If Washington returns from the Achilles injury, there would be an expectation from defensive coordinator Zachary Orr to get even more creative with his secondary packages. This goes without mentioning having Robinson back – who had two sacks in five games before his injury. 

Time of possession woes  

Baltimore is very all or nothing in its offensive approach and much of that is down to execution versus playcalling – at least from an outside perspective. Isaiah Likely’s fumble out of the endzone to incur a touchback, fumbles by Derrick Henry in past games, Jackson’s errant throws that become interceptions or passes that are popped up into the air by receivers who are unprepared, linemen who miss blocks or cause drives to stall because of penalties have all been the bane of Baltimore’s 2025 existence.  

At the same time, Baltimore can get into the endzone swiftly. Henry has broken off massive runs with a long run of 59 yards this season. Keaton Mitchell had a 25-yard run, while wide receivers Zay Flowers (56 yards), DeAndre Hopkins (41), Rashod Bateman (36) and Devontez Walker (34) and Likely (43) have all had receptions over 30 yards this season.  

Baltimore’s average time on drives is 2:39 (26th in the NFL) with 5.38 plays per offensive possession (30th).  

How to fix it: What did Sandra Bullock say in The Blindside? “Run the dang ball!’ The team needs to sustain drives by running the ball, even when it is down. A perfect example is giving Henry more touches, as he only had 10 carries in Baltimore’s game against Cincinnati. He still had 60 yards on those 10 carries, displaying his ability to slice through defenses.  

Even more confusing was Baltimore’s offensive strategy in that game, rushing 22 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 5.59 yards per carry. If a team is pounding the ball and continuing to have success in that facet of the game, why ever stray away from it? 

Fourth down conversions are stagnant, but that’s changing…

Ravens are 52.63% on fourth down conversions, ranking 17th in the league. 

How to fix it: Baltimore can simply stay the course. The Ravens have converted 80.00% of their fourth down conversions in the past three games.

The Ravens have five games remaining on the season.

The post Five Major Things Have Gone Wrong For The Ravens; Suggested Corrections appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

It wasn’t without its cavalcade of mistakes and issues. The Ravens trailed from the 8:44 mark in the second quarter as Cleveland kicker Andre Szmyt made a 24-yard field goal to put the Browns up 6-3. Devin Bush nabbed an interception return for 23 yards and a touchdown (7:43), followed by a 6-play, 63-yard drive capped off by a 1-yard Derrick Henry plunge into the end zone with 4:17 remaining in the first half. Baltimore trailed 16-10 at the half following Szmyt’s 46-yard field goal.

The Ravens and Browns struggled mightily in the third quarter with no team finding its way to a touchdown or field goal. Everything changed in the fourth quarter for the Ravens. Tyler Loop made a 24-yard field goal to cut Cleveland’s lead down to 16-13 with 14:06 left in the game, followed by another field goal of 44 yards to tie the game at 16-16 at the 4:59 mark. Mark Andrews pulled off an unlikely 35-yard rushing touchdown while under center to give Baltimore a 23-16 advantage with 2:31 left in the game and eventually the win.

Here are five takeaways from Baltimore’s win over the Browns to cement the team’s second-place spot in the AFC North.

Dominant Rushing Attack

Baltimore had a great day on the ground, rushing 30 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Baltimore displayed its creativity with Andrews under center in their usual short-yardage package, pivoting to the right and rushing 35 yards for a touchdown. Derrick Henry had 18 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown, bouncing back from his paltry performance against the Browns on Sept. 14, in which he had 11 carries for 23 yards. Keaton Mitchell added 31 yards on the ground to add to Baltimore’s rushing attack.

Lamar Jackson Struggles

The Ravens weren’t without their struggles, none the more clear than from quarterback Lamar Jackson. He completed 14 of his 25 passes for 193 yards with no touchdowns and two picks. He was inefficient, seemingly hobbled by a knee injury that reared his head on Wednesday when he missed practice. Jackson had a quarterback rating of 25.9 and a passer rating of 47.6 to display his struggles, while running for his life and being sacked five times for 26 yards lost.

