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The last time the Ravens broke in a new head coach and three new coordinators at once, “Mr. Holland’s Opus” was near the top of the box office, and their current offensive coordinator, Declan Doyle, was still a month from being born. It was February 1996 and the NFL had just approved then-owner Art Modell’s move from Cleveland. Three decades later, the Ravens find themselves in a different kind of reset. How new coach Jesse Minter, 42, intends to manage so much change in an organization that has been principled on foundational consistency for three decades is the principal question. Minter of course knows that history well. He served as a defensive assistant here from 2017 to 2020. “There’s a great piece of being here before and understanding the foundation — understanding a lot of the history, understanding what this place has been built on,” he said Wednesday. “But I’ve also formulated some of my own ideas over the last few years. There’s a foundational way that the Ravens play that we need to play like, but I also think there’s a new age and a new way to do things.” New age, indeed. Minter wore a hoodie beneath his sport coat as he sat at a long table flanked to his left by special teams coordinator Anthony Levine Sr., Doyle and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. A bottle of water rested in front of each — a small but noticeable departure from the can of Diet Coke that had long accompanied John Harbaugh. As Minter assembled his first staff, he returned repeatedly to a handful of words: leaders, connectors, teachers. Schematic fluency mattered. So did presence. Among his 24 assistants are five who came directly from the college ranks. There is also Doyle, the youngest play-caller in the league, and Minter’s 71-year-old father, Rick — once Harbaugh’s boss eons ago at the University of Cincinnati. The range is deliberate. “You definitely look at, specifically, each side of the ball as a puzzle, making sure that Declan has his experiences and where he’s been. You want him to be surrounded by people that can help him do the job at the highest level, so there are a few [coaches] that maybe he’s worked with prior,” he said. “There are also a few that I have history with, and then there are different levels of experience, and there are different levels of guys that have been play-callers, passing game coordinators, all those different types of things that can really help support a younger, newer play caller that I felt like maybe I had as I was coming up as that type of position. “Then on defense, I was really looking for teachers, connectors, fundamentalists and how they’ll teach the guys how to play defense and what we expect, how to play defense like the Ravens need to play defense.” Experience, he suggested, was less about résumé than about resonance. The youth movement is impossible to ignore. Minter is just outside the league’s 10 youngest head coaches, but this is his first time as a head coach. Doyle is two months younger than quarterback Lamar Jackson. Weaver, passed over twice previously for the defensive coordinator job in Baltimore, is still just 45. Special teams coordinator Anthony Levine Sr., is a former player who has been a coach in the league since 2022 but is just 38. Defensive pass game coordinator Mike Mickens (Notre Dame), defensive line coach Lou Esposito (Michigan), outside linebackers coach Harland Bower (Duke) and safeties coach P.J. Volker (Navy) have never coached in the NFL, while assistant defensive backs coach Miles Taylor (Nebraska) had only a brief stint last year as a coaching fellow with the Los Angeles Chargers under Minter. Mickens (38), Bower (37) and Taylor (30) are all under 40. For Doyle, the age is less a liability than it is a bridge. “It actually is a little bit easier for me to connect with guys because we are the same age,” he said. “We grew up in the same world.” Doyle has, as he said, been “too young for every job” he has held. The lesson, as he sees it, is that authority flows less from seniority than from utility. “Knowledge is power,” he said. “If they feel like you can help them and they feel like you can help accelerate their career and our goals as a team, guys are willing to listen, guys are willing to be taught and to grow and to work together.” The template for this recalibration is familiar. Related Articles 3 takeaways from new Ravens coordinators, including ‘new age’ rebrand Josh Tolentino: Ravens special teams need their bite back | COMMENTARY Ravens OC Declan Doyle details Lamar Jackson call, vision for ‘explosive’ offense Ravens DC Anthony Weaver, passed over as head coach, has next best thing Mike Preston: For Ravens’ defense, boring is necessary | COMMENTARY Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin won a Super Bowl before 40. Rams coach Sean McVay was 30 when L.A. hired him and at 36 is the youngest coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl. Mike Macdonald, 38 and a former defensive coordinator for the Ravens, guided the Seattle Seahawks to the title this season. Coordinators such as Joe Brady, Kellen Moore, Kyle Shanahan and Klint Kubiak all held those roles in their 30s before going on to become head coaches. Put another way, teams have increasingly entrusted offenses, defenses — or the lead chair — to coaches who once might have had to wait. Minter had been contemplating his own version of that shift well before Baltimore called. Last year, as defensive coordinator of the Chargers, he studied offensive systems across the league, paying particular attention to what Ben Johnson built in Detroit, where he was the offensive coordinator before taking over as the Chicago Bears head coach this season. Doyle, though he never worked under Johnson before 2025, had interviewed with him in 2022 and came, Minter said, “very, very highly recommended.” “Age is just a number,” Minter said. “This is his eighth year in the National Football League. He’s worked his way up. I think he’s really well prepared for this opportunity.” The staff is also not exclusively young. Offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford, 49, held the same job with the Atlanta Falcons. Senior offensive assistant coach Joe Lombardi, 54, was the Denver Broncos’ offensive coordinator the past three seasons. Running backs coach Eddie Faulkner, 48, had been with the Steelers since 2019. Pass game coordinator Marcus Brady, who followed Minter from L.A., has been a coach in the league since 2018 and had stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. Tight ends coach Zack Grossi spent the past four seasons with the Broncos. Offensive quality control coach Patrick Kramer spent the past five years with the Falcons, while wide receivers coach Keary Colbert was with Denver the past three years. Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, left, and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver are two crucial members of Jesse Minter's initial staff. The group of coaches includes rising stars and proven veteran assistants. (Brian Krista/Staff) Levine, like Weaver, is a former player and is widely respected in the building, from players to executives. If the younger hires suggest a generational turn, the foundation remains seasoned. The central aim is cultural rather than chronological. “I think when they feel that it’s collaborative — when they feel that it’s ours and not just the coaches — that’s when you get the best version of everybody,” Minter said shortly after getting the job. Now that his staff is complete, the calendar also accelerates. The scouting combine looms. The offseason program begins in early April, followed by the draft at the end of it. There are voluntary workouts and training camp. The sprint, as Minter calls it, is already underway. “We’re on a sprint as a coaching staff up until April 6 to make sure that we’re ready for the players,” Minter said. “Then when they get here, it’s about creating an environment that they feel great about, that they feel like they’re becoming better, that they feel like they’re improving, they feel like they’re becoming the best version of themselves. “And then we certainly want to have everybody have high expectations from the outside. We want to build standards inside that match what we want the results to be. I think if we do that, we have a hungry group that is coming off of a year that they’re not as proud of as some of the previous seasons, and so there is a hunger amongst the players to get right back to work and hit the ground running.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Late Wednesday morning, Ravens coach Jesse Minter introduced the three coordinators who will lead his first NFL staff. Minter wore a black hoodie, gray blazer and an eager grin, proudly showing off the three prominent leaders of his 25-person staff, which he finalized in a matter of 21 days. “We’re on a sprint as a coaching staff up until April 6 to make sure that we’re ready for the players,” Minter said. Here are three takeaways from the coordinator introductions: Coaching staff is embracing ‘new age’ Ravens Executive vice president Ozzie Newsome started using the phrase in the mid-aughts. Former coach John Harbaugh wrapped his arms around it in 2008, his first year on the job. A year later, the team’s marketing department full-court pressed what has since evolved into a long-standing mantra for football in Baltimore. To “Play like a Raven,” legendary defensive tackle Haloti Ngata once said, means “being nasty and playing rough, tough football. … It’s a nastiness where you’re going to impose your will on teams.” Minter’s fingerprints will inevitably mark up these Ravens while, he said, maintaining the integrity of those who built a reputation before him. But he wasn’t afraid to embrace change. He twice referenced a “new age” rebrand of what it means to play like a Raven. “There’s a foundational way that the Ravens play that we need to play like, but I also think that there’s a new age and a new way to do things, and that’s the reason we’re all sitting up here,” Minter said. “Change can be embraced, change can energize people, and so we really look forward to it. I think it’ll be up to everybody watching us to see what’s different about it. Not necessarily us, but everybody [will be] watching to determine what maybe the differences are.” This was a pressing question from the moment owner Steve Bisciotti fired Harbaugh. Would they steer into a completely new direction? Or might they promote someone with close ties to the organization and stay on the same course that has blocked them from football’s ultimate prize? With Minter, it seems they’ve struck a balance. With his staff, he’s maintaining the credibility of folks who have walked the hallways in Owings Mills, rounded out by coaches from different backgrounds who check specific football and relational boxes. Minter solved his coaching staff puzzle “irrelevant of pro experience, college experience or years of experience.” His staff represents what they’re calling a “new age” of what it means to play like a Raven. What that looks like will become more apparent once they get on the field together. Doyle has no fear about being a first-time play-caller Three hours before every NFL game Doyle has been a part of — as a quality control coach in New Orleans, tight ends coach in Denver then non-play-calling offensive coordinator in Chicago — he stepped onto the turf by himself. There, he’d walk up and down the field simulating four offensive drives in his mind. “I knew that the first time I was going to call plays probably wasn’t going to be in a smaller setting,” Doyle said. “It was probably going to be with the bright lights. I felt like I needed to prepare for that early. So, in that way, I’ve kind of been preparing just to be able to call it and kind of how your mind works.” Cheesy? Perhaps. Did it help? We’ll find out. Doyle is 29 years old, the same age as Lamar Jackson — a fact that is sure to be rehashed ad nauseam. In Chicago, he was the offensive coordinator under NFL Coach of the Year finalist, Ben Johnson. Now, he’ll call plays for what was an historically great offense just two seasons ago. Doyle wasn’t timid about these new responsibilities. Related Articles How Ravens’ Jesse Minter assembled his staff: ‘Each side of the ball as a puzzle’ Josh Tolentino: Ravens special teams need their bite back | COMMENTARY Ravens OC Declan Doyle details Lamar Jackson call, vision for ‘explosive’ offense Ravens DC Anthony Weaver, passed over as head coach, has next best thing Mike Preston: For Ravens’ defense, boring is necessary | COMMENTARY For one, he said they’re in the early stages of “really stripping this [offense] down to the studs and then rebuilding it around the personnel that we have here.” That starts with Jackson, the quintessential dual-threat quarterback who Doyle praised for having Superman-like qualities. Doyle has every intention of utilizing Jackson’s mastery to chase explosive plays. And he won’t shy away from the kind of trickery that became a regular part of Johnson’s Bears offense. Doyle has three nonnegotiables: “that we are physical, we are detailed and we are explosive.” He side-stepped any analysis of the 2025 offense, which struggled to consistently find its footing, but referenced Baltimore’s 2024 group — the first in NFL history to eclipse 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a single season — as “something to be reckoned with” and the kind of success they’ll chase. That starts in optional team activities. Two years in a row, Jackson has forfeited $750,000 by failing to attend at least 80% of the team’s voluntary workouts. That clause is etched into the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player’s contract through 2027. He’s seemingly ignored it. Doyle did not directly mention Jackson, but in his first meeting with local reporters, he said he “expects” players to be there. He didn’t bite his tongue about why. “If you want to say that you’re going to win a championship, you want to say that you have championship standards, and those are your goals and your expectations,” Doyle said, “certainly that’s going to take work, that’s going to take collaboration, and that’s going to take the beginning of building the relationship with their coaches and other players starting off this next regime on the right foot.” For Weaver, Ravens DC is ‘hardly a consolation prize’ There were 10 NFL head coach vacancies. Weaver interviewed for five of them, including the Ravens. All five passed over the former Dolphins defensive coordinator. So Minter called him, with a proposition of returning to coach the team that drafted him and helping re-establish a dominant Ravens defense. Weaver admitted he was disappointed to not get a head job this cycle. It made him take stock of his own priorities. He looked in the mirror and asked himself why he was still coaching. The answer was simple: to hoist a Lombardi Trophy and to help players get the most out of their careers. “I don’t need to be a head coach to do that,” he said. “I can certainly do that from this seat.” Ravens defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, shown at Wednesday's news conference, admitted to having some disappointment about not being named a head coach during this offseason's hiring cycle. (Brian Krista/Staff) Furthermore, Weaver’s perception of the Ravens’ defensive coordinator opening, even without being a play-caller, is a more prestigious role than most other coordinator jobs around the league. That’s because he played for the kind of teams contemporary players revered, and he helped coach the most recent example of a Ravens defense atop the NFL. With this job, he said, “you’re the dude.” Even though Minter will call the plays, he and Weaver have already talked at length about what’s needed in that room. Minter wants a defensive coordinator who can lead men through brick walls and someone to articulate scheme and buy into the selfless role of building a championship contender. He found Weaver. And despite the disappointment of being passed over by several NFL teams, Weaver found Minter. To him, coaching the Ravens is “hardly a consolation prize.” 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

