ExtremeRavens Posted 16 hours ago Posted 16 hours ago When Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti woke up the morning after Baltimore’s ill-fated season came careening to its end in Pittsburgh knowing that he would fire John Harbaugh after 18 seasons and then acted on that decision the following day, the one-time Super Bowl winner and 14th winningest coach in NFL history immediately went straight to the top of the list of available candidates. Unsurprisingly, it took just over a week for the 63-year-old coach to land his next gig, with the New York Giants eagerly hiring him in an effort to restore the storied and once-proud franchise. Now one of questions as far as Baltimore is concerned is, who will Harbaugh potentially take him with him to fill out his staff and roster? Though many of his now former assistants are under contract with the Ravens through the 2027 season, Baltimore’s next coach from among at least 15 candidates is likely to bring in his largely his own group, from the coordinator level down. Bisciotti and general manager Eric DeCosta were also critical of the job the coaching staff did amid an 8-9 season in which Baltimore tied a franchise record with five losses in its first six games and ended the year out of the playoffs for the first time since 2021 — despite a roster that includes two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and quarterback Lamar Jackson along with six players selected to this year’s Pro Bowl Games. “I think that you can look at a lot of guys on our team that we had expected to take the next step that did not take that next step,” Bisciotti said. “And we’ve got to get to the bottom of that with coaching and scouting.” Added DeCosta: “I think we underachieved as a scouting staff, as a coaching staff and as players.” So, what coaches and looming free agents could perhaps follow Harbaugh to New York? Todd Monken, offensive coordinator It has already been reported that Monken is expected to become the Giants’ offensive coordinator, replacing Mike Kafka, who has been in the role since 2022. It also makes sense. Like Jackson, Jaxson Dart is a mobile quarterback who at times dazzled this past season as a rookie before getting injured. He was also a big part of the reason Harbaugh took the job. In Baltimore, Monken was the architect of an offense in 2024 that became the first to reach 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in the same season. He also helped propel Jackson to career highs in passing yards, touchdown passes and completion percentage during his tenure. Monken was also the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns in 2019 when Baker Mayfield threw for a career-high 3,827 yards, a mark that still stands. At Georgia, his work with quarterback Stetson Bennett and the offense helped the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships. As for other assistants he could potentially look to bring with him, some of those decisions will be determined by whom the Ravens are willing to let go of. Again, though, the coaching staff is likely to look much different for Baltimore next season. Potential Ravens coaches Harbaugh might target: Senior special teams coach Randy Brown, defensive line coach Dennis Johnson, running backs coach Willie Taggart, assistant special teams coach Anthony Levine Sr., outside linebacker coach Matt Robinson, inside linebackers coach Tyleer Santucci. As for players, the Ravens have two dozen pending free agents, including 19 unrestricted. Some of them will undoubtedly be guys that Harbaugh will have an interest in bringing to the Giants, who have a roster with some talent but still a lot of holes to fill. Given his penchant for special teams, he will also want to bring in players who can help fill that void for a team that ranked in the bottom third of the league in most categories. Pat Ricard, FB/TE Ricard has been an integral part of Baltimore’s plans on offense, but that could change under a new regime. He has a lot of wear and tear, but he also wants to play at least 10 seasons and would hit that milestone next season. The Giants were sixth in rushing yards per game last season but just 17th in yards per carry, a metric Ricard’s blocking would almost certainly improve, and his pass blocking skills would be a benefit to Dart. He’d also be a fascinating fit alongside running back Cam Skattebo. Isaiah Likely, TE With the asking price out of the Ravens’ range, Baltimore opted to re-up with veteran Mark Andrews instead. That means Likely, 25 and who just finished his fourth season, could be an attractive piece for an offense that lacks playmakers outside of Nabers. Likely took a step back this season after breaking his foot in August and missing the first three games, but he showed his potential in 2024 with 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns as he emerged as one of Jackson’s favorite targets, particularly when things go off schedule. Charlie Kolar, TE Kolar also logged a ton of special teams snaps, with his 293 the third-most on the team. He also provides versatility as both a blocker and receiver. Theo Johnson was New York’s primary tight end and took a big step forward in his second season with career highs in catches (45), yards (528) and touchdowns (five), the latter leading the team, but Kolar would give them another ascending and familiar player at a position that needs help. Tylan Wallace, WR Long a special teams stalwart and popular and well-respected locker room presence with the Ravens, it also seems like the fifth-year receiver could be elsewhere next season. He hasn’t been able to carve out much of an offensive role with Baltimore, but perhaps he’d be able to do so somewhere behind Giants star Malik Nabers in addition to being the kind of dependable special teamer that Harbaugh covets. Jake Hummel, LB See above. Hummel led the Ravens in special teams snaps, logging 372 this season. He played just 33 snaps on defense, so this would strictly be a move for a special teams role. It’s also an area of need for a Giants team that wasn’t very good in an area that Harbaugh views as fundamentally significant and important. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely signs a jersey for a teammate after cleaning out his locker after Baltimore's Week 18 loss to Pittsburgh. The free agent could end up in New York with John Harbaugh, playing for the Giants in 2026. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) View the full article Quote
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