Baltimore will need to keep their two-time Most Valuable Player upright in its next game against the New York Jets. Furthermore, the team cannot afford to get in a shootout with teams that have a high-powered offense when Jackson isn’t himself. Luckily for the Ravens, Jackson’s two interceptions came from tipped passes from his own receivers. That isn’t as likely to happen in the future.

Zay Flowers Shines

One thing is for certain, and two things are for sure – Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is a safety blanket for Jackson. The third-year wideout had three receptions for 78 yards – amounting to 26 yards per catch and with his longest reception going 45 yards. Even with Baltimore struggling to find success in the passing game, Flowers was trusted by his friend and teammate Jackson to deliver.

Ravens’ Defensive Prowess

Baltimore’s defense is seemingly back to its old ways. The Ravens have held teams to an average of 14.25 points in their past four games. It all starts in the way that the team generates pressure – sacking rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders three times for 34 yards (more on their struggles soon). Safety Kyle Hamilton had nine tackles, a sack and two pass deflections and looked like his old self following the acquisition of safety Alohi Gilman. Hamilton lined up as the nickel for most of the game and had multiple big hits. Baltimore cornerback Nate Wiggins also added an interception to boost his team to victory.

Cleveland’s Offensive Inefficiency

Baltimore made not just one, but two rookie quarterbacks struggle. Cleveland signal-callers Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders were completely and utterly ineffective – combining for 81 passing yards and one pick. Cedric Tillman had 52 receiving yards for one bright spot on offense. The Browns had zero touchdowns on offense, staying as the cellar dwellers of the AFC North division.

The post Five takeaways from Ravens 23-16 victory over Browns appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

The rest was written, as Harbaugh became the winningnest head coach in team history with a 178-108 record (.616 winning percentage) and a Super Bowl victory during the 2012 season. Years later, the Ravens, who now stand in at 1-4 this season, may be in the beginning stages of mulling over a potential coaching search. 

Harbaugh, 63, who made his mark as a defensive backs and special teams coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, has looked lost at times following a blown coverage, a missed sack or an overall negative play on the defensive side of the football. Baltimore has allowed a league-worst 177 points through five games this season. If the team goes into a complete tailspin, and it’s looking that way currently, there may be some wholesale changes to the coaching staff, the roster, etc. 

The question is: how would a coaching search go? Baltimore fans may need a refresher on the process.

1. According to The Athletic, here are a number of things that NFL teams will have to take into account before beginning the search process:
   • “Teams with open head-coaching positions were able to begin requesting interviews with candidates from other teams on Jan. 6,” The Athletic NFL staff wrote. “Those interviews must happen virtually before the end of divisional-round games.
   • “Last year, the NFL recommended that teams with open head-coaching positions used this “virtual interview window” to set up initial interviews so those teams would be eligible to request a second interview with a candidate from a Super Bowl team during the bye week.
   • “Note: Teams may not interview employees of other teams that didn’t make the postseason until the third day after the employer teams’ Week 18 game (for example, Jan. 7 for a game on Jan. 4, or Jan. 8 for a game on Jan. 5).”
2. The team would need to identify a list of candidates and it’ll probably be a ton of them. Baltimore may look in the direction of someone like Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter, Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores, collegiate names like Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning and plenty of others. 
   • What the Ravens may specifically look for includes a person that doesn’t stick to simply one plan. They have to be adaptable according to The Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia.
     • “During the week, coaches will work 20-hour days and brag about sleeping in their offices. Then game days roll around, and they turtle,” Kapadia wrote. “The NFL is designed for parity—135 games during the regular season were decided by seven points or fewer. Making optimal in-game decisions can have a big impact on winning and losing. This doesn’t mean that the coach needs to be a number cruncher who is constantly refreshing Ben Baldwin’s fourth-down bot. But ideally, they won’t be afraid of the data. They’ll embrace the idea of having someone in the booth during the game who can advise them when to go for it on fourth down, when to punt, when to use timeouts, when to challenge, and so on.
     • “You want someone aggressive who’s not always thinking about the worst-case scenario. If, during the interview, they say they’re just going to trust their gut with those decisions, that’s a red flag. If they utter phrases like “end every possession with a kick” or “flip the field,” go ahead and call them an Uber. That type of conservative approach is a death sentence.”
3. Typically, coaching candidates’ current teams would need to be contacted. Teams have a right to deny an interview, though that doesn’t often happen with head coaching searches.
4. Once candidates are identified, they are interviewed by teams – discussing their leadership skills, their vision for the team and coaching philosophies as a whole. 
   • According to Fox’s Greg Auman, the interview may be an all-day affair:
     • “With some teams, a candidate might be the focus of an entire day — fly in the night before, start the interview process at 8 a.m. and wrap just in time to make a 7 p.m. flight home,” he wrote. “Given the close relationship between a head coach and general manager, it’s common for them to get dinner together, allowing for a more laid-back, informal talk about the job and the dynamic between them. Other teams will have so many interviews that they overlap and delay others like dentist appointments, with candidates passing each other in the hallway, trading a nod and smile as they go from one room to the next.”
5. The team will narrow down the list, leading to a second interview.
   • Coaches may go more in-depth with how they look to build their program in terms of filling out their coaching staff, finding places where they’d improve the team, visions that they share of growth with the organization as a whole.
6. After Baltimore would make their decision, they’d offer the job to their no. 1 candidate, which would include reaching out to their current team to work out compensation to break their current contract. Then, the team would finally be announced and build out their coaching staff.