Anthony Levine Sr. sat at the podium Wednesday morning in Owings Mills, dressed in a black suit and checkered button-up with a pair of diamond earrings, as cameras flashed and shuttered. Alongside his coaching peers Declan Doyle and Anthony Weaver, Levine was formally introduced by coach Jesse Minter as the Ravens’ new special teams coordinator. But Minter didn’t stop at the title. “I just picture him as the face of Baltimore special teams,” the first-year coach said of Levine. For a franchise that has built championships on electric special teams moments, Minter’s descriptor set a lofty bar. From Jermaine Lewis racing down the sideline in Super Bowl XXXV to the late Jacoby Jones sprinting 108 yards in Super Bowl XLVII, special teams has served a foundational role in the organization’s biggest moments. Even former head coach John Harbaugh cut his teeth as a special teams guru, a reminder that the third phase is entrenched to the franchise’s DNA. Former general manager and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome used to tell young players the same thing Levine recalled Wednesday: “I pay you to make plays on special teams, so I expect you to make plays on special teams.” “That right there told me off the muscle that I better start making plays on special teams, and we know that,” Levine said. “We know special teams is not just, ‘Go out there, and just play special teams.’ …We are here to make sure that we impact the game in a positive way.” The Ravens are hoping Levine can carry and lift that standard as the 38-year-old replaces his predecessor Chris Horton, who followed Harbaugh to New York. Last season, the Ravens ranked 18th in the NFL in special teams EPA, according to TruMedia, which factors expected success in kickoffs, punts, field goal attempts and two-point attempts. Overall, Baltimore was functional, but not an elite group. There were highlights and lowlights scattered across the 2025 campaign that saw the Ravens finish 8-9, including a franchise-worst 3-6 mark at M&T Bank Stadium. Punter Jordan Stout, a pending free agent, delivered a career year, leading the NFL with a 44.9-yard net average. He placed 24 punts inside the 20-yard line with just six touchbacks. He earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors and climbed from 19th to fifth in Puntalytics’ annual rankings. Rookie kicker Tyler Loop made 88.2% (30 of 34) of his field goal attempts, but faltered under the brightest lights. His missed kick during the regular-season finale sealed Baltimore’s (and Harbaugh’s) fate and helped send Pittsburgh to the postseason. Loop also posted a league-worst eight kickoff infractions. Featured punt returner LaJohntay Wester flashed with his 12.4-yard punt return average, which ranked 10th in the NFL and more than two yards above the league average. The rookie wide receiver’s ceiling was visible, especially when he chose to be a vertical runner. But then came his muff inside the 10-yard line against Cleveland in Week 11. The mistake marked consecutive weeks with fumbles, stalled his momentum and his confidence dipped. Between Weeks 12 to 18, Wester registered just four additional punt returns for 25 yards. Can Wester shake off the nerves from Year 1 and evolve into a true dynamite in his incoming sophomore campaign? Related Articles Ravens OC Declan Doyle details Lamar Jackson call, vision for ‘explosive’ offense Ravens DC Anthony Weaver, passed over as head coach, has next best thing Mike Preston: For Ravens’ defense, boring is necessary | COMMENTARY After former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis’ pardon, Olszewski’s reform plan gains support READER POLL: How do you grade the Orioles’ offseason moves? Across the board, the Ravens had a whopping 42 missed tackles on special teams, according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked 28th in the NFL and last in the AFC North. In comparison, first-place Pittsburgh had just 20 special-teams missed tackles. Will Levine help restore the unit’s bite? He at least understands the magnitude of playing special teams because he filled those cleats for a decade, starring with the Ravens between 2012 and 2021. He prolonged his career for his performance on coverage units and earned the nickname “Co-Cap” for the way teammates responded to his voice. About that voice … fans can certainly get used to hearing more of Levine. During my first year covering the Ravens, Levine, an assistant special teams coach last season, was one of the most audible coaches on the practice field. He often barked instructions and demanded excellence from players under his watch, unfazed by nearby onlookers. His coaching style has led to excellent relationships away from the field. On Tuesday night, Levine received a phone call from rookie Keondre Jackson, who flew in from his native Freeport, Illinois, to attend the news conference and support one of his biggest mentors in Levine. Jackson, a former undrafted free agent out of Illinois State, earned his elevations and eventual promotion from the practice squad to the active roster last season largely because of his effort on special teams. Despite playing in just 12 games, Jackson led the Ravens with 13 special teams tackles. “That speaks [to] the volume of the type of players that we have and the type of connection that I have with these guys,” Levine said. “They understand the standard, they understand the culture. Chris [Horton] did a great job of always putting me in front of the room. [With] my leadership style, the way I interact with them, the way I challenge them [and] the way we hold each other accountable. … These guys, they respect me. “We don’t talk a lot about how much I did when I played, because it’s not about what I did when I played. It’s more about them, and it’s more about me being able to teach them to go out there and be productive and have a great career that they want to have.” Ravens coach Jesse Minter said Wednesday he views Anthony Levine Sr. as "the face" of Baltimore special teams. (Brian Krista/Staff) Levine also boasts a unique advantage given that he played for Minter during Minter’s first stint in Baltimore. Minter rose from defensive assistant to defensive backs coach during his four seasons (2017 to 2020), all of which overlapped with Levine. “He’s earned this position,” Minter said of Levine. “This isn’t like he was just handed this position; he’s earned the right to be in this position, and he’ll be a great leader for our special teams. Again, [he is] a connector, a relationship builder. I couldn’t be more excited. [Levine, Doyle and Weaver] will help us create the vision of what we want the team to be like, and how we want to play.” Calling Levine the face of special teams does not guarantee a return to dominance, and like his coordinator peers Weaver and Doyle, he is not being asked to reinvent the standard. Newsome once told Levine he was paid and expected to make plays on special teams. Now Levine is responsible for drilling that message and making his unit consistently dominant. 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

As 29-year-old Declan Doyle interviewed to become the Ravens’ new offensive coordinator, he spent more than an hour on Zoom with quarterback Lamar Jackson. It was less formal than a calibration. They discussed the architecture of an offense — what it should feel like, how it should stress a defense, where it might bend without breaking. Doyle, two months younger than the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, wanted to know whether they were “compatible.” They have traded a few text messages since. “I am certainly very excited about the caliber of player he is,” Doyle said Wednesday in Owings Mills, where he was introduced alongside new defensive and special teams coordinators Anthony Weaver and Anthony Levine Sr. “His willingness to listen, his hunger to learn, his hunger to grow. He’s a guy with a growth mindset.” In Baltimore, as Jackson goes, so go the Ravens. And now Doyle — who will be the league’s youngest play-caller, ascending after a season as the offensive coordinator in Chicago under head coach Ben Johnson, who handled the play-calling — has been tasked with restoring the offense to its recent heights if not surpassing them. Two years ago, Baltimore became the first team in league history to amass 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in the same season; the year before that, Jackson claimed his second MVP after posting career highs in touchdown passes (41) and passing yards (4,172) Doyle apprenticed under offensive wizzes Johnson and Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton. Now, under first-year head coach Jesse Minter – who replaced John Harbaugh after 18 seasons – Doyle says he is “actively chasing” a return to that earlier form. He describes his offensive vision with three adjectives: physical, detailed, explosive. “Those are three things we want to hang our hat on,” he said. The phrasing is familiar; the implementation, he insists will not be. They are “stripping this down to the studs,” then rebuilding around the personnel. A construction metaphor, yes, but in Doyle’s case it has some biographical symmetry. As a toddler, he napped beneath the bleachers at Kinnick Stadium at Iowa, where his father, Chris, served as the longtime strength and conditioning coach. At five, he drew plays at the kitchen table. He briefly flirted with another life — he captained the baseball team at Iowa Western Community College — but coaching was gravitational and he transferred to Iowa his sophomore year and became a student assistant for the football team in 2016. The tight end room that season included George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant. While Doyle’s father’s career effectively came to an end four years later amid accusations of racism and bullying that led to a separation agreement with the university, his son’s was just taking off. By 2019, Payton had hired him as an offensive assistant in New Orleans, where Drew Brees was the quarterback. The tight ends coach on the team at the time was also current Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell. Three years later, Doyle interviewed for the Lions’ tight ends coach opening. Johnson, then offensive coordinator, ended up going with Tanner Engstrand, who was 14 years older and more experienced, but the two remained in touch. Related Articles Ravens DC Anthony Weaver, passed over as head coach, has next best thing Mike Preston: For Ravens’ defense, boring is necessary | COMMENTARY After former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis’ pardon, Olszewski’s reform plan gains support READER POLL: How do you grade the Orioles’ offseason moves? Ex-Ravens DC Zach Orr reportedly joining Seahawks, Mike Macdonald When Payton re-emerged in Denver in 2023, he brought Doyle with him to be his tight ends coach. Two years after that, Johnson called back, this time to be his offensive coordinator in Chicago, where Johnson called the plays but Doyle was charged with game-planning and running meetings, among other duties, and to be the go-between for a seamless transition when Johnson had to tend to head coaching matters. Never mind that Doyle was younger than most of the players he was coaching. “When I learned his age, I was like, ‘That makes no sense,'” Broncos tight end Adam Trautman told Yahoo Sports last year. “It was like, ‘Show me your birth certificate, dude. Because that’s bulls—.’ Holy crap.” In Baltimore, Doyle considers that proximity in age to his players an advantage. “We grew up in the same world,” he said. He has, by his accounting, always been the youngest in the room. “What I’ve noticed is it really doesn’t matter. Knowledge is power.” Doyle’s preparation, like that of his players, also borders on ritual. Three hours before kickoff. he walks the field alone and scripts four imaginary drives in his mind. He began the practice in 2019, suspecting that his first opportunity to call plays would arrive not in some low-stakes environment but beneath bright lights. Better to have been there before. Doyle, whose two brothers work for the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets, also doesn’t see a lack of experience that others might. “I’ve been preparing for it for a long time,” he said. “Yes you are calling a play on game day, but the prep during the week is where the work exists.” Minter could see the depths and Doyle’s talents, too. A defensive coach by trade, Minter had studied offensive systems while exploring coaching opportunities last offseason. Johnson’s unit in Detroit surfaced; so did Doyle’s name. “He’s a connector,” Minter said. “A collaborator. Creative. We see football the same way.” In a building recalibrating after Harbaugh’s departure and the ascension of former coordinator Todd Monken to the Cleveland Browns head coach job, alignment is paramount. Jackson, for his part, is coming off the most uneven season of his career — injuries, four missed games, an offense that regressed. Doyle has immersed himself in the tape. What he sees is brilliance and margin. Jackson, he noted, forces defenses to defend two plays: the one called in the huddle and the one improvised when structure dissolves. The first, Doyle suggested carefully, “can be more consistent at times with his eyes, with his footwork, within the system.” Doyle spoke often of relationships and dialogue, too, including sitting down with Jackson to assemble the “full picture,” because “once you start to be able to have that dialogue that’s where progress exists.” The work will begin in earnest at voluntary organized team activities this spring. Doyle did not equivocate. Championship standards, he implied, require championship attendance. “We would expect them to be here,” he said. That expectation extends, of course, to Jackson. He has already proven to be perhaps the sport’s best player when at his zenith. Doyle’s job is to help him find it again – if not exceed it. “He’s played at a really high level,” Doyle said. “And still, I think he wants to continue to work and feels like he can get better. We’re excited to chase that with him.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, right, says he's excited to work with Lamar Jackson in 2026. Doyle enters his first season as a play-caller with lofty expectations. (Brian Krista/Staff) View the full article

