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We asked readers which position the Ravens should prioritize in the NFL draft. Baltimore has the No. 14 overall pick in this year’s draft, and the Ravens have another 10 projected picks in the event. The franchise looks to retool its roster after a disappointing 8-9 campaign in 2025. Here are the results from our online poll: Offensive line — 43% (149 votes) Edge rusher — 39% (133 votes) Interior defensive line — 8% (29 votes) Other — 6% (19 votes) Wide receiver — 3% (11 votes) Cornerback — 1% (3 votes) Here’s what some fans have said about Baltimore’s roster needs (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): The Ravens, like most teams, need help at many positions. But I think they’re most immediate need is at pass rusher. Although the secondary has been criticized often, when a quarterback has a lot of time to throw, receivers will be open. For whatever reason, we have failed to develop a quality pass rusher recently. Quarterbacks are unable to throw passes while lying on their back. The Ravens failure to draft TJ Watt when they had that chance has haunted them for years, to the benefit of the Steelers. Offensive line is No. 2, and defensive line is No. 3. — Robert The games are won and lost in the trenches. Pass rush win rates lost the Ravens games last year. Offensive line missed blocks and assignments contributed to too many three-and-outs and decreased time of possession as well as short-yardage failures. Interior pressure is greater than edge pressure; Nnamdi Madubuike’s health and return are unknowns. Draft a top three technique player at No. 14 overall. Depending on free agency guards, edge rushers and corners in the subsequent rounds. — Anthony Bivins Draft a general manager. DeCosta has been cashing in on Ozzie Newsome’s reputation long enough. — Ed Priority No. 1 is to trade Lamar Jackson for as many top draft picks as possible and one Pro Bowl player. Lamar’s best years are behind him. He has never been a great passer, and his age and injuries have diminished his running abilities. Couple that with the fact that he has never been a team player, and has no agent to act as a go-between, and you have the nightmare that is the Ravens. The Lamar experiment is done. It had some great peaks and more dismal valleys. Try the home run trade with the Raiders for the No. 1 pick and Maxx Crosby. That’s forward thinking, not wishing upon a star. — SMJ Linemen on both sides. — Peter Davis Can we draft a new general manager? — Tom Jones Always the Ravens way … take the best player available! — Dustin Allen Offensive guard Vega Ioane from Penn State. — Mike Hutchins If we lose Tyler Linderbaum at center, we will have to address offensive line first. I’m hoping he stays but we need better guard play because neither Vorhees nor Falale played well enough for a Super Bowl contending team. Same with Marlon Humphrey, cut him after June 1, and save the cap hit. We desperately need an edge rusher, and I hope Oweh comes back with Minter calling the defensive plays. — Burl Wils Obviously they need in no particular order, edge rusher, offensive and defensive line upgrades and a true reliable WR as Bateman is not the answer. So just make sure the No.14 pick is the best choice, and do not waste it! — William Shinham Edge unless there’s a great offensive lineman. Please no wide receivers or defensive backs. — Miles That’s an easy question to answer. They will draft the best player available on their board like every year and fill needs through free agency. — Robert Kozlowski The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — There’s plenty about the Ravens’ new coaching staff that remains unknown. Aside from his three coordinators, none of Jesse Minter’s assistants have spoken publicly since their hiring, leaving only job titles to fill the void. But conversations this week with players who worked closely with new defensive line coach Lou Esposito and outside linebackers coach Harland Bower offered a clearer picture of the lead assistants now entrusted with fixing one of Baltimore’s most urgent issues. The prospects described demanding teachers who emphasize effort, accountability and connection — a trio of qualities Minter believes can help improve Baltimore’s run defense and pass rush, with Esposito and Bower now in charge of the defensive front. For Minter, pedigree mattered less than purpose. In construction of his new coaching staff, he often used the phrases “connectors,” “teachers,” and ‘relationship-builders.” When I asked him Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine about his decision to hire a handful of assistants directly from the college ranks, Minter emphasized that teaching ability mattered more than experience at the highest level. “I think really good coaches are at all levels — high school, college, pro, different levels of college,” Minter said. “As you start putting together a staff, you’re looking for really good teachers, really good connectors that can be disciplined that creates discipline and allows you to push players in ways that you need to push them. I wasn’t really worried about where they came from.” Esposito (Michigan) and Bower (Duke) were part of a group of four defensive assistants Minter brought directly from the college ranks, joining safeties coach P.J. Volker (Navy) and defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Mike Mickens (Notre Dame). Assistant defensive backs coach Miles Taylor also was brought in from Nebraska, though his stay in Lincoln was brief after he served as a coaching fellow for the Los Angeles Chargers last season following five years at South Dakota. Esposito replaces outgoing assistant Dennis Johnson, who joined John Harbaugh’s staff in New York, while Bower steps in for Maryland alumnus Matt Robinson, who initially also followed Harbaugh before joining Klint Kubiak’s staff in Las Vegas. Robinson and Johnson possess seven seasons of combined NFL coaching experience. Their hiring, paired with the Ravens reuniting with defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, reflect Minter’s belief that development offers the clearest path toward fixing a defensive front that failed to meet expectations last season. The Ravens finished with just 30 sacks, third-fewest in the NFL, and ranked 28th in pass rush win rate. The loss of defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike to a season-ending neck injury in Week 2 stripped the unit of its most disruptive presence, and the defense never fully rediscovered its ability to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks. While the run defense improved over the course of the season, the lack of consistent pass rush and the unit’s secondary woes resulted in a No. 31-ranked pass defense. General manager Eric DeCosta acknowledged this week what the numbers already made evident. The Ravens must improve their pass rush and overall consistency across the defensive front. Reinforcement might be en route. Before DeCosta met with reporters Tuesday, he revealed he was bunkered in his downtown Indianapolis hotel room studying a pass rusher himself. DeCosta is charged with the personnel, but the responsibility of fixing and reteaching the front now belongs, in large part, to a pair of coaches whose reputations center around their ability to develop players and win the room. “[Bower] is a very energetic guy,” Duke defensive lineman V.J. Anthony Jr. said. “He’s going to give you his all. He’s going to push you to your limit and then push you even more. That made the whole position room better.” Anthony led Duke in 2025 in tackles for loss (13) and sacks (7 1/2). He credited Bower for instilling a formula that’ll stick with him in the pros as a projected mid-round pick in April’s NFL draft. Bower, according to Anthony, loves to teach the E+R=O mental model (Events + Response = Outcome), widely used across the performance consulting space, to his players. It was drilled every day at Duke, and could follow him to Baltimore, where he inherits a pass rush group that currently features second-year player Mike Green and Tavius Robinson. Veterans Kyle Van Noy and Dre’Mont Jones are pending free agents with the league’s legal tampering period set to begin March 9. “You can’t control the event and you can’t control your outcome, but you can always control your response,” Anthony said. “He’s been saying that since my freshman year, so that’s always stuck with me.” Duke linebacker Wesley Williams offered another analogy when asked about intricacies attached to his former coach. “[Bower] would chase us around the field,” the animated Williams said. “I’m not joking. He would grab you like a puppy and force you to the ball. Showing effort and grit is non-negotiable.” Bower’s energy was paired with a personal investment that extended beyond practice. Anthony vividly remembered regular gatherings at Bower’s home, dinners at local restaurants, and even a position group trip to the local fair this past season. All of it comes back to Bower’s commonly used E+R=O mental model that drills players on controlling their response, especially when it comes to a play-to-play basis on the football field. Too often last season, the Ravens allowed medium gains to turn into chunk plays, while they choked away several losses, including an unforgiving Week 1 stunner at Buffalo. Michigan defensive lineman Ray Benny described Ravens coach Jesse Minter as an even more energetic coach than Mike Macdonald. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Esposito built similar trust at Michigan, where his players recalled a position coach whose effectiveness stemmed from consistency and a meticulous relationship-building process. That certainly sounds a lot like what Minter detailed about his vision following his arrival as fourth coach in franchise history. “My relationship with [Esposito] is good,” Michigan defensive lineman Ray Benny said. “We got really close over the past two years. That’s really big with me. I don’t really get close to too many people. Him and I had a good connection. I think he’s going to do great in the league.” Benny compared Minter’s leadership style with former Michigan and Ravens defensive coordinator and current Super Bowl-winning Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald. In fact, he described Minter as an even more energetic coach than the reigning Super Bowl winner. “His consistency is to come to work every day, it made us hungry,” Benny said. “We believed in [Minter] because he believed in us.” That belief now extends to the coaches Minter chose to bring with him to Baltimore. His own career path reflects the philosophy behind those decisions. Minter started coaching among the college ranks, first at Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Indiana State and Georgia State, before he worked his way up the assistant ladder with the Ravens from 2017 to 2020. He then willingly returned to the college level, where he refined his approach as both a strategist and a developer at Vanderbilt and Michigan between 2021 and 2023, and then returned to the NFL under Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers in 2024. If anyone’s proven successful at transitioning back and forth, it’s Minter, and his experience should help with the coaches he’s brought along for the ride. Minter is trusting his gut in the staff he’s assembled, regardless of collective experience. The Ravens are hoping he made the right calls. There could be some mighty learning curves ahead for everyone involved, including Bower and Esposito. On Wednesday, we at least learned more about their approach and teaching skills through some NFL prospects who know them best. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSportsand instagram.com/JCTSports. Josh appears as a host on The Sun’s “Early Birds” podcast. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — The connective tissue between Ravens coach Jesse Minter and Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald goes back years, to the long days inside the Ravens’ defensive meeting rooms from 2017 to 2020. Minter handled the defensive backs. Macdonald oversaw the linebackers. The friendship endured after their paths diverged, and the conversations never really stopped. So when Macdonald’s Seahawks lifted the Lombardi Trophy earlier this month, in just his second season as a head coach, Minter didn’t have to search far for the lesson. He had seen it before, this year and last with the Philadelphia Eagles. “It’s an O-line, D-line driven league,” Minter said Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine. “Just look at the Super Bowl winners of the last couple of years. I think that’s really where you start. How have these teams won that final game? Two years ago, it was the Eagles’ O-line, D-line driven. This year, Seattle — same deal. That’s always an area you’re trying to get better.” For Baltimore, that search is already underway. When the Ravens go on the clock with the 14th overall pick, Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods or Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell could fit the bill — disruptive, forceful players who reflect the kind of line-of-scrimmage dominance Minter is describing. Woods, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound interior defender, was among the prospects who met with Baltimore this week. Draft analyst Lance Zierlein described Woods less as a space-eating anchor than an “active brawler,” a player whose value lies in helping form what he called a pocket-collapsing collective. The most common comparison: Christian Wilkins. The main critique attached to Woods — shorter arms — doesn’t seem to trouble him. “It’s easy to say his arms are short, but what’s on tape is on tape,” Woods said. “One of the best things I do is getting control of a man who presumably has longer arms than me, striking him and discarding him. I don’t really see that as a problem.” There are already a few Baltimore threads in his orbit. Woods has known Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins since their recruiting days at Clemson. Production hasn’t been absent, either. Over the past two seasons, Woods recorded 12 tackles for loss and five sacks, along with 58 tackles, a pass breakup and a forced fumble — the sort of interior disruption that could help a Ravens defense that, per ESPN analytics, finished 28th in pass rush win rate and produced just 30 sacks, third fewest in the league. Help is needed on the edge, too. Outside linebackers Dre’Mont Jones, Kyle Van Noy and David Ojabo are all scheduled to reach free agency. The defensive line needs depth, too, given the uncertainty surrounding Nnamdi Madubuike’s neck injury. “There’s such immense pride in that building for how you play defense, and it hasn’t been up to their standard,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Wednesday. He should know since he once worked in Baltimore’s scouting department. “When they’re at their best, they are big — big everywhere. “They want to be kind of a bully, and I think they got away from that a little bit.” Texas A&M defensive lineman Cashius Howell recorded 25 sacks over the past three seasons, including 11 1/2 last year. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Howell, meanwhile, offers a different kind of appeal. The 6-2, 248-pound edge rusher piled up 25 sacks over the past three seasons, including 11 1/2 last year, and scouts are intrigued by the burst. “He’s got legit giddyup speed,” Jeremiah said, suggesting that Howell could threaten the 4.4-second range in the 40-yard dash. Both Woods and Howell are widely expected to hear their names called in the first round. But the Ravens could also pivot — perhaps toward Penn State guard Vega Ioane — and still address the defensive front later, given the depth of this year’s class. Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton, a former standout at Owings Mills’ McDonogh School, fits another familiar Ravens archetype: versatile, relentless, comfortable moving across the front. The organization has mined Penn State before, selecting Odafe Oweh and Adisa Isaac in recent years. “I feel like I could do whatever on the field,” Dennis-Sutton said. “I could play on the edge. I could play inside if you need me to. I could rush the punter.” The Ravens’ options are not confined to the draft. Related Articles Josh Tolentino: Ravens assistants with no NFL experience tasked with big fix | COMMENTARY Todd Monken, still in awe as Browns’ new coach, reflects on Ravens tenure Ravens OC Declan Doyle is a future head coach. Just ask Sean Payton. 5 things we learned from Ravens’ DeCosta, Minter at NFL scouting combine Ravens coach Jesse Minter settles into job, builds trust with Lamar Jackson Free agency — beginning with the legal tampering window March 9 — offers another path. One of the most prominent names potentially available is Cincinnati Bengals star edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks two seasons ago. He would come at a steep cost, though Baltimore could create cap flexibility if it extends or restructures quarterback Lamar Jackson’s contract. “It depends on a lot of factors,” general manager Eric DeCosta said. “Who’s available? What’s that contract going to look like? We certainly know that we have to augment the pass rush and improve there. When we look at the best defenses, we see a ferocious pass rush, and that was lacking this year for different reasons.” DeCosta also acknowledged that he likes this year’s class of pass rushers. “I feel certain that we’ll have a chance to add a couple draft picks this year who can help us on third downs,” he said. However it unfolds — draft, free agency, or some combination of the two — the need is clear, and the philosophy behind it is not particularly complicated. It is the same principle Minter saw up close years ago and again this winter from afar. “[With] the pass rush, there’s a lot of factors that go into rushing the passer well,” Minter said. “Sometimes it’s playing with the lead, sometimes it’s blitzing more. There are a lot of ways to affect it. I feel like we have some young, ascending players who can help us there. “And it’s always a position you’re looking for more.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — Former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken looked, above all, comfortable Wednesday afternoon at the NFL scouting combine — or at least comfortable in his choice of uniform for the moment. He was clad head to toe in Nike, including a baby blue Jordan-brand hoodie, gray track pants and sneakers that seemed to glide as much as step from one interview session to another. He paused when he reached the podium, glanced to either side, smiled and pointed skyward. “How cool is this?!” he said. “I’m between Mike Macdonald and Mike Vrabel.” For Monken, 60, the setting carried a certain symmetry. A month ago, the Cleveland Browns had made the somewhat surprising decision to hand him his first head-coaching job, making him one of the three oldest first-time head coaches in league history — joining David Culley, who was 65 when he took over the Houston Texans for one season in 2021, and Vic Fangio, who was 60 when he became coach of the Denver Broncos in 2019 and now serves as defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, Monken, once the architect of one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history in Baltimore, is the man charged with restoring order to a franchise that has spent much of the past two decades searching for a way out of the abyss. During his three seasons in Baltimore, the Ravens became the first team in league history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and rush for 3,000 in the same season. Quarterback Lamar Jackson claimed a second NFL Most Valuable Player Award and also reached career highs in passing yards and touchdowns. Cleveland presents, well, a different kind of canvas. Since 2002, the Browns have reached the playoffs only three times and won