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On it’s surface, the unit looks as if a universe-sized black hole has taken the team and spit it into oblivion – ranking 31st in total defense (409.5 yards allowed per game). Yet, the Ravens are 11th in takeaways in the National Football League and have shown an ability to get creative in coverage schemes. 

Two games have told a harrowing tale of Baltimore’s defense, one more grotesque than an Edgar Allan Poe short story, filled with ugly truths and no redeeming qualities for the focus of the tale and another of a redemptive spirit – akin to Flannery O’Connor’s writing. Just like in the Southern Gothic writer’s novels, the heroes in the story realized their errors and looked inward. That self-reflective spirit guided the team to victory. 

Here’s a tale of two of Baltimore’s defensive performance and perhaps, a jolt of lightning that has found the Ravens and revived them – imbuing the outfit with the life that Baltimoreans are used to at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Buffalo Bills made Baltimore’s defense look silly.

Baltimore’s football team is known as the Ravens for Poe’s work “The Raven”. In this writing, a raven torments a grieving man who lost his wife by constantly repeating the word “nevermore”. Shenanigans. Ridiculousness. Absurdity.

Baltimore’s defense had a topsy turvy display against the Bills and bounced back against the Cleveland Browns with a strong display. 

The Ravens allowed 29 first downs – mostly on the back of 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player Josh Allen. Allen went 33-for-46 for 394 yards and two touchdowns. The former MVP was sacked just one time, with the defense attempting to contain him from the outside. Once the contain was broken – Allen went to work and had 30 rushing yards for two touchdowns.

Losing safety Ar’Darius Washington to a torn Achilles left All Pro safety Kyle Hamilton unable to roam to his heart’s content, leaving a lack of diversity for defensive coordinator Zachary Orr’s schemes. With two safeties in rookie Malachi Starks and Washington, the Ravens would have more to work with on the back end to allow Hamilton to assist in containing Allen. 

New Ravens corner Jaire Alexander looked a bit lost in coverage and now ranks 140th out of 141 cornerbacks in the NFL with a 29.8 Pro Football Focus grade. Alexander, who fought through injuries throughout his time with the Green Bay Packers, specifically a Grade 3 posterior cruciate ligament injury (knee), didn’t suit up in the second game against the Browns. It wasn’t due to injury, according to Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh.

“I wish it was really black and white, but I think [Jaire Alexander] will be out there soon,” Harbaugh said in his Monday press conference, via the Ravens’ team website. “It could be as early as this week, but it’s going to be when he feels [right] and [when] you can see that he’s right to go out there and just play like top-level Jaire. I don’t want to put him in a situation where he’s got to try to overcome not quite being [as] right as he can be, especially if we’ve got guys that can play well.”