In spring 2002, the Ravens used a second-round draft pick on a defensive end from Notre Dame. As Anthony Weaver recalled, he showed up to training camp his rookie year and was handed a team-issued T-shirt with a prominent logo and forthright message. Better to be feared than loved. Weaver joined the Ravens two seasons removed from the organization’s first Super Bowl. Defense defined those turn-of-the-century teams. Two decades later, from 2021 to 2023, Weaver returned to Baltimore to help construct another period of stellar defenses as a defensive line coach. So when contemporary players spent the past two seasons waxing about a return to playing like those “feared” Ravens defenses, Weaver, the team’s new defensive coordinator, knows what that can and should look like. “It looks like a pack of wolves,” he said. “Like we have 13 guys out there.” In trying to articulate his defense, which will be an extension of first-year coach Jesse Minter’s vision, considering that Minter will call the plays, Weaver’s mind zipped back nearly a quarter-century to that T-shirt he got as a rookie. That’s a major reason Minter hired him. “He knows what it means to be a Raven,” Minter said. “That was a huge piece of it. But most importantly — more so than his experience here, more so than his experience in Miami, or wherever … I don’t think there’s anybody that will get more out of our guys than him.” That’s the quintessential task for those overseeing this Ravens defense. Can they rediscover what was once among the best units in football? The Ravens finished 2025 ranked 24th in the NFL, which was only the third time in 25 years it finished the year in the bottom half of the league. Can Weaver pull them up by their bootstraps? He was asked pointedly about Baltimore’s troubling pass rush, which ranked 31st in sack percentage, and any conclusions he’s drawn from rehashing film of an inconsistent secondary that allowed more explosive plays than half the league. Weaver smiled at the two-parter and bowed his head. “We certainly have rushers, right?” Weaver said. Without All-Pro Nnamdi Madubuike up front, Weaver said, the Ravens struggled to get hands on the quarterback. That’s a fair explanation, but also an acknowledgment that the group never consistently recovered from Madubuike’s neck injury in Week 2. The next name out of Weaver’s mouth, thinking about players who can get into the backfield, was All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton — another indictment on last year’s shortcomings. A follow-up: Does that mean the Ravens could use their No. 14 draft pick on a defensive lineman? Related Articles Mike Preston: For Ravens’ defense, boring is necessary | COMMENTARY After former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis’ pardon, Olszewski’s reform plan gains support READER POLL: How do you grade the Orioles’ offseason moves? Ex-Ravens DC Zach Orr reportedly joining Seahawks, Mike Macdonald Ex-Ravens coach John Harbaugh on President Donald Trump’s support: ‘Crazy’ “You’ll have to watch the draft and find out,” Minter laughed. Weaver chimed in, “That’s above my pay grade.” General manager Eric DeCosta will have the final say on personnel. However, it will be up to those two to maximize the roster. Minter’s game planning helped turn around the Chargers’ defense from worst in the NFL in 2024 to among the league’s elite in 2025. In Baltimore, he won’t be so hands-on inside that meeting room, so he’s leaning on Weaver. They’ve run similar schemes at previous stops and share foundational priorities of relationship building. Although they didn’t overlap, both have previous coaching experience in Baltimore. Both know what it means to be a Raven. So in Minter’s eyes, both are equipped to lead the “rebrand” and “new age” of that time-honored slogan. In 2024, former Ravens coach John Harbaugh hired Zach Orr as his defensive coordinator over Weaver. So Weaver took a job with the Dolphins to “show I can lead a defense again as a coordinator.” Weaver elicited uneven results in Miami. In 2024, the Dolphins finished inside the top 10 in both yards and points allowed. They regressed as a unit this past season amid what was a fraught year. Still, Weaver was a respected candidate during this whirlwind coaching cycle. He interviewed for half of the league’s 10 head coaching vacancies. One of them was the Ravens. He flew to Baltimore for a second-round, in-person meeting. All five passed over Weaver in a year the NFL went without hiring a Black head coach. Not receiving that call was disappointing, Weaver admitted. But a homecoming is “hardly a consolation prize,” he said. When Weaver realized he wouldn’t be an NFL head coach this fall, he said he took a step back to recalibrate. He thought about the idea of leaving sunny Miami for a Super Bowl contender. He thought about how, in Week 14 of this past season, the Ravens brought back players from their 2000 Super Bowl-winning team to celebrate the 25th anniversary. “I want that,” he said. “I want to be a part of that.” And Weaver’s ultimate goal, he said, is to help the players reach their full potential. “I don’t need to be a head coach to do that. I can certainly do that from this seat,” he explained. The job in question, being back with the team that drafted him and an organization he has familiarity with, helped too. In his mind, being the defensive coordinator for the Ravens is like being the face of defensive coordinators in the NFL. “Like, you’re the dude,” he said. That perception is a credit to the kind of defenses Weaver played for and later coached in Baltimore. Now, for a talented defense that lost its way, Weaver is in charge of making sure they’re feared, not loved. 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

First-year head coach Jesse Minter attended his news conference in tennis shoes, a slightly grey and beige sports coat, tennis shoes and a hooded shirt. The new wave has arrived at The Castle. Minter, 42, was in Owings Mills on Wednesday to introduce his three coordinators in Declan Doyle (offense), 29, Anthony Weaver (defense), 45, and Anthony Levine Sr. (special teams), 38. Minter, of course, talked about the basics of returning the Ravens into an old-guard team built on being physical, executing and hungry after a year of disappointment. The more interesting question was if Weaver could turn this defense into one of the most physical teams that dominated in the early part of the century? Minter, though, was prepared for the trick questions when asked about his draft preference. “I guess you just have to tune in,” Minter said, smiling. There have been numerous draft projections with the Ravens taking a wide receiver at No. 14 overall in the first round, but that’s ridiculous. The Ravens need some beef on both interior lines, so they can’t go wrong with an offensive or defensive lineman. But unless it’s Jonathan Ogden, who was taken with the No. 4 overall pick in 1996, the Ravens need to find a defensive lineman and edge rusher. There are a lot of them available, like Texas Tech’s David Bailey, Miami’s Reuben Bain Jr., or Ohio State’s Arvell Reese coming off the edge, or maybe an interior defensive lineman like Clemson’s Peter Woods, Florida’s Caleb Banks or Georgia’s Christen Miller. On Wednesday, Weaver was full of coach speak. He talked about all the weapons the Ravens had in the secondary, like cornerback Nate Wiggins and safety Kyle Hamilton. He said nice things about the Ravens’ pass rush from a year ago that produced only 30 sacks. By the time the news conference was over, it was as if the Ravens suddenly had Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor on the roster. “We certainly have rushers, right?” Weaver said. “I think it took a hit with losing Nnamdi Madubuike. I think we all know the effect of losing him had on this defense, but from a talent standpoint, we certainly have some dudes that can get there.” Where? Now, put all jokes aside and let’s be serious. The Ravens were 29th in pressure with a success rate of 32.1%. They were 18th in points allowed at 23.4 and 23rd in yards (348 per game). They were ranked 31st in pass defense, allowing 247.9 yards a game and nearly led the NFL by squandering 46 fourth-quarter leads under former coach John Harbaugh. If I were Madubuike, I’d retire instead of playing with any form of a neck injury. It’s just common sense. It was more interesting that Weaver talked about the basics. It was boring stuff, like getting off blocks and all 11 players running to the ball. But that happens when a defense becomes great, like Weaver when he was drafted by the Ravens in the second round in 2002, and he played next to defensive lineman Kelly Gregg and linebackers Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, Adalius Thomas and Peter Boulware. The Ravens excelled in run defense. They got penetration off the snap of the ball. No offense to former Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, but the Ravens were lost in the fourth quarter against strong passing teams. Regardless of what anyone says about building a team around a quarterback, it’s defense that wins games. There is talk around town about adding another receiver, but the Ravens have tried that before with veterans like DeAndre Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr. It didn’t work out. Related Articles After former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis’ pardon, Olszewski’s reform plan gains support READER POLL: How do you grade the Orioles’ offseason moves? Ex-Ravens DC Zach Orr reportedly joining Seahawks, Mike Macdonald Ex-Ravens coach John Harbaugh on President Donald Trump’s support: ‘Crazy’ NFL wins grievance against the players’ union, banning ‘team report cards’ Also, please stop the noise about adding Marquise “Hollywood” Brown through free agency. The Ravens don’t need another small receiver who falls quickly or runs out of bounds after a reception. If the Ravens draft a receiver, at least make it a big No. 1 receiver type on the outside. As always, it’s back to defense. Just look at the past two Super Bowls. A few weeks ago, Seattle pounded the New England Patriots, 29-13, as quarterback Drake Maye completed 27 of 43 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown. He was sacked six times, most of those from Seattle’s front four. The previous year, Philadelphia beat Kansas City, 40-22, in the Super Bowl as quarterback Patrick Mahomes was sacked six times, again most of those from the Eagles’ front four. If a team can’t score, it can’t win, and that’s a sound philosophy. That’s why it’s good to have Weaver back on the coaching staff, even though he did get beat out by Orr for the job two years ago. He understands the way this team has been built through the years, and the Ravens always did it through the draft. It was notable how Minter described former Ravens and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh going from zero sacks in his first five games with the Ravens to seven once he was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers in early October this past season. “We just simplified things,” Minter said. It should work again in Baltimore. Just make it simple and play great defense. It has worked for the Eagles and the Seahawks the past two years. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. Ravens defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, shown at Wednesday's news conference, wants his Baltimore defense to handle the basics well. (Brian Krista/Staff) View the full article

WASHINGTON — The Ravens flock rejoiced when former running back Jamal Lewis received a pardon from President Donald Trump. But Rep. Johnny Olszewski Jr. instead saw another example of why the pardon process needs reform. “Anytime where what was meant to be a tool of justice and mercy gets perverted into something that rewards just the rich and powerful, it demands that we do something about it,” Olszewski, a Democrat representing Baltimore and Carroll counties, told The Baltimore Sun on Tuesday. Olszewski, a devout Ravens fan, didn’t take issue with Lewis’ pardon, specifically. But he saw a continued theme of the rich, the powerful and the prominent benefiting from the president’s pardon power — a problem that has existed through several presidencies, he said. It’s why the freshman lawmaker introduced a constitutional amendment that would give a supermajority of Congress the power to overturn presidential pardons. His effort gained an important supporter this week: Republican Rep. Don Bacon. “Don Bacon and I share the notion that no one should be above the law in our country and that upholding our justice system and the rule of law is not a partisan issue,” Olszewski said. “We should not allow examples where the elite, the wealthy, and the well-connected are allowed to avoid accountability while the rest of us are left behind.” As a moderate who has frequently split with the president, Bacon gives the amendment an advocate on the right. “Frankly, it is clear to me the pardon authority has been abused,” Bacon, of Nebraska, said in a statement. “I’m pleased to cosponsor Rep. Olszewski’s Pardon Integrity Act, a constitutional amendment that establishes a narrow, commonsense guardrail that preserves the pardon power while ensuring Congress can fulfill its constitutional role to provide accountability and uphold the rule of law.” Pardons are the responsibility of the president, as enshrined in the Constitution. But that authority has been under the microscope since the end of President Joe Biden’s administration, when he pardoned his son, Hunter Biden. Hunter was convicted on federal charges of lying when purchasing a gun and pleaded guilty to multiple tax offenses in 2024. Biden said in June of that year that he wouldn’t pardon his son. The scrutiny intensified when Trump pardoned over 1,500 people connected to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Dozens had criminal records. One was arrested last August on charges of child abuse. He was convicted on Feb. 11 and faces life in prison. The president also commuted and pardoned a string of high-profile cases involving people who were convicted of white-collar crimes. Among them were former Rep. George Santos, who was convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft and Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance. Zhao served prison time after failing to stop criminals from using the platform to move money connected to crimes. He was also a supporter of the Trump family’s cryptocurrency endeavors. The administration’s merciful disposition toward white-collar criminals has forgiven about $1.56 billion in financial penalties, according to Liz Oyer, the former United States Pardon Attorney under Biden. Trump also pardoned former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández. In 2024, Hernández was sentenced to 45 years in prison for taking part in a drug trafficking operation that flooded America with hundreds of tons of cocaine. Have a news tip? Contact Ben Mause at bmause@baltsun.com. View the full article