just one postseason game. Over the past decade, they have produced only two winning seasons. And the past two years were especially unforgiving: an 8-26 combined record that ultimately cost Kevin Stefanski his job. Which raises a natural question four weeks into Monken’s tenure: How is he adjusting to the role? “It’s all the stuff you don’t wanna do,” he said, smiling. “It’s everything besides the X’s and O’s. “I say that jokingly, but there is a lot more that comes with it.” Indeed, the job is less the play sheet that would often reside in his waistband than a building — and everything inside it. The training room and the rehabilitation schedules. The weight room and the offseason plans. The logistics of roster building at a time of year when the league gathers here to evaluate possibilities as much as prospects. Monken suggested that part of the blueprint comes from Baltimore, where the years were productive but, in the end, incomplete. The Ravens entered last season with Super Bowl aspirations and floundered out of the gate, losing five of their first six games before finishing 8-9 and missing the playoffs. Along the way, Jackson missed four games because of injuries and often appeared less than sharp even when available. Some players voiced frustration with what they viewed as a lack of creativity in the offensive design, the defense struggled to protect late leads, and there was a clear disconnect, most notably between Jackson and the coaching staff. Related Articles Ravens OC Declan Doyle is a future head coach. Just ask Sean Payton. 5 things we learned from Ravens’ DeCosta, Minter at NFL scouting combine Ravens coach Jesse Minter settles into job, builds trust with Lamar Jackson NFL exec on reversal of Ravens’ Isaiah Likely TD: ‘That was interesting’ Will the Ravens bring back Humphrey and Likely? DeCosta explains. “Unfortunately, we didn’t play winning football enough,” Monken said, citing injuries, turnovers that arrived at inconvenient moments and elements he believes he could have handled better as a coach. What he took away from that season, he said, was a renewed appreciation for the margins — the small, cumulative details that tend to decide games in a league built on narrow outcomes. “There’s certain things from a day-to-day basis — from coaching accountability, from playing accountability — that when you’re trying to find those margins that allow you to win those close games that we did have, we didn’t find a way to win those,” he said. “In the years previous, we did.” Those margins now belong to Cleveland, a division rival in the AFC North with a roster with more questions than answers. The offense finished near the bottom of the league last season and remains unsettled at quarterback, with Deshaun Watson and polarizing second-year player Shedeur Sanders expected to compete for the job. Monken said he intends to bring elements of the Ravens’ offensive system with him, though not without modification. “Well, the Ravens are in our division, so they’ve got all our stuff. We’re gonna have to change some of it for God’s sake,” he said. “We can’t keep the same calls. “But you are who you are. You may flip some terminology … but what you believe in, how you attack people, how you go about your daily routine, your coaching staff, it’s gotta stay the same. That’s why you got the job. You completely flip, then you’re screwed.” He also spoke warmly about his former boss in Baltimore, John Harbaugh, who was fired after 18 seasons with the Ravens and is now the coach of the New York Giants. Browns coach Todd Monken speaks to the media at the NFL scouting combine on Wednesday in Indianapolis. (Brian Wacker/Staff) Asked what distinguishes Harbaugh, Monken paused before settling on a word that coaches rarely use lightly. “He’s got a gift for confronting anything that gets in the way of winning football without being confrontational,” Monken said. “He just does. It’s unique. He doesn’t let it linger. He’ll come right down the hall and say this isn’t good enough, what can we do to change it and where are we at? “The other thing is, the offseason’s no joke; John — it’s football every day, man. Every year I was with the Ravens, it was offense 2.0, offense 3.0. What are we going to do to improve?” In Cleveland, that question will now follow Monken everywhere — through meeting rooms, onto practice fields and into future Sundays. The answers will eventually surface on the scoreboard, including twice a year against Baltimore, and across the rest of a long, unsentimental calendar. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Lions coach Dan Campbell made an upward motion with his hand trying articulate the career trajectory for Declan Doyle. Broncos coach Sean Payton flat out called him a future NFL head coach. Doyle is “seasoned beyond his years,” Bears coach Ben Johnson hymned. This week in Indianapolis, host site for the NFL scouting combine, praise for the newly formed Ravens coaching staff felt interminable. Sure, no coach is going to use that platform to degrade another. But the volume of praise, particularly for first-year coach Jesse Minter and Doyle, his first-time play-calling offensive coordinator, speaks to the league-wide respect toward Baltimore’s staff reset. “I expect Jesse to do great things,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said, coming off his first Super Bowl win. “I expect them to be right there and they’re gonna be a team that we have to contend with.” Times are changing for the Ravens. Minter even bestowed verbiage: This is a “new age,” he said, of what it means to “Play like a Raven” – a longstanding organizational mantra. His predecessor took no issue with that. “It should evolve,” said John Harbaugh, the former Ravens coach now heading the New York Giants. “He was his own man in Baltimore when he was young,” Harbaugh said of Minter. “Now he gets the opportunity to be a head coach in a great place. So, I have nothing but love and respect for him. “I think he’s ready.” Last time Minter coached in Baltimore, from 2017 to 2020, he was a defensive assistant learning under Don “Wink” Martindale and Macdonald. In some ways, general manager Eric DeCosta still saw him as that wide-eyed youngster. Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz assured DeCosta during this coaching carousel about Minter’s evolution as a play-caller and leader. DeCosta was sold. He hired him for what is not only an NFL head coaching gig, but to lead the first complete coaching turnover since the team’s inaugural season and ready them for a roster smack in the middle of a championship window. “I think if Jesse is just himself, he’ll be fine,” Hortiz said. “He’ll be able to fill the shoes, and he’ll fill them in his own way.” By Feb. 12, Minter solidified his first NFL staff. He called on Anthony Weaver, a proven commodity who interviewed for several head coaching jobs and has ties to Baltimore, to be defensive coordinator. Minter promoted Anthony Levine Sr., a former Ravens player and assistant coach, to oversee special teams. Doyle is the only coach of the team-leading quartet without previous ties to the organization. He’s the new guy in the room, coming from an offensive coordinator role in Chicago where he ceded play-calling duties to Johnson. There, he helped former No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams throw for 4,000-plus yards leading the Bears to a No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Minter said folks around the league gushed over the 29-year-old. They affirmed his inclination throughout the interview process. And at the combine this week, coaches continued to rave. “Declan is a phenomenal football coach,” Johnson said. “If you didn’t know that he was 29 years old, you wouldn’t blink an eye. … I’m disappointed that we lost him as quickly as we did. I was hoping that we’d be able to hold onto him for longer.” Campbell worked with Doyle in New Orleans from 2019 to 2020. “Somebody made a comment about how young he seems,” Campbell said this week. Doyle was much younger back then but, according to Campbell, “you would never know it. The questions that he asked, the way that he talked, the information that he gave the players or ideas he had. He was very mature. He had a lot of conviction. Man, understands football, asks the right questions, is always trying to solve problems and when he coaches, you see it. He comes alive.” Related Articles Todd Monken, still in awe as Browns’ new coach, reflects on Ravens tenure 5 things we learned from Ravens’ DeCosta, Minter at NFL scouting combine Ravens coach Jesse Minter settles into job, builds trust with Lamar Jackson NFL exec on reversal of Ravens’ Isaiah Likely TD: ‘That was interesting’ Will the Ravens bring back Humphrey and Likely? DeCosta explains. Chief among the responsibilities for Doyle’s new gig is connecting with two-time Most Valuable Player and similarly aged quarterback Lamar Jackson. Doyle said they’ve spoken periodically and that those conversations have all been productive. It’s up to him to maximize the potential of this Ravens offense. Word around Indianapolis is maybe that won’t be a long-term gig. Payton was asked if Doyle has head coaching potential. “Absolutely,” he said, “and that will be quicker than Baltimore wants.” “Declan was extremely detailed,” Payton added. “It’s hard to get to this position. There’s a journey everyone has, and so there are no shortcuts. He took the journey the right way. … We were fortunate to get him here [in Denver]. Then man, in the blink of an eye, we lost him. Now Chicago lost him. It’s Baltimore’s benefit.” At least, that’s what everyone in Indianapolis this week seems to think. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. Sam appears as a host on The Sun’s “Early Birds” podcast. Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, right, was praised by peers at the NFL scouting combine. The young coach will call offensive plays for the first time in 2026. (Brian Krista/Staff) View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — The Ravens’ offseason priorities are coming into focus. Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s contract carries the second-largest salary cap hit in the NFL. Meanwhile, Baltimore’s pass rush needs reinforcements, the offensive line’s anchor awaits a historic deal and a new coaching staff is hard at work with the front office to shape the roster. At the NFL scouting combine on Tuesday, general manager Eric DeCosta and first-year coach Jesse Minter provided insight into how Baltimore plans to address each of those challenges, offering clarity on some of the organization’s most pressing decisions while also reinforcing the philosophy that will guide the franchise forward. Here are five things we learned: Lamar Jackson’s contract remains central to Baltimore’s roster flexibility As the Ravens enter the thick of the offseason, two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson’s contract remains one of the most important financial variables shaping their ability to build the roster around him. Jackson is projected to carry a whopping $74.5 million salary cap hit in 2026, representing the second-highest cap hit behind Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. During a rare news conference last month, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti clamored that he wants Jackson to remain his quarterback and noted how he didn’t want the Ravens to head into free agency with Jackson’s contract negotiations still pending. “We want another window, and Lamar knows that,” Bisciotti said last month. “I think that he’s amenable to doing something that mirrors the last deal … the urgency of that matters to me because we’ve got free agents, and I don’t want to go into free agency with that hanging over our head. I made that clear to Lamar, and I think he was very appreciative of my stance, and hopefully willing to work with Eric and not get this thing dragged out into April like it was the last time. It was very hard for him to build a roster when that thing is not settled.” The NFL’s tampering period begins March 9 — less than two weeks away — and the Ravens have yet to reach a new deal with Jackson. So, where do things stand? “Well, as you guys know, Lamar [Jackson] and I have an agreement. We handle business kind of in-house, internally,” DeCosta said Tuesday. “That worked well for us the last time, and we will continue to have that policy moving forward.” While DeCosta remained mostly mum, he did confirm he’s been in contact with Jackson throughout the offseason. “I have spoken to Lamar about a lot of different things over the last month,” he said. “He’s been very engaged.” Despite Bisciotti’s sentiment, DeCosta downplayed the notion that Jackson’s cap number would prevent the Ravens from making meaningful roster moves. Jackson’s slated cap hit of $74.5 million represents nearly a quarter of the team’s cap at 24.3%. A potential restructure or extension would reduce Jackson’s immediate cap hit while reinforcing the long-term partnership between the franchise and its 29-year-old quarterback, an ever-important relationship that remains foundational to Baltimore’s ambitions in chasing its third Super Bowl title. “We never have as much cap room as we’d like to have,” DeCosta said. “But we feel like we can start at the beginning of the new league year and conduct business.” Buckle up. That’s quite the change in tone from Bisciotti’s earlier public challenge to Jackson. The Ravens are working to secure Tyler Linderbaum long term DeCosta might prefer to keep his conversations with Jackson private, but he had no issues announcing that the Ravens have presented center Tyler Linderbaum with a “market-setting offer,” signaling their commitment to retaining one of the league’s premier interior offensive linemen. “Tyler is a guy that I have tremendous respect for,” DeCosta said. “We’ve made him a market-setting offer, and hopefully we can get something done with him between now and the start of the new league year.” Related Articles Ravens coach Jesse Minter settles into job, builds trust with Lamar Jackson NFL exec on reversal of Ravens’ Isaiah Likely TD: ‘That was interesting’ Will the Ravens bring back Humphrey and Likely? DeCosta explains. With ‘market-setting’ extension offer from Ravens, Tyler Linderbaum faces big decision Ravens still in limbo with Nnamdi Madubuike, GM Eric DeCosta says Minter further emphasized Linderbaum’s importance to the offense’s structure and future. “I think he’s one of the best interior linemen in the league,” Minter said. “He’s a major piece of our offense. He’s somebody we’d love to have back.” So while Jackson’s pending contract status shapes the Ravens’ financial outlook, the team is also prioritizing another important offensive player. It sure sounds like the ball is now in Linderbaum’s court. DeCosta also revealed that the Ravens aren’t planning to use the franchise or transition tag on Linderbaum. Linderbaum, a 2022 first-round draft pick out of Iowa, is one of 19 pending free agents. Three league sources told The Baltimore Sun at the NFL scouting combine that Linderbaum has received serious interest ahead of free agency. Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro Creed Humphrey is the NFL’s highest-paid center with an average annual salary of $18 million; Humphrey signed a four-year, $72 million extension in August 2024. Linderbaum’s new offer, according to DeCosta, would exceed those figures. Currently, Philadelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens ($17 million average annual value) and Humphrey are the only two players at the position who make more than $15 million per year. Retaining Linderbaum would preserve important continuity under first-year offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who, like Linderbaum, also attended Iowa, where he started his coaching career as a student assistant in 2016. Linderbaum is just the third offensive lineman in Ravens history with three Pro Bowl selections, joining Jonathan Ogden (11 Pro Bowls) and Marshal Yanda (nine). “I think we’ve always been a team that has valued the importance of ‘the trenches’ and being up front,” DeCosta said. “[That is] just one of the reasons why we want to bring Tyler [Linderbaum] back, if we can.” Improving the pass rush is one of Baltimore’s top offseason priorities Few weaknesses were more evident during Baltimore’s forgettable 2025 season than its inconsistent pass rush. The Ravens finished with the third-fewest sacks (30) in the league and had just four games in which they registered more than two sacks. DeCosta acknowledged the issue head-on and made clear that the Ravens intend to address it through several avenues. “We certainly know that we have to augment the pass rush and improve there,” DeCosta said. “When we look at the best defenses, we see a ferocious pass rush, and that was lacking this year for different reasons.” One pointed reason was that the Ravens never recovered after losing top defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike to a season-ending neck injury in Week 2. Madubuike’s future playing status remains in limbo and, ultimately, the team must continue planning its future with or without him. Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, shown in 2024, missed most of the 2025 season with a neck injury. The defensive line took a step backward in his absence. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Looking ahead, the Ravens have 11 draft picks, giving the front office plenty of flexibility to reinforce the defensive front. This year’s draft class is widely considered to be deep in pass rush talent, and Minter, a known defensive mind, is bound to have an important voice as the team structures its personnel plans. “We like this draft class in terms of pass rush, edge ability and the ability to get up the field and impact the passing game,” DeCosta said. “I feel certain that we’ll have a chance to add a couple draft picks this year who can help us on third downs.” Said Minter: “It’s an O-line [and] D-line driven league. Just look at the Super Bowl winners of the last couple of years, I think that’s really where you start. How have these teams won that final game? Two years ago, it was the Eagles’ O-line, D-line driven [year]. This year, Seattle, the same deal. So I think that’s an area that you’re always looking to get better at. There are some good pieces there, so it’ll be about coaching them up, developing them more, and then adding some pieces to help us get to that level. “I think it’s always a position that you’re looking for more, and so I know Eric and the guys will do a great job attacking free agency and the draft in building a team that in September that we feel has the ability to rush the passer.” The Ravens’ draft process reflects discipline, flexibility and long-term thinking Baltimore’s reputation as one of the NFL’s most disciplined organizations remains rooted in supportive ownership and its front office’s ability to balance long-term planning with immediate roster needs. And despite the team’s postseason regression over the last two years, the Ravens still boast two Lombardi trophies, while 12 NFL teams are still stuck in Super Bowl purgatory without a title. DeCosta, who over his tenure has repeatedly labeled the Ravens as a “draft and develop” team, offered a rare glimpse at the organization’s prospect evaluation process that largely highlights prioritizing the best player available. “There’s a nuance there, and it’s probably something that I could talk about for 25 hours. I try to line the board up, of course, according to the best available player,” DeCosta said. “We’re going to rank every single player using analysis, analytics, scouts, interviews and things like that. And then we’re going to kind of fold in the idea of needs. “So, you’re going to go through every single player, you’re going to spend probably a half hour in every meeting on the top 200 players in the draft, and you’re going to really come up with a sequence