Baltimore fought back valiantly against the Cleveland Browns.

O’Connor’s writings are often about redeeming one’s flawed character. In “The Turkey”, a boy looks to shoot a turkey, but has to confront his own selfish ambitions.

23-year-old cornerback T.J. Tampa was active in Alexander’s place, taking his spot as the fourth corner in Baltimore’s dime package. Tampa’s 59.0 PFF grade is 80th out of 141 corners, having received 16 snaps this season and with one reception allowed.

Baltimore stymied Cleveland’s offense and put former Super Bowl MVP and long-time Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco in a blender. Flacco was hit nine times and sacked twice and he threw an interception. Defensive end Odafe Oweh, linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike each provided a proper thrashing of Flacco with two quarterback hits a piece. 

Buoyed in the tunnel pregame by his hype man in Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, Smith had one of the best games of his career with 15 combined tackles (eight solo), three tackles for loss and a 63-yard fumble recover for a touchdown with 8:19 remaining in the game.

Outside linebacker Tavius Robinson stepped up in a big way – making six tackles (four solo), one tackle for loss, a quarterback hit, a sack and a forced fumble that Smith returned for a touchdown. He also joined Oweh and Mike Green with three pressures.

By the way, Nate Wiggins had an interception return for 61 yards against Flacco. It was third and four with 11:46 remaining in the third quarter. The Browns were on their own 46-yard line and had an opportunity to come back from a 13-3 deficit. Orr sent five blitzers, moving Smith up closer to the line of scrimmage and delaying fellow middle linebacker Trenton Simpson’s blitz. Smith went into the B gap on the left side and was picked up by the running back in pass protection. Green showed blitz on the right side, before dropping back into coverage. The blitzing Ravens flushed Flacco to his right, before he made an ill-advised throw right into the hands of the swooping corvid wearing number two. Wiggins flew down the field with ample speed before being tripped up by Browns offensive lineman Joel Bitonio (of all people).

Baltimore will host the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football.

The Ravens are now 1-1. All can be forgiven. There is much to gain. Time will only tell the story if Baltimore can bounce back. One thing that is for certain – the coverage stats don’t look bad. Baltimore ranks ninth in expected points allowed per pass, seventh in pass success rate, eighth in yards per reception and yards after catch over expected, according to ESPN data analyst Sam Hoppen.

Dani Treisman explains what these stats mean in his journal article titled, “An Analysis of Quarterback Ability to Hit Receivers In-Stride Using NFL Player Tracking Data”:

YAC Over Expected (YACOE) = YAC – Expected YAC 

xYAC Difference = Expected YAC (pass-forward) – Expected YAC (pass-arrival) 

Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE) = Completion Percentage – Expected Completion Percentage

These stats are a better indicator of how well a team is defending passes or receivers.

Unfortunately for the Ravens, the team edge rusher Kyle Van Noy who led the team with 12.5 sacks last season. He suffered a hamstring injury against the Browns. 

Even scarier is Detroit’s high-octane offense, one of which mimics the car-centric city’s auto manufacturing past. The Lions boast the third-ranked offense in points for with 65 so far this season and are fifth in yardage (757). 

Detroit quarterback Jared Goff is coming off of a surgical performance against the Chicago Bears in which he went 23-for-28 on passes for 334 yards and tossed five touchdowns. Amon-Ra St. Brown had three of those touchdown receptions with 115 yards and Jameson Williams added two grabs for 108 yards and a touchdown. Eight different receivers caught passes in the Sunday matchup. Baltimore’s pass defense is 31st in the league (596) in yards allowed and 23rd in passing touchdowns allowed.

The Lions also punched the Bears right in the teeth in the ground game with the one-to-punch of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, who combined for 23 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 52-21 victory over Chicago. Baltimore’s rush defense sits 17th in yards allowed (223) and 25th in touchdowns allowed (three).