Spring training is fully underway for the Orioles in Sarasota, Florida. They look much different from last season, thanks to the addition of first baseman Pete Alonso, outfielder Taylor Ward, and starting pitchers Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt. How do you grade the Orioles’ offseason moves? 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

Former Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr is joining Mike Macdonald and the reigning Super Bowl champions in Seattle, according to multiple reports. Orr, who led Baltimore’s defense to mixed results in 2024 and 2025, will coach Seattle’s inside linebackers. Orr held that same role in Baltimore under Macdonald in 2022 and 2023 before being promoted to defensive coordinator when Macdonald took the Seahawks’ head coaching position. “Baltimore it’s always love from my end,” Orr posted on X on Friday. “Although the last couple years we did not achieve our goals that we set out to achieve, I will choose to cherish the brotherhood, fellow coaches, players making plays, division title, playoff win,etc!” Baltimore’s defense struggled to begin 2024 but finished the season strong and helped the franchise make the AFC divisional round and win the AFC North. The results weren’t as good in 2025, as early woes continued throughout the 17-game slate. Baltimore allowed 354.5 yards per game, the ninth worst mark in the NFL. Key injuries hurt the unit, namely Nnamdi Madubuike’s neck injury that ended his season after two games. Without the defensive tackle, Baltimore’s defense struggled to create pressure. The Ravens finished the season with 30 sacks, with only the Jets (26) and Cardinals (20) recording fewer. The lack of pressure spotlighted an inconsistent secondary, as teams picked on cornerback Marlon Humphrey and others to average 247.9 passing yards per game. Only two teams (the Colts and Cowboys) allowed more passing yards per contest. After the Ravens finished 8-9, they fired coach John Harbaugh in early January. He was replaced by Jesse Minter. While Baltimore’s new coach overlapped with Orr in Baltimore as assistants from 2017 to 2020, Minter didn’t opt to keep Orr on his staff. He named Anthony Weaver his defensive coordinator, and Tyler Santucci will coach the team’s inside linebackers. Minter will call the team’s defensive plays in 2026, with Weaver helping with game plans, strategy and other duties. Orr also didn’t follow Harbaugh to New York. Harbaugh named Dennard Wilson as his new defensive coordinator, and Frank Bush will coach New York’s inside linebackers. Before joining Seattle, Orr interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers to be the defensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh and also interviewed for a position with the Cowboys. He had also been requested to interview for the Raiders’ DC job. Orr’s ties to Baltimore run deep, as he played for Baltimore from 2014 to 2016 before a spinal condition cut his career short, but Seattle is an ideal landing spot for him. Orr will work directly with Macdonald, a rising coaching star fresh off a Super Bowl victory. Orr, 33, has plenty of time to revive his coaching career and potentially make his way back into a coordinator position in future seasons. Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. Related Articles Ex-Ravens coach John Harbaugh on President Donald Trump’s support: ‘Crazy’ NFL wins grievance against the players’ union, banning ‘team report cards’ Former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis on presidential pardon, Hall of Fame chances The Sun’s ‘Early Birds’ podcast debuts to kick off Orioles spring training ‘I left a mark’: Where does the Ravens’ 2025 rookie class go from here? View the full article

Shortly after the Ravens fired John Harbaugh in January, President Donald Trump posted on social media encouraging NFL teams to hire the longtime Baltimore leader. “HIRE JOHN HARBAUGH, FAST. HE, AND HIS BROTHER, ARE TOTAL WINNERS!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social. Harbaugh, now the coach of the New York Giants, addressed the president’s support Friday during a 25-minute interview with Fox News. “It did surprise me,” Harbaugh said of the social post. “It was crazy. All the sudden, bing, bing, bing, my phone starts going off and there it is. “It just goes to show how blessed we are to do something like this. That he even knows who you are, it’s crazy to me.” Trump’s support of Harbaugh came several months after Harbaugh visited the White House in July. Harbaugh discussed his visit during summer media availability and was asked about visiting with Trump, who called Baltimore a “disgusting” city in 2019. Harbaugh took issue with the framing of the question and mentioned that he’s visited with several presidents across different political parties during his life, including Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Ronald Reagan. “I root for our president,” Harbaugh said in July. “I want our president to be successful, just like I want my quarterback to be successful and I want my team to be successful.” Harbaugh was hired rather quickly this offseason, as Trump suggested. The coach said earlier this week on an episode of the BMore Football Podcast that he considered other coaching vacancies but ultimately chose the Giants. New York made an intense push to land Harbaugh, who was widely considered a top candidate for openings this coaching cycle. “They’re good recruiters,” Harbaugh said. “I’ve got to hand it to them. They don’t take no for an answer. It was a great process.” The Ravens replaced Harbaugh with Jesse Minter, a 42-year-old coach who most recently led the Chargers’ defense under Jim Harbaugh. Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. Related Articles Ex-Ravens DC Zach Orr reportedly joining Seahawks, Mike Macdonald NFL wins grievance against the players’ union, banning ‘team report cards’ Former Ravens RB Jamal Lewis on presidential pardon, Hall of Fame chances The Sun’s ‘Early Birds’ podcast debuts to kick off Orioles spring training ‘I left a mark’: Where does the Ravens’ 2025 rookie class go from here? View the full article

An arbitrator determined the NFL Players Association violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL by distributing annual “team report cards” and ordered the union to stop making public any future reports. The NFL informed teams of the decision on Friday. “We are pleased with the decision from the arbitrator, upholding the parties’ collective bargaining agreement and prohibiting the NFLPA from disparaging our clubs and individuals through ‘report cards’ allegedly based on data and methodologies that it has steadfastly refused to disclose,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement. “We remain committed to working in partnership with the NFLPA and an independent survey company to develop and administer a scientifically valid survey to solicit accurate and reliable player feedback as the parties agreed in the CBA.” In a memo sent to the 32 teams, NFL attorneys said the NFLPA’s witness and counsel at a hearing characterized the report cards as “union speech” and admitted that: the union “cherry-picked” topics and player responses to include or not in the report cards; players had no role in drafting the commentary; the union selected which anonymous player quotes to include or exclude and the union determined the weight to give each topic and the resulting impact on the alphabetical grades. “The arbitrator did not find that the union’s independent survey necessarily conflicts with its obligation to conduct a joint specific survey of players’ opinions regarding the adequacy of medical care under the CBA,” the league said in its memo to teams. “Therefore, the Management Council will continue to work with the NFLPA to design and conduct such a survey in the coming seasons.” View the full article

Former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis received the phone call Thursday night from Alice Marie Johnson, President Donald Trump’s “pardon czar” Lewis said she graciously told him around 8 p.m. that all the charges from his 2004 drug conspiracy case had been dropped. Lewis eventually pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and using a cellphone in the commission the drug sale. Trump granted four other pardons to four other NFL players: Joe Klecko, Nat Newton, Travis Henry and the late Dr. Billy Cannon. “There is a certain amount of freedom that I can now enjoy,” Lewis told The Baltimore Sun on Friday from his home in Atlanta. “I can now vote, I can carry a firearm, and now I can engage in certain businesses that I wasn’t allowed to invest in before. “And maybe, just maybe, I can get into the Hall of Fame now because those illegal charges carried a lot of weight in the voting process.” Lewis played for the Ravens from 2000 through 2006 and spent his final three seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Without the power back, the Ravens would never have won the Super Bowl championship during the 2000 season. Baltimore had a great defense with outstanding players like linebackers Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware and Jamie Sharper, and defensive linemen Rob Burnett, Sam Adams, Michael McCrary and the late Tony Siragusa, but the offense was one-dimensional. The running game was featured, and it was all Lewis. Lewis was the NFL’s rushing leader in 2003 with 2,066 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He finished his career with 10,607 yards rushing, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. He had seven seasons in which he rushed for more than 1,000 yards, including 1,364 yards during the Ravens Super Bowl run in 2000. Lewis, though, said he was never a Trump supporter. “Actually, I was disgruntled with the entire judicial system,” he said. “But Alice Johnson was like my angel in the sky. She said she just wanted to help me out, and I am delighted because it lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders.” Lewis said he had approached the Biden and Obama administrations about pardons in past years. Neither of those two administrations agreed, but Lewis said that didn’t stop them from asking for campaign contributions for as much as $25,000 to $75,000. He said he got the news Thursday night after going to a workout with his son, Jazz Lewis, at Milton High School in Atlanta. “I always tried to persuade the previous administrations about this injustice, that I was basically set up but I could never get an audience until now,” Jamal Lewis said. “[Johnson] told me last night that I was doing well and working with the kids in Atlanta. I’m just glad someone took my side of the story and that it has all worked out well. I thank this administration for finally weighing in on a difficult subject matter.” Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

SARASOTA, Fla. — Orioles spring training is underway and The Baltimore Sun’s new “Early Birds” sports podcast launched just in time to give fans an inside look at an eventful first day of camp. Orioles reporter Matt Weyrich was on the ground at Ed Smith Stadium and he joined co-hosts Sam Cohn and Josh Tolentino to give a full rundown of Day 1, which included the signing of starter Chris Bassitt and sobering injury news for Jackson Holliday. With the news breaking that Baltimore had reached an agreement with Bassitt on a one-year, $18.5 million contract just before they began recording, the trio gave their instant reactions to the deal and broke down how it affected the rotation’s outlook for 2026. “It doesn’t necessarily to me raise the ceiling of what this team can be,” Weyrich said. “If you look at the guys that they have in their rotation, there’s plenty of upside. The ceiling is there. It’s a question of whether they can put it all together and do it over the course of a full season, and that’s where I feel like you get some security now with Chris Bassitt.” Tolentino, who wrote in a recent column that the Orioles’ offseason was “incomplete” without an ace, lauded Baltimore landing a starter who could help ease the workloads of the rest of the group but said the signing still fell short of expectations set last fall. “I think there’s a lot to be desired,” Tolentino said. “The fact that it’s only a one-year deal shows and underlines the fact that, again, Mike Elias and the Orioles’ front office, they weren’t able to land that ace that many fans were hopeful for. Not only that, but they essentially hinted or promised that they had the payroll space [to get a deal done].” The Orioles finished last season 75-87 and missed the playoffs, but turned in an aggressive offseason that has Baltimore eying a run at the American League East. On the other side of the Camden Yards Sports Complex, the Ravens are also in the midst of transition after hiring Jesse Minter to replace John Harbaugh as head coach. Minter put the finishing touches on his coaching staff this week and “Early Birds” wrapped up the show with a discussion about the relatively young — and familiar — group of coordinators who will be in key roles next season. “They’re a little bit unproven, but I still think there are a lot of reasons … to be, I’m going to say cautiously optimistic — cautiously very optimistic,” said Cohn, who covers the Ravens for The Sun. “All signs point to, these guys can succeed in the positions. It’s just a matter of whether they can do it together, with this group, with this team, etc.” “Early Birds” is The Sun’s twice-weekly sports show, airing every Monday and Thursday morning with insight and analysis on the Orioles, Ravens and other major Baltimore sporting news. Listeners can find the full video version of the podcast on YouTube and the audio is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadio, among other platforms. Connect with the show on social media via the @SunEarlyBirds handle on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. View the full article