list that you’re going to use to select from. And then, in the first two to three rounds, you’re really going to focus on if this [is] the best player at this pick with the idea of need [in mind]. As you get into the later rounds of the draft, depending on the players that you’ve already selected, that may change your sequence, and that may change what you do.” In today’s world of advanced analytics, the Ravens prefer to blend traditional scouting with analytics, internal models and extensive evaluation meetings to ultimately create their final draft board. “We take the human element, the scout sequence, and then we take the model — the algorithm that we use — and essentially combine the two to get the best output,” DeCosta said. The approach, originally influenced by former general manager Ozzie Newsome and now DeCosta, reflects the Ravens’ longstanding philosophy of remaining disciplined to avoid reaching and rather trust the entire evaluation process. Minter’s defensive philosophy prioritizes versatility in the secondary In past years, DeCosta has compared defensive backs with race cars. And if there’s one position group that’s helped reveal Minter’s defensive vision, it’s the secondary. The Ravens have one of the NFL’s most versatile defensive players in safety Kyle Hamilton, whom DeCosta called a “unicorn” and “force multiplier.” Behind Hamilton, though, there’s plenty of room for improvement after the Ravens allowed the second-most passing yards (4,215) in the league behind only the Dallas Cowboys. Expect Minter to play a significant role in addressing this issue and getting the Ravens back to their standard. More race cars, anyone? Across the 2025 season, Nate Wiggins (1,029 defensive snaps) and Marlon Humphrey (880) handled a majority of the reps at outside cornerback. Essentially, whenever they weren’t sidelined because of injury, the combination of Wiggins and Humphrey often manned the field together. Chidobe Awuizie (557) was the only other defensive back who logged more than 200 snaps. Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins intercepts a pass against the Bears in 2025. Wiggins was inconsistent this past season, but he's expected to play a key role in Baltimore's secondary in 2026. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) In turn, Wiggins and Humphrey both ranked among the league’s bottom dwellers in yards allowed and passer rating allowed. According to Pro Football Focus, Humphrey surrendered a career-high and NFL-worst 916 yards. He had four interceptions and two forced fumbles. With Minter in charge, there could be noticeable changes coming with player usage. Minter’s longstanding philosophy, dating to his early days as a college defensive coordinator, revolves around maximizing his personnel. The Chargers last season regularly rotated four cornerbacks between Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart, Donte Jackson and Benjamin St-Juste. In total, the Chargers had nine defensive backs log more than 275 defensive snaps. Los Angeles finished fifth in both total defense and passing defense. Meanwhile, the 31st-ranked Ravens had just five defensive backs exceed that many snaps. “I think for how we play scheme-wise, [defensive backs] are important, and they can be highlighted, and they can be moved around to impact the game,” Minter said. “When you do a variety of coverages and different pressures, you can move that guy where you want to move them. I think those types of players — they’re weapons. They’re not necessarily a nickel or a safety or a linebacker or a corner. They’re kind of a weapon. “When they have that ability to impact the game, the more you can put them in position to do that, the better off [you are]. When you’re evaluating those guys, they come in all different forms.” Regulating playing time, especially with known starters and veterans, can be a challenge at the pro level. The process involves controlling egos and instilling a game plan that requires belief across the locker room and specific position groups. Overall, Minter’s habits reflect a defensive approach built on flexibility, disguise and matchup adaptability. To help emphasize his philosophy, Minter hired former Notre Dame cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens, who will serve as the team’s secondary coach and pass game coordinator. “[Mickens] has done an unbelievable job at Notre Dame,” Minter said. “They’ve probably had the last four or five years, the most consistent secondary rankings in the college level. He’s just gotten better and better. He’s a really good communicator. He’s a really good evaluator, and he’s a technician. His mindset from playing corner at a really high level will translate well to our guys to be really competitive, have that down-after-down mentality, the next-play mentality that we’re looking for.” Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. Josh appears as a host on The Sun’s “Early Birds” podcast. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — New Ravens coach Jesse Minter’s preferred choice of attire is more cape than the actual hoodie it is. After taking questions from reporters for 15 minutes at the NFL scouting combine Tuesday afternoon, he was promptly whisked through a car wash of interviews with various national media outlets, including ESPN, flying from one microphone and television camera to another. A few hours later he returned, backpacks in tow, to meet with local reporters for another dozen minutes. It has been, by his own admission, something of a whirlwind since he was hired as only the fourth head coach in the organization’s 31-year history, following the dismissal of John Harbaugh after a season that left owner Steve Bisciotti restless and underwhelmed. What has been the biggest adjustment for the 42-year-old former defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers, now a first-time head coach? “You want to be in on everything and you want to try to impact every little thing,” Minter said. “You have to quickly figure out that’s not always possible. “You’ve got to really be where your feet are for that particular hour of the day and make the most of it.” The hours arrive quickly. One might be spent in a defensive meeting, the next with the offense or special teams. There are player evaluations, conversations about roster construction with general manager Eric DeCosta and vice president of football administration Nick Matteo, and the quieter but no less important work of forming relationships throughout the building. These tasks demand tempo and touch. The offseason, paradoxically, can make that work harder. Players are scattered across the country. Sometimes they pass through the team facility in Owings Mills; other times the contact is through text messages and Zoom calls. Chief among those conversations, Minter said, have been what he described as a “good amount” with two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and quarterback Lamar Jackson. DeCosta noted Tuesday that Jackson was involved in the hiring process that brought Minter to Baltimore, and he has had conversations with him about a potential contract extension. Unsurprisingly, Minter did not offer many details about their discussions. That has long been Jackson’s preference, whether the topic is negotiations or matters between quarterback and coach. Minter understands that rhythm. “Relationships are built over time,” Minter said. “They’re built through communication, they’re built through being honest, they’re built through being open.” He added that he and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who at 29 is two months younger than Jackson, have tried to stay in regular contact without becoming overbearing. “He’s been a Raven for a long time,” Minter said of Jackson. “It’s new for us. It’s not new for him.” Related Articles NFL exec on reversal of Ravens’ Isaiah Likely TD: ‘That was interesting’ Will the Ravens bring back Humphrey and Likely? DeCosta explains. With ‘market-setting’ extension offer from Ravens, Tyler Linderbaum faces big decision Ravens still in limbo with Nnamdi Madubuike, GM Eric DeCosta says Ravens GM Eric DeCosta ‘confident’ he can get deal done with Lamar Jackson Still, the conversations have been productive, touching on football and plenty else. Minter said that they have reached a point in which “we could ask each other anything.” There is much to be done. “Culture takes time, and creating standards of how we operate as players come back in will take some time,” Minter said, noting that the details of that work often surface most clearly on Sundays. For Minter, who intends to call the defense while serving as head coach — much as Mike Macdonald did for the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks — one of the immediate questions is how to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Ravens’ 30 sacks last season tied for 30th in the league, and their pass-rush win rate of 30% ranked 28th, according to ESPN analytics. “Sometimes you just end up going down a road with the group that you have,” he said of the defense. “We’ll try to wipe the slate clean for those guys and maybe how we look at pass rush and what we allow them to do with some freedom we might try to give them, while at the same time making sure everybody understands what that freedom means.” His early impression of the roster he has inherited is that the Ravens are a “capable” team — one that, at moments last season, looked as formidable as anyone in the league. As an admitted optimist, that is what lingered with him. But so did the inconsistency, and the injuries. There is, again, work to do. The Ravens blew three fourth-quarter leads in 2025, including two in the final three games, finishing 8-9 to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Jackson missed four games because of injuries, and at one point Baltimore was forced to start five rookies amid a rash of ailments, including to standout defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 2. Ravens defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike played just two games in 2025, and his health status for 2026 is uncertain. Baltimore's defense plays its best with Madubuike available along the interior. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Neither DeCosta nor Minter offered an update on Madubuike’s status Tuesday, choosing again to keep the matter private. Minter said he has spoken with him and that the lineman has been around the facility in recent weeks. “I think that’ll be up to him when the time’s right,” Minter said. “I know he’s in great spirits.” The same could be said for Minter himself. His first combine as a head coach will wind down later this week. Then comes free agency, the draft and, before long, offseason workouts. For now, he moves from room to room, settling into a job that tends to gather speed before it ever slows. He is on his way. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Just over two weeks after the NFL season came to a close, the league is ready to admit its mistakes. There were five instant replay reviews that officials got wrong in real time, NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent told Mark Maske, formerly of The Washington Post. Tight end Isaiah Likely’s would-be game-winning touchdown catch against Pittsburgh in Week 14 was not one of them, but it did get the league’s attention. Vincent told Maske on Tuesday that it was one of a few plays league officials discussed at length. Despite ire from fans and disagreement from players, the NFL’s stance is that they could not confidently say that replay officials got it wrong. “There was two plays in particular,” Vincent said. “There was the Likely play … Ravens-Steelers in the end zone. And then you had the one — there was a Jets play. But it was the Likely play that you go, ‘That was interesting because of the third step and they were talking about the ball extended out.’ So it was: What constitutes that third act?” There were just under three minutes left in that early December game. Jackson found Likely in the back of the end zone. The 25-year-old held the ball out in front of him and took two steps before Steelers defensive back Joey Porter Jr. jarred it loose. It was ruled a touchdown on the field and overturned after replay review. NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth said in the pool report that Likely obtained control and had both feet in bounds. However, he did not make an “act common to the game” afterward, which would have been planting a third step. After having a night to sleep on it, former Ravens coach John Harbaugh said that the league’s definition of a catch is “clear as mud.” Vincent did not say conclusively that the replay review was wrong or that the on-field call should have stood. Rather, the league felt that it warranted discussion about the merit of a catch but ultimately stuck by the final call. To play the what-if game: If that touchdown had counted, it’s more likely that the Ravens would have won, which would have put them in sole possession of first place in the AFC North with four regular-season games remaining. Baltimore lost the regular-season finale at Pittsburgh after Tyler Loop missed a game-winning field goal attempt in the final seconds, giving the Steelers the division title. Vincent said that there were 171 regular-season plays reviewed by the replay booth. The overwhelming majority, he said, the NFL feels confident that officials got right. There was another play from earlier in that same Ravens-Steelers game that was part of the final five in which the NFL would like a do-over. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw a pass that was batted at the line of scrimmage back toward his hands. As he grabbed the ball, so did rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan. The two fought for possession. Officials on the field ruled it an interception. After replay review, they gave Pittsburgh the upper hand, stating that Rodgers had possession and his knee was down. The NFL admitted its fault on that play, a league spokesperson confirmed to Pro Football Talk, which was a significant momentum swing for the Steelers. Related Articles Will the Ravens bring back Humphrey or Likely? DeCosta explains. With ‘market-setting’ extension offer from Ravens, Tyler Linderbaum faces big decision Ravens still in limbo with Nnamdi Madubuike, GM Eric DeCosta says Ravens GM Eric DeCosta ‘confident’ he can get deal done with Lamar Jackson Ravens live updates: Coverage from 2026 NFL scouting combine A day after that game, the NFL league office called Harbaugh to lament another officiating mistake. In the second quarter, Ravens defensive tackle Travis Jones was flagged for unnecessary roughness. Jones charged the gap beside Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz on a field goal attempt. Officials deemed it unnecessary against a defenseless player. NFL rules analyst and club communications liaison Walt Anderson and senior vice president of officiating administration Perry Fewell called to tell Harbaugh “it should not have been called.” The play resulted in a Steelers first down and they scored a touchdown the next play, taking a 17-3 lead rather than a 13-3 lead in a game Pittsburgh eventually won 27-22. “So technically we won?” Lamar Jackson asked jokingly on X on Tuesday. “10-7 1st offseason win ever.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. Sam appears as a host on The Sun’s “Early Birds” podcast. View the full article

Marlon Humphrey revealed on his podcast last month that general manager Eric DeCosta gave him a percentage chance he’d be on the team in 2026. Although Humphrey didn’t reveal that number, talking around it with a playful confidence, the veteran cornerback said he likes his chances of playing another year in Baltimore. Fast forward to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis this week. The Ravens have an entirely new staff, led by first-year, defensive-minded coach Jesse Minter, and are in a full sprint to sort out their championship-caliber roster. And thus, DeCosta affirmed his belief in keeping Humphrey around. “I do expect him to be on the team,” DeCosta said. “I love Marlon.” At times this season, the loudest parts of the fan base seemed to disagree. The two-time All-Pro regressed in 2025, dealing with injuries to his calf and finger that independently inhibited his play. Humphrey registered one of his team-high four interceptions with a heavily wrapped hand. His step back from “All-Pro Marlo,” ranked by Pro Football Focus as a top-10 cornerback in 2024 to outside the top-100 in 2025, was an indictment of his struggles in pass coverage. Most memorably, there was the Patriots’ fourth-quarter comeback stamped by a Kyle Williams 37-yard touchdown in which he beat Humphrey. There was a similar blunder against the Steelers when Adam Thielen scored a game-tying touchdown in the second half. Despite leading the Ravens in interceptions each of the past two seasons, his propensity for allowing explosive plays raises the question of whether this “new age” Baltimore defense sees the longstanding veteran as a vital piece. Humphrey turns 30 this offseason. He’s set to have a $26.3 million salary cap hit, according to OverTheCap.com, but would save the Ravens $19.3 million should they opt for a post-June 1 release. “There could be a lot of change,” Humphrey said after the loss in Pittsburgh.” Obviously, this is a business. I can really only speak for myself; I just wait and see if I’m part of the plans going forward or if I’m not.” DeCosta said he’d like Humphrey to be a part of those plans. He said the same for tight end Isaiah Likely, who seems less likely to be in Baltimore next season. But the door isn’t shut. Asked if there’s a possibility of bringing Likely back, DeCosta said, “definitely.” The 25-year-old said recently that Baltimore “feels like home” but that he wants to “blossom,” which would be tough to do playing behind veteran Mark Andrews, who signed a contract extension in December. DeCosta said he had contract talks with both tight ends before striking a deal with Andrews. Related Articles With ‘market-setting’ extension offer from Ravens, Tyler Linderbaum faces big decision Ravens still in limbo with Nnamdi Madubuike, GM Eric DeCosta says Ravens GM Eric DeCosta ‘confident’ he can get deal done with Lamar Jackson Ravens live updates: Coverage from 2026 NFL scouting combine 5 biggest questions facing Ravens as NFL scouting combine kicks off Like Humphrey, Likely’s production dipped after a breakout year in 2024. He caught 27 passes for 307 yards, one touchdown and suffered through a nightmarish stretch when he fumbled at the goal line then had his go-ahead touchdown wiped away because of a controversial call against the Steelers. His season ended on a high note with a tremendous fourth-down catch that set up Tyler Loop’s famous missed kick. According to Spotrac, Likely’s projected market value is set just below $8.9 million. Another team could feasibly make him a primary target in the offense considering he’s been a reliable target for Lamar Jackson — when healthy. Jackson even posted on social media, replying to a Bleacher Report fill-in-the-blank, calling for Likely to stay in Baltimore. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. Sam appears as a host on The Sun’s “Early Birds” podcast. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — The ball is in Tyler Linderbaum’s hands. The only question now is whether he’ll still be snapping it in a Ravens uniform next season. General manager Eric DeCosta said Tuesday that Baltimore has offered the 25-year-old center what he described as a “market-setting” contract extension as free agency approaches in two weeks. Linderbaum is scheduled to reach the open market when the league’s new year begins March 11. Baltimore’s preference, of course, is to keep him. “He’s proven to be the best center in the league,” DeCosta said at the NFL scouting combine. “Hopefully we can get something done with him between now and the start of the new league year.” Talks, DeCosta added, have been ongoing since the season ended. Linderbaum’s agent, Neil Cornrich, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Re-signing Linderbaum would likely require a commitment of roughly $20 million per year. The current benchmark at the position belongs to the Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey, who signed a four-year, $72 million extension last August worth $18 million annually. The expectation is that Linderbaum’s deal would surpass that figure. For Baltimore, the calculus is financial and structural. Linderbaum has become the fulcrum of an offensive line that showed cracks last season — particularly at guard — as quarterback Lamar Jackson was sacked 36 times in 12 games, the highest sack rate of his eight-year career. “We’ve always been a team that has valued the importance of the trenches,” DeCosta said, noting that the organization is unlikely to use either the franchise or transition tag on Linderbaum. That option is mostly impractical anyway. The projected franchise tag for offensive linemen is roughly $28 million, a steep figure for a team with roughly $13 million in effective salary-cap space for the time being until it works out an extension for quarterback Lamar Jackson or makes other cap-clearing moves. The Ravens also declined Linderbaum’s fifth-year option last offseason, which would have been worth $23.4 million. Teams can use the tag as a bridge and continue negotiating until mid-July, but Baltimore does not appear inclined to go that route. Keeping Linderbaum would offer stability for a line entering a new era under coach Jesse Minter. Even in a season that was not quite as dominant as his previous ones — he allowed two sacks and 26 pressures, per Pro Football Focus — Linderbaum still nabbed a third consecutive Pro Bowl nod. He anchored a unit that powered the league’s second-best rushing attack, producing 2,662 yards and a league-leading 5.9 yards per carry. In franchise history, only two other offensive linemen — Hall of Fame tackle Jonathan Ogden and guard Marshal Yanda — have made at least three Pro Bowls. “I think he’s one of the best interior linemen in the league,” Minter said of Linderbaum. “I think he’s a major piece of our offense. I think he fits really well into the direction our offense is headed; so [he’s] a guy that we’d love to have back.” One potential direction could include even more outside zone running plays, something that back Derrick Henry has excelled in over his career and something new offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford featured heavily with the Atlanta Falcons and their back Bijan Robinson. Related Articles Will the Ravens bring back Humphrey or Likely? DeCosta explains. Ravens still in limbo with Nnamdi Madubuike, GM Eric DeCosta says Ravens GM Eric DeCosta ‘confident’ he can get deal done with Lamar Jackson Ravens live updates: Coverage from 2026 NFL scouting combine 5 biggest questions facing Ravens as NFL scouting combine kicks off “Everything is personnel driven, what-the-guys-do-well driven,” Minter said. “Dwayne is one of the best O-line coaches in the league. I was super excited to get him on the staff, and so I think the coaches’ job on both sides of the ball is to see what we have, see what we could possibly be best at, see what fits into our style of play with our guys.” Few players shape that equation more than the one standing over the ball. Linderbaum said last month that he would “absolutely” like to be back. He also will be one of the top league’s free agents should he want to test the waters. It’s not dissimilar to the position the Ravens were in with left tackle Ronnie Stanley last offseason. Just before free agency, the two sides came to an agreement on an extension, keeping him off the market. Now, the next two weeks will determine whether Linderbaum follows suit. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta did not provide clarity Tuesday on defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike’s status, instead signaling the team remains in a holding pattern as the veteran defensive tackle recovers from a season-ending neck injury. “There’s a lot of unknown when you build a team,” DeCosta said at the NFL scouting combine. “I learned from [former general manager] Ozzie [Newsome], sometimes the best thing to do is wait for more information, and that’s what we continue to do.” Madubuike, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the league’s highest-paid defensive tackles, suffered his neck injury in a Week 2 win over the Cleveland Browns. Baltimore’s pass rush suffered greatly and never fully rebounded from Madubuike’s absence, finishing with just 30 sacks, third-fewest in the NFL, while ranking 28th in pass rush win rate at 30%. “It was tough to see Nnamdi go down last year,” DeCosta said. “[His injury] left us a little vulnerable.” Madubuike’s future has remained a subject of speculation, especially after he posted “Good news” last month on X. Throughout the 2025 season and into the offseason, team officials have declined to elaborate on his recovery timeline and future playing status. The Ravens signed Madubuike to a four-year, $98 million contract with $75.5 million guaranteed in March 2024, cementing his role as a foundational piece across the middle of the defensive line. During his two Pro Bowl seasons in 2023 and 2024, Madubuike compiled 19 1/2 sacks and 50 quarterback hits. Over 78 career games, he has 203 tackles, 30 sacks and 69 quarterback hits. DeCosta indicated the lingering uncertainty surrounding Madubuike, 28, will not alter Baltimore’s offseason approach. The Ravens, under new coach Jesse Minter, are in attendance at this week’s scouting combine to evaluate top draft-eligible players. Baltimore currently possesses 11 picks, including the No. 14 selection, in April’s NFL draft. “[Madubuike’s situation] doesn’t affect me very much,” DeCosta said. “If we have a chance to draft a great defensive tackle, we will. It’s one of the most important positions in football. We’ve always been a team that has valued the importance of the trenches. We should have a good opportunity to add players [in the draft].” Madubuike carries a cap hit of $30.975 million in 2026 with a guaranteed base salary of $22 million. Said DeCosta: “Salary cap-wise, [Madubuike] doesn’t have any major impact on us at this time.” First-year coach Jesse Minter acknowledged Madubuike remains in “great spirits,” and also noted that he met with the defensive player at the team’s facility in Owings Mills last week. “I’ll keep those conversations private,” Minter said. “I think that will be up to him when the time is right.” Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. Josh appears as a host on The Sun’s “Early Birds” podcast. Related Articles Will the Ravens bring back Humphrey or Likely? DeCosta explains. With ‘market-setting’ extension offer from Ravens, Tyler Linderbaum faces big decision Ravens GM Eric DeCosta ‘confident’ he can get deal done with Lamar Jackson Ravens live updates: Coverage from 2026 NFL scouting combine 5 biggest questions facing Ravens as NFL scouting combine kicks off View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Tuesday that he is “confident” that the team will be able to work out a contract extension with two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson, 29, has two years remaining on his current deal but is due to carry a prohibitive $74.5 million salary cap hit each of the next two seasons when the new league year opens March 11. An extension or adding void years to his current contract would lessen that hit significantly for Baltimore, which is also trying to re-sign center and impending free agent Tyler Linderbaum to a long-term, “market-setting” contract that it has offered to the three-time Pro Bowl selection. DeCosta also said that he has spoken with the often elusive Jackson on multiple occasions in recent weeks, though he declined to provide specifics of their talks. “Lamar and I have an agreement,” he said from the NFL scouting combine. “We handle business kind of in-house, internally. That worked well for us the last time, and we will continue to have that policy moving forward.” The last time the Ravens and Jackson, who does not have an agent, were in negotiations, talks dragged on for two years and included a trade request from the star before the two sides reached agreement on a five-year, $260 million contract hours ahead of the start of the 2023 NFL draft. That deal, at the time, made Jackson the highest-paid player in the sport. It is expected that he will get top money again this time around. A new deal would also free up around $30 million in cap space and keep Jackson in Baltimore for at least another few years. Though the clock is ticking on the start of the new league year, DeCosta also said that he does not expect the looming deadline to impede the organization’s ability to make other moves. “We never have as much cap room as we like to have,” he said. “But we feel like we can start at the beginning of the new league year to conduct business.” At the top of the list, of course, is signing Jackson to an extension, something that owner Steve Bisciotti said last month is a priority. “We want another window, and Lamar knows that,” Bisciotti said. “I think that he’s amenable to doing something that mirrors the last deal he did, although the annual number will be a little higher. But I’m hoping that it’s plug a new number in the same contract he signed last year and move on.” If the two sides can’t come to an agreement, the team can restructure Jackson’s current contract. Though that is not the preferred route, converting much of his $51.2 million salary into a signing bonus would free up necessary space, though that would increase his cap hit for 2027. Currently, Baltimore has about $13 million in effective cap space. Jackson is also coming off the worst season of his career and missed four games because of injuries. Related