Without Van Noy, Baltimore is going to have to find a better way to get pressure on the quarterback. Charm City’s squad only has generated 1.5 sacks per game (25th in the league) in the first two matchups of the season with the Bills and Browns. While the Ravens have struggled to get home with the usual suspects in the front seven, one thing that can come back to assist them is to disguise blitzes from defensive backs. 

Bringing Hamilton up, sending Nate Wiggins or Marlon Humphrey – even bringing Starks into to the fold can help. The added pressure that Orr brought against the Browns is perceptible and it’s feasible that the Ravens will get even more creative with its usage going forward against the Lions.

Will the horror continue like in Poe’s novels? Or will the self-reflection of the inner ugliness and final rise to beauty be on display like O’Connor’s works?

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Historically, the Ravens have been defined by their defensive prowess. Heading into the 2025 NFL season, the team is once again reshaping that identity.

In 2024, Baltimore’s defense had a rollercoaster year. They ranked 27th in defensive EPA per play through Week 10, before dramatically improving to 1st overall in the second half of the season. It was the first year under defensive coordinator Zachary Orr, a former Ravens linebacker. Though he experienced some growing pains, Orr ended the season with the 9th-ranked scoring defense (361 points allowed) and the 10th in total yards allowed (5,511).

This offseason, the Ravens added experience to their coaching staff. Former defensive coordinators Dean Pees and Chuck Pagano returned as senior advisors. Both have deep Ravens ties—Pees was part of the 2012 Super Bowl-winning staff, while Pagano oversaw a top-three defense in 2011.

As the Ravens prepare for 2025 minicamp, let’s take a closer look at their defensive overhaul, the projected starters, rookie contributors, and the updated defensive depth chart.

Defensive Line and Front Seven: Pressure with Production

Baltimore’s three-man front returns intact:

• Broderick Washington
• Travis Jones (ranked 25th among 219 IDLs per PFF)
• Nnamdi Madubuike (ranked 36th)

On the edge, Kyle Van Noy re-signed after leading the team with 12.5 sacks. He’ll be joined by Odafe Oweh, who enters a contract year after posting a career-best 10 sacks.

At inside linebacker, Roquan Smith is back. The All-Pro linebacker struggled with a hamstring injury and inconsistent communication in 2024, but expectations remain high for a bounce-back year.

The Ravens generated 54 sacks last season (top-5 in the NFL), but takeaways were a concern—just 0.9 per game. To bolster the unit, Baltimore drafted:

• Mike Green, EDGE (Marshall) – 2nd round
• Teddye Buchanan, ILB (Cal) – 4th round
• Aeneas Peebles, DT (Virginia Tech) – 6th round

Secondary Outlook: Elite Talent, New Faces

The Ravens secondary remains a strength with Marlon Humphrey and Kyle Hamilton leading the charge. Humphrey had 6 interceptions and 15 pass deflections, earning First-Team All-Pro honors. Hamilton, a Swiss Army knife in the secondary, made his second straight Pro Bowl with 107 tackles.

First-round pick Nate Wiggins (Clemson) brings elite speed and already made an impact with a pick-six vs. Cleveland in 2024.

At safety, the Ravens suffered a blow when Ar’Darius Washington tore his Achilles. Enter Malaki Starks, the 2025 first-rounder out of Georgia. A consensus All-American, Starks brings hybrid versatility, excellent ball skills (17 PBUs, 6 INTs in college), and ideal size (6’1″, 197 lbs).

Baltimore also added rookie corners Bilhal Kone (Western Michigan) and Robert Longerbeam (Rutgers) in the sixth round.

Ravens Defensive Cap Breakdown (2025)

Baltimore is investing heavily in its defense this year, with over $86 million committed to key players, per OverTheCap. Here are the top defensive cap hits:

Baltimore still benefits from rookie deals for Wiggins, Ojabo, Simpson, Adisa Isaac and Starks—providing valuable cost control for years to come.