They sat in a corner sandwiched by uncertainty; four of the Ravens’ 11 draft picks less than one full day removed from the end of their rookie season, and 24 hours before their first NFL head coach was fired. It was locker room clean-out day. Mike Green organized a pile of game-worn jerseys to exchange with his buddies. Beside him, Emery Jones Jr. rounded up his belongings. Teddye Buchanan sat hunched over, leaning on his left knee because his right was wrapped in a prominent brace. Aeneas Peebles grabbed a sharpie to sign a purple jersey on the floor. They laughed. They hugged. And they went their separate ways, signaling the start of their first NFL offseason. Here’s a look back at how their individual inaugural seasons unfolded and thoughts about where they go from here: Malaki Starks, safety When the Ravens first interviewed Starks last spring, they asked who he believed was the best safety in the NFL. Kyle Hamilton “was the first person I said,” he recalled. In July, the All-Pro Hamilton said the No. 27 overall pick was “miles ahead” of where he was upon entering the league. Still, there were early concerns about Starks’ missed tackle rate (13.3%) and coverage lapses, most of which he cleaned up by the back half of the season — a credit to him being a quick study and the circumstantial increased role. Starks played more coverage snaps than any other NFL safety and ranked in the top 11 in total defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. The question(s) here: How does a Minter defense deploy the versatile Hamilton, and how does Ar’Darius Washington return health wise and is free agent Alohi Gilman still on the team? Nevertheless, a Hamilton-type trajectory would mean Starks could be a centerfield fixture for years to come. Mike Green, outside linebacker Don’t expect Green to show up at training camp having undergone some complete physical transformation. He’d like to get in better shape and put on a bit more muscle mass, Green said, but “I think my size and my speed come with its own advantages.” He finished the year third on the team in sacks (3 1/2) and tied for second in tackles for loss (7). Those rankings look a lot better on a team that struggled to pressure the quarterback and collectively recorded their fewest sacks (30) in 15 seasons. Asked what he learned over his first NFL season, Green gave an affirming, “I’m just capable of doing everything that I think I can do. “Rookie coming in to fill big shoes, it definitely wasn’t easy. It came with its own trials and tribulations, of course. I think I did good for the most part doing that. Just coming in here and trying to make a name for myself the first year — which a lot of rookies really can’t — was pretty tough. For my first year here, I left a mark. There are plays and things that we wish that we can get back, but I think it shows your true personality when you’re able to overcome everything that you’ve been through.” When the Ravens traded away Odafe Oweh and endured injuries across the defensive line, Green accepted a regular role. He played the second most pass rush snaps of any rookie edge rusher. The Ravens will certainly address the position either with a splash in free agency or in the draft but it’s clear they see Green as a centerpiece of their future at the position. Emery Jones Jr., guard Because of a shoulder injury, the third-round rookie didn’t see the practice field until Oct. 1. He wasn’t active for a game until late November. Jones played sparingly in place of Andrew Vorhees as part of a guard rotation that didn’t last long. Former coach John Harbaugh thought he played “OK” in his debut but that he “didn’t outplay” Vorhees or Daniel Faalele. A new offensive line coach in the well-respected Dwayne Ledford plus a likely addition via free agency or the draft could rewrite the offensive line room. Based on last year’s struggles, the guard position is an open competition. Related Articles Ex-Ravens coach John Harbaugh on leaving Baltimore: ‘I’ll miss that’ Watch Episode 25 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law Mike Preston: Will Ravens’ coaching youth movement pay off? | COMMENTARY Ravens 2026 offseason guide: Examining free agents, key dates and more Ravens hire Anthony Levine Sr. as new special teams coordinator Teddye Buchanan, linebacker The fourth-round rookie was promoted to a starting linebacker role by Week 2. It had been 20 years since the last time a Day 3 pick started on the Ravens’ defense within his first two games. Buchanan survived the normal, step-slow struggles of a rookie. Then around the midway point of the season, he turned a corner. Buchanan logged 93 tackles, two quarterback hits, half a sack and a forced fumble before tearing his ACL in Week 15. Assuming a full recovery with no major setbacks, Buchanan is primed to be the starter beside Roquan Smith (barring a blue chip free agent signing, of course). Carson Vinson, tackle Vinson took seven reps on the offensive line this past season: six in relief for the injured Ronnie Stanley in Week 15 then one two weeks later against the Packers. There was never an obvious path for him sans major injury along the offensive line. The Ravens drafted him as a long-term project. After the draft, DeCosta described Vinson as a “polished, tough, tenacious guy.” Both tackle spots are locked up by Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten. A significant step forward for Vinson might mean he’d be first off the bench. A step back, or if the Ravens draft a replacement, could leave Vinson closer to the practice squad. Bilhal Kone, cornerback Kone’s rookie year ended before it started. The sixth-round pick showed promise in training camp then suffered a major knee injury in the preseason opener. By November, he was lightly jogging in a pool at the facility and by season’s end he seemed to float around the locker room with ease. He should get another try to compete for a roster spot this summer. Tyler Loop, kicker The image of a football curving east of the uprights, fading into a flood of swirling yellow towels tarnished what was an otherwise productive first year. Loop will long be remembered for the errant 44-yard kick that boxed Baltimore out of the playoffs. That was his only missed field goal inside 50 yards. He missed three from 50-plus, despite showing supreme leg strength in the preseason. Kicking is “a terrible job,” owner Steve Bisciotti said, showing sympathy for the 24-year-old and first kicker drafted by the Ravens in 30 years. But that swing won’t forever define him. “That kid’s resilient enough from what I’ve learned,” Bisciotti said, “and he’ll be our kicker next year.” Ravens kicker Tyler Loop reacts after missing a field goal in a Week 18 loss to the Steelers. Loop's missed kick kept Baltimore out of the postseason. (Matt Durisko/AP) Loop hadn’t attempted a pressure-cooker kick like that before. His get-back will be a talking point throughout training camp but the expectation in Owings Mills is that he is still their long-term solution at kicker. Bisciotti said as much. Plus, Loop’s direct kicking coach, Randy Brown, survived what was a near-total staff turnover. LaJohntay Wester, wide receiver The sixth-round pick set a high bar for himself early. Wester’s most memorable play of the year came in the preseason, returning a punt 87 yards for a touchdown against the Colts. He vowed to be a speedy field flipper come the regular season. That never quite manifested but Wester showed flashes and, despite a critical muffed punt in Cleveland, maintained a roster spot because of his return ability. That will continue to be his path to playing time next season. Aeneas Peebles, defensive tackle Former defensive line coach Dennis Johnson once called Peebles, a Day 3 draft pick, the most explosive defensive lineman he’d ever seen. Hyperbole? Perhaps a smidge, but the point was that Johnson saw legitimate potential in the undersized rookie. Peebles played depth reps through the first five weeks of the season, sat for two months, played four more snaps in Week 13 then healthy scratched the final weeks of the season. The Ravens should address their defensive line in free agency and the draft, especially if Nnamdi Madubuike’s neck injury means he’s unavailable next season. But if Peebles takes a sophomore step forward, he could stick around as an insurance piece — or more — on the active roster. Robert Longerbeam, cornerback DeCosta’s prophetic analogy comparing cornerbacks to sports cars that break down quickly struck another sixth-round rookie. Longerbeam, like Kone, was placed on season-ending injury reserve after Baltimore’s preseason opener. Last year’s draft marked the fourth time in five years the Ravens selected multiple cornerbacks in the same class. A healthy Longerbeam figures to battle for a roster spot this August, more likely sticking around on the practice squad. Garrett Dellinger, guard Baltimore selected Dellinger with the 243rd overall pick. DeCosta said they saw him play at the Senior Bowl and thought he had “traits” to eventually be a contributor. Then in December, the Browns plucked him off the Ravens practice squad and the Titans claimed him off waivers a week later. 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

John Harbaugh was fired by the Ravens after 18 seasons, but if the current Giants head coach has any bitterness toward the franchise’s decision, he’s not showing it publicly. Harbaugh joined the BMore Football Podcast hosted by Jerry Coleman and The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston to discuss the end of his time in Baltimore and his future in New York. Harbaugh spoke glowingly of Ravens ownership and fans, saying nothing but nice things about his time leading the AFC North franchise. He also spoke openly about picking the Giants and his relationship with Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson. Here’s a snippet of what Harbaugh had to say on the podcast: On Ravens firing Baltimore moved on from Harbaugh shortly after a Week 18 loss to the Steelers. The Ravens finished 8-9 on the season, missing the postseason for the first time since 2021. “In my book it’s all been good,” Harbaugh said. “It’s all been fine. I’m not saying I didn’t want to stay because I did. I love the players. I love everybody in that organization. I’ll always be grateful for every player, every coach, every person on that staff, equipment, training staff, the people on the marketing side and travel. “All the people were just so awesome, mostly the players and the coaches. I love those guys, so I’ll miss that. I’ll miss that. But you know what? Those relationships aren’t going away either. So on to the next thing for everybody.” Owner Steve Bisciotti said in his news conference after Harbaugh’s firing that he likely would’ve made the same decision even if Harbaugh’s Ravens beat the Steelers in Week 18 to earn a playoff berth. Coleman expressed his surprise at Bisciotti’s answer on the podcast. “It’s probably just a tough question to answer,” Harbaugh said in reply. “Maybe we win the next game. You know, maybe we win all four games. Maybe we win four games in a row. You know, that could have happened. That should have been your follow-up question, Jerry. That would have been a great follow-up question.” Harbaugh added that he thinks he’d still be in Baltimore if the Ravens made the playoffs and went on to win the Super Bowl. “But it didn’t happen that way, so it doesn’t matter,” he said. His relationship with Jackson Questions about Harbaugh’s relationship with Jackson came up throughout the 2025 season. Jackson missed several games because of injuries, and he missed Wednesday practices regularly during the late stages of the season. Outside voices questioned if Lamar and Harbaugh could ever reach a Super Bowl together. Harbaugh likes the relationship he had with Jackson, despite external questions about their fit. “When he had issues with stuff, he would tell me,” Harbaugh said. “As far as I know, if he had issues that he didn’t tell me, I don’t know because he didn’t tell me. But I never had that feeling that I wasn’t, that he and I weren’t talking about something. I always felt like he always told me. I could read him pretty good.” Related Articles Watch Episode 25 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law Mike Preston: Will Ravens’ coaching youth movement pay off? | COMMENTARY Ravens 2026 offseason guide: Examining free agents, key dates and more Ravens hire Anthony Levine Sr. as new special teams coordinator Ravens 7-round mock draft: Who might be a fit for new coach Jesse Minter? The former Ravens coach acknowledged feeling disappointment that he never reached nor won a Super Bowl with Jackson, but he also shared a sense of pride over their accomplishments together. Jackson won a pair of NFL MVP awards under Harbaugh, and the Ravens were regularly among the league’s best offenses under Jackson’s guide. “We built an offense in 2019, and everybody said it couldn’t happen,” Harbaugh said. “We called it a revolutionary offense, and it was. Watch football today. It’s not played the same way it was before 2019. Offensive football has changed dramatically. Why? Because they saw what we did in Baltimore. That’s a fact. Nobody can deny that. Anybody who knows football knows it’s true. It’s real, all right. And that’s Lamar Jackson football.” Picking the Giants When Harbaugh was let go by Baltimore, he had his share of NFL suitors. He had conversations with the Las Vegas Raiders about their opening, which went to former Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak after Harbaugh picked the Giants. Harbaugh detailed his positive conversations with the Giants in the podcast episode. “They’re good recruiters,” Harbaugh said. “I’ve got to hand it to them. They don’t take no for an answer. It was a great process.” He says a day inside the Giants facility sold him on the job, including a brief meeting with former Giants star Michael Strahan. “I was starstruck,” he said. He also enjoyed a laugh with Coleman and Preston when discussing how he’ll handle media scrutiny in New York, which is a bigger market than Baltimore with more outlets covering the team. “There are like 10 Jerry Colemans in New York that are going to be pestering you,” Coleman said. “Are you prepped for all that?” “How could anybody prepare for 10 Jerry Colemans?” Harbaugh said, jokingly. “Oh my god, is that what it’s going to be like? I would have never taken this job if I had known that.” Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh says new Baltimore coach Jesse Minter, shown at his introductory news conference, is a great fit for the franchise. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Jesse Minter’s Ravens As Harbaugh adjusts to life in New York, he’s also watching the Ravens’ new staff take shape. He expects new head coach Jesse Minter to keep Baltimore’s physical and tough football identity the same in the coming seasons. “He’s going to keep Baltimore, Baltimore,” Harbaugh said. “The values, the culture, the worldview, the way they view things will stay the same.” The longtime Ravens coach also praised the hires of his former assistants, including Anthony Weaver. The former Baltimore defensive lineman will be the team’s defensive coordinator under Minter, a hire Harbaugh called “brilliant.” “He complements Jesse so perfectly well,” Harbaugh said. Harbaugh will root on Minter from afar as he turns his attention toward the Giants and their future. “I know Jesse will do an amazing job,” Harbaugh said. “It’s time to move on to the next thing. That’s how life works. I’m excited about that more than anything right now and just looking forward to what’s ahead.” Have a news tip? Contact Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Episode 25 of the BMore Football Podcast with The Baltimore Sun’s Mike Preston and Jerry Coleman presented by Rice Law is here. The hosts are joined by former Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who will coach the New York Giants in 2026. Harbaugh discusses the end of his time in Baltimore and his thoughts on new Ravens coach Jesse Minter. You can watch the podcast weekly, posting every Tuesday during the NFL season on YouTube and The Baltimore Sun, and listen on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and iHeart. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