Articles Will the Ravens bring back Humphrey or Likely? DeCosta explains. With ‘market-setting’ extension offer from Ravens, Tyler Linderbaum faces big decision Ravens still in limbo with Nnamdi Madubuike, GM Eric DeCosta says Ravens live updates: Coverage from 2026 NFL scouting combine 5 biggest questions facing Ravens as NFL scouting combine kicks off The disappointing 8-9 season led to coach John Harbaugh being fired after 18 seasons and Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator and former Baltimore assistant Jesse Minter being hired. Jackson also spent more than an hour on a video call with new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, and DeCosta said that he has spoken with the quarterback about “a lot of different things” of late. “He’s been very engaged,” DeCosta said. “He was a big value to us in the coaching search.” Minter added that he and Jackson have been in contact since being hired, though he did not elaborate. “I think Lamar and I’s relationship, I’ll probably try to keep pretty private, but it is always ongoing and always trying to be in communication,” he said. “Like I said at the very beginning, it takes time to build the trust and the communication and the openness that you really want to create with all the players. So, I am always working towards that, but I love to see him put in the work.” Asked if he also prefers that Jackson be at voluntary organized team activities later this offseason after Doyle said recently that championship expectations essentially means championship attendance for the voluntary practices, DeCosta said that he isn’t concerned. “I think he knows what it takes to get ready for the grind of the NFL season,” he said. “He’s proven he can do it at a very, very high level.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The NFL offseason is heating up. Top decision-makers are in Indianapolis this week for the annual NFL scouting combine to evaluate the best prospects available in April’s draft. While the week serves as a first-hand look at the league’s future stars, it’s also an opportunity for fans to hear from coaches and executives. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta and new coach Jesse Minter are in Indianapolis and will meet with the media on Tuesday. Follow along here for The Baltimore Sun’s live coverage and analysis. View the full article

INDIANAPOLIS — The start of NFL free agency is a couple of weeks away, but much of the league’s maneuvering begins in earnest at this week’s scouting combine. Players slated to reach the open market are not allowed to formally hear from teams until March 9, with the new league year commencing March 11. Still, it is among the league’s worst-kept secrets that the next several days in hotel lobbies, meeting rooms and late-night dinners will shape future moves. For the Ravens, the offseason has already been active, beginning with the hiring of head coach Jesse Minter and the assembly of a new staff. Now, a different sort of frenetic tempo arrives. Baltimore has 19 unrestricted free agents, many of whom were starters or otherwise integral contributors last season. The Ravens currently have roughly $13 million in effective salary-cap space, per Over The Cap, and that won’t suffice if they hope to retain key pieces — most notably Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum — while also adding from outside the building. Looming over all of it is the contract status of two-time NFL Most Valuable Player quarterback Lamar Jackson, whose deal will almost certainly need to be restructured or extended to mitigate a prohibitive $74.5 million cap charge. That subject figures to be foremost when general manager Eric DeCosta meets with reporters Tuesday morning, followed by Minter at noon — though it will hardly be the only matter discussed. Here is a look at the major questions facing Baltimore this week. Lamar Jackson watch The good news for the Ravens is that Jackson, who notably represents himself, remains under contract for two more seasons. The complication is that the team almost certainly needs to extend him, or at minimum restructure the agreement. Owner Steve Bisciotti indicated last month that an extension would be preferable. Yet given the protracted negotiations that preceded the contract Jackson signed in 2023, a restructuring may prove the more immediate path. Adding void years would free a meaningful portion of cap space; a full extension could create even more flexibility. Although the combine offers teams a closer look at the next wave of players entering the league, the week is just as much about dialogue as teams try to chart their path forward — at least as much as they’re allowed to do within the boundaries of league rules. What about Tyler Linderbaum? Set to turn 26 in April and already a three-time Pro Bowl selection in four seasons, Linderbaum is Baltimore’s most pressing internal priority. DeCosta has expressed a desire to reach a long-term agreement with the former first-round pick, and Linderbaum has likewise said he would like to remain in Baltimore. Still, the calculus is not entirely straightforward — not when a player of his caliber would command top-of-the-market compensation of about $20 million annually, should he reach free agency. That said, the Ravens have navigated a similar situation before. Related Articles READER POLL: Which position should the Ravens prioritize in the NFL draft? Mike Preston: Pressure ramps up for Ravens GM Eric DeCosta | COMMENTARY 2026 NFL scouting combine preview: What Ravens fans need to know Ravens’ Isaiah Likely weighs future ahead of free agency: ‘This is business’ Mike Preston: New coordinator, new demands for Ravens’ Lamar Jackson | COMMENTARY A year ago, the team found itself in nearly the same position with left tackle Ronnie Stanley. The sides ultimately reached an agreement just before free agency began. Something comparable could unfold with Linderbaum, though his return may be slightly less certain after he acknowledged that he must weigh what is best for his family as well as his career. What to do about Marlon Humphrey? There’s no sugar-coating how much Humphrey, who will turn 30 in July, struggled last season. According to Next Gen Stats, he allowed more receiving yards (831) than any cornerback in the league. Teammate Nate Wiggins ranked second after yielding 810 yards, though he was only in his second season and possesses considerably more developmental upside. Humphrey presents a more complicated decision. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, practices and competes with intensity and provides institutional knowledge to a relatively young secondary that is also thin on established starters. Yet he is also scheduled to count more than $26 million against the cap next season. Designating him a post-June 1 release would clear a little over $19 million in space while leaving roughly $7 million in dead money. Like Jackson, Humphrey does not employ an agent. He also maintains a close relationship with DeCosta. Those circumstances could perhaps allow the two sides to arrive at a more palatable financial arrangement, but no matter what happens the Ravens will look to add to their cornerback room through the draft. The Ravens' Zay Flowers scores a touchdown against the Patriots this past season. Outside of Flowers, Baltimore has questions at the wide receiver position. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) What will they do at wide receiver? Three years ago, Baltimore used a first-round pick on Zay Flowers. Since then, he has emerged as the first receiver drafted by the franchise to earn multiple Pro Bowl selections while producing consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Beyond him, however, the depth chart is comparatively thin. Rashod Bateman remains under contract through 2029 but has previously sought a trade and is coming off a down season. DeAndre Hopkins and Tylan Wallace are both scheduled to reach free agency, while third-year receiver Devontez Walker continues to develop. Unsurprisingly, several mock drafts project the Ravens selecting another wide receiver in the first round. That would mark the third time since 2021. There is also the possibility of adding a pass catcher through free agency, though the class is underwhelming, or via trade. One name occasionally mentioned in trade speculation is disgruntled Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown. Biggest needs in the draft After finishing 8-9 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021, it became evident that Baltimore’s leadership believed several position groups had underachieved, if not regressed. Foremost among them were the offensive line — particularly at guard — and the pass rush. Jackson was sacked 36 times in just 12 games, the highest rate of his eight-year career. Defensively, Baltimore recorded only 30 sacks, the second-lowest total in the league. DeCosta is bullish that second-year guard Emery Jones Jr. can help stabilize the interior, and a first-round selection such as Penn State’s Vega Ioane would further fortify that area. As for a bona fide edge rusher, creating additional cap space could open the door to pursuing Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson. Or, perhaps DeCosta will explore trading for Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby. Any of those moves would signal a more assertive approach to reshaping the roster, a tack DeCosta has already suggested he might take. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The NFL draft is still two months away, but the prospects are getting a close look this week at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. The Ravens, who have the 14th pick, have plenty of needs and will be keeping tabs on all the position groups showing off this week. Which position should the Ravens prioritize in the NFL draft? We want to hear from you. After you vote, leave a comment and we might use your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article