Full Ravens Defensive Depth Chart (2025)

(via Ourlads – Base 3-4 Defense)

Defensive Line

• DE: Broderick Washington / C.J. Ravenell / Adedayo Odeleye
• NT: Travis Jones / C.J. Okoye / Jayson Jones
• DT: Justin Madubuike / Aeneas Peebles

Linebackers

• LOLB: Kyle Van Noy / Tavius Robinson / David Ojabo / Malik Hamm
• WLB: Trenton Simpson / Teddye Buchanan / William Kwenkeu
• MLB: Roquan Smith / Jake Hummel / Jay Higgins
• ROLB: Odafe Oweh / Mike Green / Adisa Isaac / Diwun Black

Secondary

• LCB: Nate Wiggins / T.J. Tampa / Jalyn Armour-Davis
• RCB: Marlon Humphrey / Chidobe Awuzie / Bilhal Kone
• FS: Malaki Starks / Beau Brade / Keondre Jackson
• SS: Ar’Darius Washington (IR) / Sanoussi Kane / Desmond Igbinosun
• NB: Kyle Hamilton / Robert Longerbeam / Reuben Lowery

Can the Ravens Reclaim Defensive Dominance?

With a blend of veteran stars, ascending young talent, and savvy coaching hires, the 2025 Baltimore Ravens defense has the pieces in place to return to elite form. The front office has prioritized player retention and development while loading up on versatile rookies through the draft.

The upcoming Ravens minicamp will be pivotal as the team evaluates how quickly its rookies can contribute and how healthy veterans like Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton integrate into the new-look unit.

If everything clicks, Baltimore could once again boast one of the top defenses in the NFL—a trademark of Ravens football for decades.

The post 2025 Ravens: State Of The Defense appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Baltimore and Buffalo have a bevy of matchups to discuss. There’s the biggest one at hand between the two Most Valuable Player award candidates, along with a slugfest between two defenses.

Here are a few that fans and pundits are looking forward to:

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson vs. Bills QB Josh Allen

The first-team All-Pro selection at quarterback is taking on the second-team All-Pro pick. Quarterbacks don’t play against each other on the field, though the battle is for the hearts and minds of all.

Here is a comparison of their stats this season:

Head-to-Head Record: Jackson leads 1-0 this season. 

Quarterback record: Allen leads 13-3.

Games played: Jackson leads in games played with 17 to Allen’s 16.

Completion percentage: Jackson has the advantage with a 66.7% completion rate to Allen’s 63.6%.

Passing yards: Jackson leads 4,172 to Allen’s 3,731.

Passing yards per attempt: Jackson (8.8) leads in this metric over Allen (7.7). 

Passing yards per game: Jackson takes this statistic as well with 245.4 yards per game vs. Allen’s 233.2.

Passing touchdowns: Jackson (41). Allen (28).

Interceptions: Jackson (4). Allen (6).

Rating: Jackson (119.6). Allen (101.4).

Rushing attempts: Jackson (139). Allen (102).

Rushing yards: Jackson (915). Allen (531).

Rushing yards per attempt: Jackson (6.6). Allen (5.2).

Rushing touchdowns: Allen (12) leads Jackson (4) by a large margin.

Here’s where things get sketchy for Jackson:

Playoffs head-to-head: Allen leads 1-0 after defeating Jackson’s Ravens 17-3 in a 2020 playoff victory.

Playoff record: Allen leads with a 6-5 record to Jackson’s 3-4 record.

Playoff completion rate: Allen has the lead with a 65.3% completion rate to Jackson’s 59.3%.

Playoff passing yards: Allen has 2,995 playoff passing yards to Jackson’s 1,499.

Playoff yards per attempt: Allen leads with 7.4 to Jackson’s 6.9 yards per attempt.

Playoff passing touchdowns: Allen has 23 passing touchdowns to Jackson’s 8 touchdowns.

Playoff interceptions: Allen (4). Jackson (6).

Playoff passer rating: Allen has a 102.3 passer rating to Jackson’s 81.2.