It’s hard to tell if the Ravens’ new coaching staff assembled by first-year coach Jesse Minter will perform well, but it’s an interesting mix with five assistants coming from the college ranks. Right now, it’s hard to applaud — or offer condolences — but we’ll find out soon. Maybe it’s all part of the youth movement implemented by owner Steve Bisciotti when he hired Minter last month to become the team’s fourth head coach. Minter is 42 and his defensive coordinator, Anthony Weaver, is 45. And then there is Declan Doyle, the youngest offensive coordinator in the NFL at the ripe old age of 29. Hmm. He is the same age as star quarterback Lamar Jackson. That will be an interesting pairing. So will pairings with defensive pass game coordinator Mike Mickens (Notre Dame), defensive line coach Lou Esposito (Michigan), outside linebackers coach Harland Bower (Duke), safeties coach P.J. Volker and assistant defensive backs coach Miles Taylor (Nebraska). Mickens (38), Bower (37) and Taylor (30) have yet to turn 40. They might be good coaches, but the NFL is also a buddy league. Head coaches promise jobs to their friends as they ascend to the top, hoping one day to hire them as assistants. It’s not unusual. Head coaches also hire college assistants because they don’t like to be challenged, and that will happen if a longtime NFL assistant is hired. With Minter, that doesn’t appear to be a concern, not after working with both Jim and John Harbaugh. The problem is the difference in coaching college players, who are 18 to 22 years old, as opposed to a veteran such as cornerback Marlon Humphrey or outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy. According to former Baltimore Colts safety Bruce Laird, who played in Baltimore from 1972 through 1981, NFL veterans want to find out if a coach really knows what he is talking about, and that builds respect. It’s different in college because of the youth and how gullible they are. In Lairdism, “they don’t know what they don’t know.” In college, players hit the transfer portal if they have gripes with coaches. In the NFL, it’s either done one way or players hit the unemployment line unless they’re a stud. Plus, NFL play is so much faster. Other differences include offensive linemen learning how to play in a three-point stance instead of being in the usual two point. Look at college cornerbacks, who basically aren’t taught to turn around and look for the ball in deep pass coverage anymore. Differences go on and on, from the various bubble screens run frequently in the college game to the poor tackling technique, which can be traced back to the high school level. Minter made a good move in hiring his dad, Rick, 71, as a senior analyst. As a former head coach at the University of Cincinnati, he led the Bearcats to three consecutive bowl games from 2000 to 2002. He can slow his son down, tell him to take a minute and catch his breath. Related Articles Ravens 2026 offseason guide: Examining free agents, key dates and more Ravens hire Anthony Levine Sr. as new special teams coordinator Ravens 7-round mock draft: Who might be a fit for new coach Jesse Minter? How Ravens’ Jesse Minter hopes to replicate what Mike Macdonald did with Seahawks READER POLL: Which Orioles player has the most to prove this spring? The hiring of Weaver was a good one because he has previously worked as the defensive line coach in Buffalo, Cleveland, Houston and Baltimore, and served as the coordinator in Miami the past two seasons. He played with some of the best and most vocal linebackers in team history, such as Bart Scott, Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware and Jarret Johnson. His opinion will be valued. The Ravens reportedly added former Pittsburgh running backs coach Eddie Faulkner, who was well respected by former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, and senior assistant Joe Lombardi, who was the offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos until they lost to New England in the AFC championship game. That experience will add to the culture of the locker room, as will the addition of Dwayne Ledford, the former running game coordinator and offensive line coach in Atlanta. The Falcons have had a top 10 running game the past three seasons, but they also had Bijan Robinson, the best runner in the NFL. Who knows if it was Ledford or Robinson who made the difference, or was it both? Minter has put together a solid staff, but there will always be questions about coaches joining a pro staff from the college ranks, especially with so many good pro coaches available. It’s all about building relationships and gaining a player’s respect. We will see. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald will celebrate a Super Bowl title along with the rest of the Seahawks on Wednesday in Seattle, closing a 2025 campaign that was as wild as it was transformative. But in the NFL’s unforgiving calendar, the victory marks less of an end point than a pause. Across Baltimore and for the league’s 31 other teams, the work of building for the 2026 season is already underway. The opener is less than seven months away, and between now and then comes a familiar sequence that quietly shapes contenders: franchise tags, the scouting combine, free agency, the owners meeting, the draft. For Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, general manager Eric DeCosta and first-year coach Jesse Minter, the mandate has been clear: The roster must be good enough to chase the organization’s third championship. The most paramount of those matters is the contract status of two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and quarterback Lamar Jackson. There are still two years remaining on his deal, but Baltimore has been eager to extend (or at least restructure) it to reduce a looming $74.5 million salary cap hit. Even with the league cap expected to rise by roughly $20 million, the Ravens will need every bit of room they can create to address several needs, including some of their own players with the start of free agency only a month away. Here’s a look at which Ravens are free agents, who could be back, who might not be and other important dates to remember: Unrestricted free agents CB Chidobe Awuzie Awuzie, who will turn 31 in May, slipped and fell on a double move by Steelers receiver Calvin Austin III to surrender the game-winning 26-yard touchdown pass in Pittsburgh that sealed Baltimore’s fate in the regular-season finale. But for much of the year, he was a solid contributor in coverage and would be an inexpensive third or fourth option at the position. DT Taven Bryan Bryan is a former first-round draft pick who has now played for five teams over his underwhelming eight-year career after initially signing with Baltimore’s practice squad. He also appeared in just five games and had little impact before suffering a knee injury, so a reunion seems unlikely. G Daniel Faalele No one on the offensive line drew more criticism than the 6-foot-8, 370-pound 2022 fourth-round pick. His size is appealing, and playing guard was a new position the past two seasons for the former tackle, but Ravens brass has made it clear that the offensive line needs to improve. S Alohi Gilman Gilman’s addition via in-season trade helped free up All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. But his tackling was subpar, particularly over the final few games. Still, he played for Minter when the two were with the Los Angeles Chargers, so a return shouldn’t be ruled out. WR DeAndre Hopkins With just 22 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns, the one-year Hopkins experiment didn’t pay dividends the way Baltimore hoped. He’ll also turn 34 in June, and it seems unlikely that the Ravens will bring him back. ILB Jake Hummel Hummel led the team in special teams snaps and was second in special teams tackles. He should also come relatively cheap, so a reunion would make sense. QB Tyler Huntley Huntley isn’t going to cost the bare minimum this time around after leading the Ravens to two wins while Jackson was injured. Still, with a minimal cap hit if the Ravens release the square peg in a round hole that was Cooper Rush post-June 1, bringing back Huntley would be wise. OLB Dre’Mont Jones Jones tallied 2 1/2 sacks in nine games after the Ravens added him at the trade deadline to bring his total to seven for the year. That could also price him out of Baltimore if he wants in the $10 million a year range, especially if DeCosta decides to spend big on a bona fide pass rusher such as Trey Hendrickson. TE Charlie Kolar With Mark Andrews getting a surprise extension after the team and Isaiah Likely couldn’t come to an agreement, it will be interesting to see what happens with Kolar. Four years into his career, he has proved to be a solid player who wouldn’t break the bank, and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle comes from a Chicago Bears team that often used two-tight end sets. TE Isaiah Likely See above. The only way Likely sticks around is if he doesn’t get the money he hoped for — which is a possibility after an injury-filled and underperforming season. He is, however, close with Jackson, and that could be a factor. Related Articles Mike Preston: Will Ravens’ coaching youth movement pay off? | COMMENTARY Ravens hire Anthony Levine Sr. as new special teams coordinator Ravens 7-round mock draft: Who might be a fit for new coach Jesse Minter? How Ravens’ Jesse Minter hopes to replicate what Mike Macdonald did with Seahawks READER POLL: Which Orioles player has the most to prove this spring? C Tyler Linderbaum Linderbaum will be among the top available players if he hits the market. He’s also the Ravens’ biggest free agent priority. For a team expected to contend now, letting a three-time Pro Bowl center leave the building would be foolish. OT Joseph Noteboom A swing tackle who was inactive for seven games for an offensive line that was inconsistent at best is telling. Noteboom wouldn’t cost a lot to bring back, but the Ravens could go a different direction. OLB David Ojabo That Ojabo, a 2022 second-round pick out of Michigan who was often injured and didn’t have the kind of impact that was expected when he was healthy, stuck on the roster this long was a circumstantial miracle as much as anything. But at this point, a fresh start somewhere else would do both sides some good. FB Patrick Ricard Even though Ricard doesn’t log a ton of snaps, he has been integral to a highly successful Ravens ground game and running back Derrick Henry. He also turns 32 in May, has a lot of miles and last season missed two months with a calf injury. With only a few teams employing fullbacks, perhaps he’s affordable enough to bring back, though the Bears did not use a fullback when they were in heavy formations. P Jordan Stout Stout was an All-Pro after leading the NFL in net punting. He’s also the holder in the field goal operation. Still, it might cost the Ravens close to $4 million a year to keep him. DE Brent Urban Urban will turn 35 in May, but he still proved a dependable backup this past season amid a string of injuries to the line. He also likes Baltimore, and another cheap deal could spark a return. OLB Kyle Van Noy Van Noy will likewise turn 35 this offseason. He’s also coming off a two-sack season after a career-high 12 1/2 in 2024. It wouldn’t be a shock if his career were over. Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy, shown cleaning out his locker after the 2025 season, saw a significant dip in his production this past season. He enters free agency with an uncertain NFL future. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) WR Tylan Wallace A special teams stalwart who is well-liked in the building, Wallace has never really developed a role on offense. Still, he likely wouldn’t cost much to bring back. S Ar’Darius Washington Washington is undersized and has a lengthy injury history. He also worked his way back from a torn Achilles tendon last offseason to make it back on the field for the final four games, and Baltimore needs a third safety to pair with Hamilton and Malaki Starks. His return, though, figures to be driven by what the price would be. Restricted free agents RB Keaton Mitchell How the Ravens handle the former undrafted free agent will be worth watching. If he gets a low tender, that would leave them vulnerable to another team plucking him without losing a draft pick. A second-round tender also seems too expensive for a player who has such an injury history. The best option is probably to sign him to an extension if Mitchell is amenable. Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell rushes for a long gain against the Steelers this past season. When healthy, Mitchell has been a valuable option in Baltimore's backfield. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Exclusive rights free agents C Corey Bullock A former Maryland standout, Bullock is one of a handful of Ravens players who have less than three years of accrued service and can be tendered a contract for the league minimum. If he is, he can’t negotiate with another team. After being active for every game last season, it would be a surprise if the Ravens didn’t bring him back, especially since he can be cut without impacting the salary cap. LB Carl Jones Jones appeared in just four games and only on special teams. Still, he’ll be just 25 in August, so there would be no harm in bringing him back. DT C.J. Okoye At 6-6, 370 pounds, Okoye is a developmental player from the league’s International Pathway Program, which the Ravens like. He also landed on the 53-man roster last season after a spate of injuries, so there are plenty of reasons for a return. WR Dayton Wade A significant rib injury landed Wade on injured reserve for the 2025 season. The Ravens could tender him with no risk, but the 2024 former undrafted free agent didn’t have the kind of training camp last year that he had the year before. Important dates to know Tuesday: Teams can issue a franchise or transition tag for one player. The franchise tag is more expensive (average of top-five salaries) and offers better protection (compensation if the player leaves), while a transition tag is cheaper (top-10 salaries) and offers no draft pick compensation if the player leaves. Feb. 23-March 2: NFL scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. March 3: 4 p.m. deadline for teams to issue a franchise or transition tag. March 9: Beginning at noon through 3:59:59 p.m. on March 11, teams can contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents. March 11: The league year and free agency signing period begin at 4 p.m. Trades can also begin. March 29-April 1: Annual owners meeting in Phoenix. April 6: Teams that hired a new head coach after the end of the 2025 regular season can begin offseason workout programs. April 15: Deadline for clubs to time, test, visit, interview or conduct a physical with a draft-eligible player at its facility. April 17: Deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets. April 20: Teams with returning head coaches can begin offseason workout programs. April 22: Deadline for teams to exercise the right of first refusal to restricted free agents who signed offer sheets. Also the deadline for teams to time, test, visit, interview (including video and phone calls) or conduct physicals with a draft-eligible player at any location. April 23-25: NFL draft in Pittsburgh. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Jesse Minter’s first staff in Baltimore is nearly complete. Anthony Levine Sr., who most recently served as an assistant special teams coach under John Harbaugh, will be promoted to special teams coordinator, the Ravens announced Tuesday night. As a player, Levine spent two seasons in Green Bay and then a decade in Baltimore, earning the nickname “Co-Cap” for his contributions on the third phase. He holds the Ravens’ franchise record for special teams tackles with 62. Levine predominantly starred in a special teams role, but as a safety, he spent a brief period playing under Minter, who coached defensive backs for two of his four seasons during his first Baltimore stint. Levine has a pair of Super Bowl rings too, one while on the Packers’ practice squad in 2010 and another with the Ravens from 2012. After his playing career, Levine spent two seasons as an assistant special teams coach in Tennessee before returning to the Ravens to work under former special teams coach Chris Horton. Former Ravens safety Geno Stone posted on X, “Man so happy for my bro! Showed me everything I needed to know to be a pro in this league!” Tony Jefferson, another former Ravens safety, posted, “you worked yo [butt] off for this moment bro!” Of the four lead voices in Baltimore – Minter, head coach; Declan Doyle, offensive coordinator; Anthony Weaver; defensive coordinator; and Levine, special teams coordinator – three have previous ties to the Ravens. Doyle is the only newcomer. The 38-year-old Levine also interviewed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ special teams coordinator opening. Instead, he’ll inherit a special teams unit that, by and large, proved to be a bright spot for the Ravens this past season. Punter Jordan Stout earned his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro nod. Rookie kicker Tyler Loop had a solid first year, despite its gutting finish. And Horton managed to get the most out of undrafted rookie Keondre Jackson, who, like Levine, started his career on the practice squad. Same with depth defensive back T.J. Tampa, who missed most of his rookie year because of injuries. Those two finished top-three in special teams tackles this past season. As a whole, Baltimore’s special teams unit struggled in 2024. The group bounced back in 2025, jumping from No. 23 in special teams efficiency to No. 12, according to FTN. It will be up to Levine to carry that success into the new regime. 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

With a new coach in place, the Ravens enter one of the most fascinating offseasons in team history. Jesse Minter is still rounding out his staff, which includes 29-year-old offensive coordinator and first-time play-caller Declan Doyle, run game coordinator/offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford and former Navy defensive coordinator P.J. Volker. Minter will call the defensive plays after doing so with the Los Angeles Chargers and Michigan, but the 42-year-old brought in former Baltimore assistant Anthony Weaver to be his defensive coordinator. While John Harbaugh is gone, there is still continuity in the front office and the same organizational structure in place. General manager Eric DeCosta, who led the search for Minter, remains in charge of player personnel. While it’s unknown how DeCosta and Minter will approach free agency, which includes several high-profile players from Baltimore and Los Angeles, the draft will be crucial in filling out a roster that aims to contend for a Super Bowl title after a disappointing season that fell short of the playoffs. Contract negotiations with quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is set to count $74.5 million against the salary cap next season under the terms of his current five-year, $260 million deal, adds even more urgency to find impact players at positions of need. With the help of Pro Football Focus’ mock draft simulator, here are The Baltimore Sun’s early projections for the Ravens’ 11 picks, including four projected compensatory selections: Round 1, No. 14 overall: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn The Ravens’ first pick will set the tone for what kind of team they want to build under Minter. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Faulk is an intriguing prospect with a long frame and the versatility to line up across odd or even fronts. NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein writes that Faulk is “a culture player with high character who earns a grade bump based on his age (turns 21 in September), traits and advanced foundation.” Faulk only recorded 10 sacks in three college seasons, but he has the potential to grow into a productive pass rusher for a team that desperately needs one. Also considered: Wisconsin EDGE Mason Reiger, UCLA OT Garrett DiGiorgio, UCF EDGE Nyjalik Kelly Round 7, No. 252 (compensatory): Kaden Wetjen, WR/KR, Iowa There’s room for some competition next to 2025 sixth-round pick LaJohntay Wester to be the Ravens’ punt returner. The 5-9, 196-pound Wetjen (pronounced Wee-gin) showed game-breaking ability at Iowa, scoring six career return touchdowns and averaging a nation-best 26.8 yards per punt return this past season. He was the only player in program history to score a rushing, receiving, kickoff return, and punt return touchdown in the same season. Also considered: Rutgers QB Athan Kaliakmanis, Auburn G Jeremiah Wright, JMU S Jacob Thomas Have a news tip? Contact C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

The first person Mike Macdonald called after being hired as the Seattle Seahawks’ head coach two years ago was Leslie Frazier. They had overlapped for one season in Baltimore in 2016. Macdonald was 36 then, a fast-rising defensive assistant still learning how the league worked. Frazier was 64, a grizzled NFL lifer with nearly two decades of experience who was charged with coaching the Ravens’ safeties. The age gap hardly mattered. There was an immediate connection, Frazier said. His experience also told him that Macdonald had the kind of presence that carries a coach far: a natural way with people, ideas that made sense, and — most importantly — ideas players respected. Sunday night in Santa Clara, California, that promise crystallized. Macdonald, droplets of yellow Gatorade still trickling from the bill of his cap, paused near midfield at Levi’s Stadium. As confetti drifted down and the noise swelled around him, he stared skyward, mouth agape, eyes wide as pie plates, absorbing the moment. At 38, he had just become the third-youngest head coach to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy. He is also believed to be the first Super Bowl-winning head coach to call his own defensive plays. That distinction did nothing to diminish Frazier’s role. As an assistant head coach for Seattle, he has been one of Macdonald’s closest collaborators. “He’s just a great complement to my skill set, to my personality,” Macdonald said in his postgame news conference. “He’s such a great connector with the players, such a great communicator. He calls our bluff when we’re full of crap on defense, when we do stupid stuff in game planning. … He’s been tremendous.” In Baltimore, the Ravens are hoping Jesse Minter can be for them what Macdonald has been for Seattle. Minter, 42, a former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator and now the Ravens’ head coach, is tasked with following a familiar blueprint. In two years as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator, Macdonald architected a dominating 2023 defense that became the first to lead the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed. This season in Seattle, he joined Chuck Noll and Bill Belichick as the only coaches to lead the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense both as a coordinator and as a Super Bowl-winning head coach. He also became just the second former Ravens coordinator to win a title, joining Gary Kubiak with the 2015 Denver Broncos. Though Macdonald and Minter narrowly missed overlapping on the Ravens’ staff — Minter coached in Baltimore from 2017 to 2020 — the two know each other well. They come from the same John Harbaugh coaching tree, share much of the same defensive DNA and have become friendly. And as Minter’s father, Rick, a longtime NFL and college coach who will join Baltimore as a senior analyst, said recently, the “blueprint” is already out there in Seattle. Macdonald’s fingerprints were everywhere in Seattle’s 29-13 thumping of the New England Patriots. After the game, Macdonald told ESPN’s Chris Berman that the Lombardi Trophy felt lighter than he expected. What struck him more, though, were the actual fingerprints on the trophy after it had been passed around the locker room. The symbolism wasn’t lost on the former Ravens intern. The Seahawks entered the game with the fifth-lowest blitz rate in the league, according to Next Gen Stats. Against New England, they sent an extra rusher just seven times, but with each featuring a defensive back. No one was more disruptive than three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who rushed six times after recording zero blitzes over the previous four games. The results were decisive: four pressures, three quarterback hits and a sack. None mattered more than Witherspoon’s fourth-quarter blitz, which jarred the ball loose from quarterback Drake Maye — sacked six times on the night — and into the arms of linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who sprinted 45 yards for a punctuating touchdown. It was one of three turnovers forced by Seattle. The design was deliberate. Macdonald anticipated that the Patriots’ running backs would slide in protection, so Seattle often sent multiple defenders and pressure away from the slide. The chaos up front freed the secondary, particularly rookie nickelback Nick Emmanwori. It was the same kind of thinking Macdonald once employed in Baltimore, where Minter will now look to maximize talents like All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon forces Patriots quarterback Drake Maye to fumble. Seattle's defense was dominant in its Super Bowl victory over New England. (Adam Hunger/AP Content Services for the NFL) Minter is likewise assembling his staff in a similar fashion. Like Macdonald, he will call the defensive plays himself. For his defensive coordinator, he will lean on Anthony Weaver — Baltimore’s defensive line coach from 2021 to 2023 — to be a respected voice that can carry a meeting room and hold players accountable. Weaver also brings experience from previous stints with the Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans. While many of Minter’s other hires skew younger, he has prioritized at least some veteran voices among the group, too. It’s also worth remembering that even Macdonald’s early decisions weren’t flawless. His first offensive coordinator hire, Ryan Grubb from the University of Washington, proved to be the wrong fit, a realization that quickly led him to Klint Kubiak this season. How the roster was pieced together by Macdonald and general manger John Schneider mattered as well. The Seahawks traded quarterback Geno Smith and signed Sam Darnold. They dealt enigmatic DK Metcalf and instead built their receiving game around young star Jaxon Smith-Njigba. They drafted Emmanwori to be Macdonald’s version of Hamilton. Related Articles READER POLL: Which Orioles player has the most to prove this spring? Ravens among way-too-early Super Bowl LXI favorites How Ravens offseason moves will depend on Lamar Jackson’s contract status Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda fall short of 2026 Hall of Fame class Ravens could play in NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro next season All of it was done with an eye toward cohesiveness. “This team is one of one as far as the players and the relationships,” Emmanwori told reporters. “I promise you. I wish they would record all the behind-the-scenes [stuff], because they would have really seen how tight this was. But we know how tight this was, so this team is one of one. It’ll be hard to recreate this.” How Minter’s choices unfold and what roster decisions general manager Eric DeCosta makes remains to be seen. Unsurprisingly, though, they are searching for the same traits that define Macdonald and the culture he created in Seattle. They are, after all, the same ones borne out of his time in Baltimore. “I’m looking for leaders and connectors and relationship builders and schematic expertise,” Minter said last month. “But most importantly, guys that the players believe in. Coaches who are willing to dive deep and build really strong relationships. When it feels collaborative — when it feels like it’s ours — that’s when we’ll be at our best.” The fingerprints on the Vince Lombardi Trophy say the rest. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Baseball season is around the corner. The Orioles this week report for spring training, beginning a season with high hopes after they signed Pete Alonso to a massive free agent contract and traded for Taylor Ward and Shane Baz. Which Orioles player has the most to prove this spring? 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