The last statistic is the biggest. It’s Jackson’s defining trait to the pundits that have continued to naysay their way into the national spotlight. Despite the half-truths and the falsehoods, the real truth is that Jackson has a playoff hump to get over at 3-4. He’s been good in some games, okay in others and flat out forgettable in a few. That’s not who he is capable of being.

Jackson is a superstar, that much is for certain. So is Allen, who plays a similar style to 2015 MVP Cam Newton and it’s almost inarguable that it’s better, per stats. Fans and media alike will see the two duke it out for a chance to advance to the AFC Championship Game and boy, it’ll be a vaunted matchup.

Ravens LBs vs Bills TEs/RBs

Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith is 88th out of 189 linebackers in Pro Football Focus’ coverage grade metric (59.8). Malik Harrison is 175th out of 189 linebackers (30.6).

Bills tight end Dawson Knox had 22 catches for 311 receiving yards and one touchdown. Dalton Kincaid finished with 44 grabs for 448 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Buffalo running back James Cook has been a threat out of the backfield as a runner (207 carries, 1,009 rushing yards and a league-high 16 touchdowns), but he’s added 32 receptions, 258 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Ravens running game vs Bills Front 7

Derrick Henry walloped the Bills front seven back in September. The 31-year-old had 199 rushing yards in the game, averaging 8.3 yards per attempt on 24 carries and a long run of 87 yards. He had a touchdown to show for it. Baltimore even broke out Jackson, who had 9.0 yards per attempt on six carries, 54 yards and a touchdown and Justice Hill entered the fray with four carries and 18 yards (4.5 yards per attempt). Baltimore had 34 carries as a team for 271 yards on the ground, averaging eight yards per carry and two touchdowns.

Baltimore had the second most rushing attempts (554) and the most rushing yards (3,189) in the regular season, while having the sixth-most rushing touchdowns (21). The Bills are 12th in rushing yards allowed with 1,963 against them in the regular season and 10 in touchdowns allowed.

While the Bills allowed 4.65 yards per carry against the Broncos, Denver had to throw the ball to win after a large deficit. Baltimore will look to control the clock against the likes of Matt Milano, Gregory Rousseau, Terrel Bernard, Austin Johnson and others. Ronnie Stanley, Patrick Mekari/Andrew Vorhees, Tyler Linderbaum, Daniel Faalele and Roger Rosengarten need to give it all that they’ve got to push the Ravens forward.

Ravens HC John Harbaugh vs. Sean McDermott

Harbaugh is 172-104 (.623 winning percentage) since beginning his head coaching tenure with the Ravens in 2008, while the Bills’ McDermott is 86-45 (.656) since 2017. The two coaches have history — both serving as assistants under current Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid while in Philadelphia.

The two have battled during the course of their head coaching careers with John Harbaugh leading the charge in the regular season with a 3-1 record against the Bills. Many in Baltimore would be privy to the loss at the hand of Buffalo on Oct. 2, 2022. The Bills had the team’s largest comeback victory in over a decade in a 23-20 victory. However, the Ravens shook off those demons in the team’s 35-10 dismantling of the same opponent on Sep. 29 this season.

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The 2023 NFL season culminated with the Chiefs taking down the 49ers for the second time in five years.

Baltimore’s season ended two weeks prior to the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs in a 17-10 loss. Since then, a number of questions swirling about the team’s makeup, changes to the coaching staff and reports about a “woman in distress” and an investigation of an alleged domestic assault near the home of rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers – all have been on the team’s doorstep.

The Ravens have 23 pending free agents in 2024 and are set to lose five cornerbacks, which includes Rock Ya-Sin and Ronald Darby. Starting guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson are pending free agents, accompanied by wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Devin Duvernay, Nelson Agholor, running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, linebacker Patrick Queen, edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney and defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, among others.

Baltimore lost defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who has since become the head coach of the Seahawks and assistant head coach, defensive line coach Anthony Weaver – now the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins and defensive back coach Dennard Wilson – the new Titans defensive coordinator. Inside linebackers coach Zach Orr has since been promoted to Baltimore’s defensive coordinator spot.