Within an hour of blue and green confetti raining over the newly crowned Seattle Seahawks, sportsbooks everywhere raced to project which team might be next. To preface: Super Bowl odds created in early February rarely hold through the offseason. So expect some movement on these numbers. Seattle emerges as the way-too-early Super Bowl LXI favorite, according to the two major sportsbook sites. FanDuel projects the Seahawks at +750, just ahead of the Rams (+800), while DraftKings gave similar +950 odds to both Seattle and Los Angeles at the top of the pack. Those two duked it out in the NFC championship game and have good reason to believe they might be back. The Ravens are next in line. Baltimore was a preseason Super Bowl favorite last year before unraveling early, crawling back then missing the playoffs altogether. Sportsbooks foresee redemption: FanDuel says the Ravens have 12-1 odds to win the Super Bowl (tied with Buffalo) in Inglewood, California, and DraftKings lists their odds at 13-1 (behind the Bills, tied with New England and Philadelphia). Of the six teams leading the pack, the Ravens (Jesse Minter) and Bills (Joe Brady) will enter 2026 with first-time coaches. Each returns centerpieces of a talented roster, so those in charge of manufacturing odds don’t see a new coach as much of a hurdle in their championship quest. Plus, Mike Vrabel led the Patriots to the big game in his first season, and Mike Macdonald won the whole thing in Year 2. According to ESPN research, if the current odds hold until August, the Seahawks and Rams would own the longest shot for a preseason favorite since at least 1977. At the start of this past season, the Seahawks and Patriots were both long shots to play football in February. Seattle had 60-1 odds and the Patriots were 80-1 to win it all, according to DraftKings. John Harbaugh’s Giants are right in that ballpark. As are the Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers. These numbers are fun now because football is a year-round sport, but the months of Sundays without games can feel empty. So sportsbooks keep fans thinking about what’s next. The primary source of toggling odds begins next month, when free agency begins. The NFL free agency window opens at 4 p.m. on March 11. If the Ravens play their cards right and general manager Eric DeCosta fulfills his promise to be an active participant, they could leapfrog to the top of the Super Bowl odds board. Related Articles READER POLL: Which Orioles player has the most to prove this spring? How Ravens offseason moves will depend on Lamar Jackson’s contract status Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda fall short of 2026 Hall of Fame class Ravens could play in NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro next season READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans confident in new coach Jesse Minter It’s an all-important time to set the tone for a Super Bowl contender. Last year, the Patriots and Seahawks were among the biggest spenders in free agency. The Ravens finished in the bottom two. And yet, as several Ravens — and fans — reminded themselves throughout this most recent, trying season, as long as Lamar Jackson is their quarterback, they’ll always have a chance. 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

The Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy that Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Eric DeCosta had hoped to be adding to Baltimore’s own display case. But with that dream long ago dashed by an ignominious season and a missed playoff berth that led to the firing of the NFL’s second-longest-tenured and the franchise’s winningest coach, the clock has already been ticking on Baltimore’s most pressing problem as it relates to trying to achieve that goal. Quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is under contract for each of the next two seasons, is due to make $74.5 million in 2026 and 2027, a massive increase from the $43.5 million salary cap number he played on in 2025. With such a prohibitive figure — only Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes are slated to have bigger cap hits — and the start of the new league year on March 11 looming, the coming days and weeks will be paramount to the Ravens’ plans. Simply put, Baltimore is like a large luxury home that has been around a long time — it has a lot of needs and requires a lot of money to address them. Even with an influx of salary cap space as the league’s limit is set to jump from $279.2 million to somewhere between $301.2 million and $305.7 million, DeCosta will have to be judicious with his spending when it comes to addressing needs for pass rush upgrades, offensive line improvements and help at cornerback and wide receiver, among other positions. All of it, of course, starts with Jackson. Like any star quarterback, the 29-year-old two-time NFL Most Valuable Player will command the highest chunk of cap space on the roster — roughly 25% under the terms of his five-year, $260 million extension that he signed in 2023. With Jackson set to enter his ninth season and using history as a guide, there are perhaps only a few more seasons left in which he will be an elite and dynamic runner. That doesn’t mean he can’t still be a top-tier operator — Randall Cunningham and Steve Young are two examples of mobile quarterbacks who continued to play at a high level into their mid-30s — but his success at some point in the near future will be much more connected to his passing than his running. For now, his superpower as a runner remains, which is why Bisciotti says that he’d like “another window” with Jackson and his contract. The good news for Baltimore — aside from more wiggle room with a new financial ceiling — is that there are myriad ways to make Jackson’s contract more palatable and roster-friendly. Extension or restructure? The most straightforward and preferred way? Sign him to an extension. What would that look like and what could it result in? Signing Jackson to a deal that would extend beyond 2028 would create somewhere around $25 million to $35 million in room, depending on how the contract is structured. That wouldn’t necessarily result in the biggest savings, though. Restructuring his 2026 salary, as Russell Street Report cap guru Brian MacFarland notes, would open up just over $38 million in savings. The downside, however, is that it doesn’t secure Jackson for the long-term and it pushes another $38 million onto both the 2027 and 2028 cap. It does, at least, make those problems for another day. If the two sides can’t come to an agreement on either scenario, the Ravens will have to find other ways to shed money while carrying such a large cap hit for Jackson. Whatever happens with Jackson’s contract, though, Baltimore is inclined to make some moves this offseason that will free up some money to increase its spending power on some potential “big ticket” items, as DeCosta called them. With the new cap, the Ravens are currently projected to have about $22 million (which includes roughly $10 million of carryover from 2025) in salary cap space — though that number accounts for only the 48 players currently under contract and the amount of space would shrink when the Rule of 51 is applied. With 19 of its own unrestricted free agents, including Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, All-Pro punter Jordan Stout, Pro Bowl fullback Pat Ricard, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones, and tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, Baltimore will have to carve out some money for some of its own players. Linderbaum would far and away be the priciest, with the 2021 first-round draft pick and three-time Pro Bowl selection expected to fetch around $17 million a year on the open market. That also doesn’t account for any outside additions the Ravens make. A top-tier pass rusher such as Trey Hendrickson, who led the NFL in sacks in 2024, would be even more expensive at around $25 million. The uncertainty around Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and his neck injury also could make things complicated, though perhaps there is positive news on that front given his recent social media post. Still, there are other ways to clear up cap space. Roster ripple effects The two most obvious salary cap casualties on the roster are defensive tackle Broderick Washington and cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Jettisoning them immediately would clear up about $11 million, or roughly $23 million if done with a post-June 1 designation, with Humphrey accounting for $19.25 million in savings post-June 1 and just $7 million in dead money for 2026. With Humphrey turning 30 in July and his play dipping this past season, parting ways now would be the classic example of moving on a year early rather than a year too late. Washington, who will turn 30 in early December and appeared in just three games because of an Achilles tendon injury in 2025, simply hasn’t been productive enough since the Ravens signed him to a three-year, $17.5 million extension in 2023. Beyond them, there aren’t a lot of logical releases that would clear up chunks of space, though. Releasing running back Justice Hill would save $3.15 million, as one example. But he’s been a versatile and dependable player who is vital in pass protection. Important in that equation, though, is former undrafted free agent Keaton Mitchell, who is Baltimore’s lone restricted free agent. Even before Hill went on injured reserve with a neck injury this past season, Mitchell’s usage had started to increase. That will make for an interesting decision for the Ravens. There are a few options, including a first-, second-, or right-of-first-refusal tender. Forget the first one, because at roughly $7.8 million, that’s too much for a boutique player with an injury history. A second-round tender, though, will cost about $5.8 million, while the low tender would be about $3.5 million. Importantly, though, because Mitchell was undrafted, the low tender would not net Baltimore a draft pick should it decline to match another team’s offer. That means a second-round tender could be an option, or Baltimore could sign him to a short extension, which would also provide a lower salary cap hit than a second-round tender and keep him in the fold longer. If Mitchell is not tendered, he would become an unrestricted free agent, allowing him to test his market value. How the Ravens handle Mitchell could be an indicator of what they plan to do with Hill, especially if there are any lingering concerns over his neck injury and if the feeling is that Mitchell or fellow back Rasheen Ali can develop into serviceable pass blockers. Star running back Derrick Henry, coming off two highly productive seasons in Baltimore, is set to count $16.2 million against the cap entering his age-33 season. But nothing is more significant than what happens with Jackson, and the Ravens would like to get something done sooner rather than later. “We want another window, and Lamar knows that,” Bisciotti said. “I think he is amenable to doing something that mirrors the last deal that he did, although the annual number will be a little higher. But I’m hoping that it’s plug in your number in the same contract he signed [in 2023] and move on. “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.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Former Ravens Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda long ago secured their legacies in franchise lore as two of the best to play for any team at their respective positions. When it comes to football’s highest individual honor, though, they will once again have to wait until next year. Though both were among this year’s 15 finalists for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class, neither was selected for enshrinement Thursday night. It marks the second straight year that neither received the requisite minimum 40 out of 50 votes after they were both finalists in their first time on the ballot last year. Instead, quarterback Drew Brees, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, linebacker Luke Kuechly, kicker Adam Vinatieri and running back Roger Craig, the lone pick among seniors, coaches and contributors, were chosen to be enshrined. They will be inducted this August in Canton, Ohio. That neither Suggs nor Yanda got in for a second straight year was at least somewhat surprising. Of course, neither did former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick nor owner Robert Kraft, both of whom were on the ballot for the first time and whose achievements long ago were worthy of being immortalized. Suggs and Yanda have strong cases, too. Eighth all-time in total sacks, Suggs was also the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 2003 Defensive Rookie of the Year, an All-Pro in 2011 and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection during his 17-year career as an outside linebacker. The seven men ahead of him in sacks — Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Kevin Greene, Julius Peppers, Chris Doleman, Michael Strahan and Jason Taylor — are also already in. Of that group, Taylor had just a half-sack more than Suggs across 15 seasons and was enshrined in his first year of eligibility in 2017. Four of the five players behind Suggs in career sacks — DeMarcus Ware, Richard Dent, John Randle, Jared Allen — are also in. In addition to getting to the quarterback, Suggs was a strong run defender, recorded 39 forced fumbles, made seven interceptions and won two Super Bowls, including one with Baltimore. In seven of his seasons, he also had at least 10 sacks. Yanda’s resume isn’t as dazzling — typical for an offensive lineman and especially a guard — but he had received strong support the past two years. He was twice voted first-team All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl in eight of his final nine seasons in what was a 15-year career. He was also a unanimous choice for the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2010s and proved versatile, moving from right guard to left guard after hurting his lead shoulder during the 2016 season. Like Suggs, Yanda was a key member of the Ravens’ 2013 championship team. Guards are also not prevalent in the Hall, with only 17 enshrined. Alan Faneca, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals, was the most recent to be inducted in 2021. Whether Suggs or Yanda gets the nod next year also remains to be seen, with quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Newton and running back Adrian Peterson among those eligible in 2027. Suggs and Yanda will, however, be automatic modern era finalists as they were in the final seven this year but fell short of getting 80% of the vote. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Related Articles Ravens could play in NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro next season READERS RESPOND: Ravens fans confident in new coach Jesse Minter Joe Flacco on NFL physicality, penalties: ‘We signed up to get concussions’ What can the Ravens learn from this season’s Super Bowl teams? Recent mock drafts give Ravens additional offensive firepower in 1st round View the full article