Here is the first 3-round mock draft from Baltimore Sports and Life analysts Kyle J. Andrews and Mike Fast, first using Pro Football Focus’ Mock Draft feature and the same tool for Pro Football Network.

PFF Mock Draft (Kyle)

30. Bralen Trice, EDGE, Washington

Height: 6-4

Weight: 275

Age: 23

PFF Rank: 25

Every team could use a strong, physical pass rusher – especially a team that runs a 3-4 base defense. Price is a player that not only could fill in nicely for the departed Clowney, but he has the potential of excelling at the role of being a high-motor with a nose for going after the ball. While Price is raw, he has solid production at the collegiate level.

Trice had 49 tackles (30 solo), seven sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, to go with two pass deflections in the 2023 season. In 33 games with Washington, the junior had 101 tackles (63 solo), 28.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks.

62. Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

Height: 6-1

Weight: 172

Age: 21

PFF Rank: 61

Worthy isn’t the biggest wideout at 172, but his height is very good. Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is an inch shorter and two pounds lighter, but has proven to be a productive player at this juncture of his career with 240 receptions, 3,178 yards and 19 touchdowns in three seasons in Philadelphia.

Even without the potential issues surrounding Flowers, plus Agholor and Beckham’s free agency, Baltimore needs more production from its wide receivers. Worthy’s deep threat capabilities and ability to break away in the open field would give two-time Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson another person to work with that create yards after the catch.

93. Renardo Green, CB, Florida State

Height: 6-0

Weight: 186

Age: 23-24?

PFF Rank: 83

Pass deflections galore. Baltimore needs a defensive back that will jar the football loose and Green is immediately capable of doing that with 12 pass breakups in 2023 alone. His ability to jam receivers up and get physical would fit right in with Baltimore’s style of play, particularly from its array of defensive backs in Kyle Hamilton, Brandon Stephens, Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Williams. While Green is on the slimmer side, he ability to stay in front of receivers came up big for Florida State.

PFF Mock Draft (Mike)

30. Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State

Height: 6-4

Weight: 215

Age: 21

PFF Rank: 37

A 1st-round wide receiver to the Ravens, you don’t say? Keon Coleman represents what the Ravens have always sought–a dynamic playmaker at the wide receiver position. His best game of the year came against the toughest team he faced–Week 1 versus 5th-ranked LSU. Coleman was unstoppable that night. Whether he faced off coverage or press man, he made plays everywhere, to the tune of nine receptions for 122 yards and three touchdowns. What impressed me most is his composure when making contested catches. He doesn’t panic. He makes the play, gets up, and gets ready to make another. I said to myself, “He’s a Raven.”

30. Byron Murphy, DT, Texas

Height: 6-1

Weight: 308

Age: 21-22

PFN Rank: 19

Murphy’s production as a defensive lineman was consistent throughout his three-year career at Texas. 2023 proved to be his best year with 29 tackles (13 solo), 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Through 34 games with the Longhorns, Murphy had 70 tackles (32 solo), 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He can play the A-C gaps at the professional level, making him a popular first-round selection.

62. Cooper Beebe, OG, Kansas State

Height: 6-4

Weight: 322

Age: 23

PFN Rank: 68

Beebe would immediately become a contender for one of Baltimore’s vacant starting guard roles. He was a first-team All-American in 2022 and a unanimous All-American in 2023 a two-time All-Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year selection in the same years, to go with three All-Big 12 selections (2021-2023).

As things currently stand, Ben Cleveland, Andrew Vorhees and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu would be his competition.

93. Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson

Height: 6-4

Weight: 295

Age: 22

PFN Rank: 53

“Why would the Ravens select two defensive tackles with their first three selections?”

Versatility. That’s exact what Orhorhoro provides. Orr could get creative by using Orhohoro as the pass rushing nose tackle in third-and-long situations. He’s strong enough to play the interior, but quick enough to play the defensive end position in Baltimore’s base defense. Paired with Murphy, a possibly returning Madubuike and Travis Jones, the Ravens a nice problem with nearly two many versatile pass rushers and athletic run stoppers.

PFN Mock Draft (Mike)

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