ExtremeRavens Posted yesterday at 11:30 AM Posted yesterday at 11:30 AM Following a long-tenured, mostly successful coach in the NFL — even ones whose tenures had perhaps become stale — can be daunting if not perilous. Ask Jerod Mayo, Chip Kelly and Wade Phillips. They succeeded Bill Belichick (Patriots), Andy Reid (Eagles) and Dan Reeves (Broncos) and ranged from solid (Phillips) to hot candidates (Mayo and Kelly). Mayo lasted a season, Phillips two and Kelly was fired before the end of his third. There is, of course, a flip side. Jimmy Johnson led the Cowboys to back-to-back Super Bowl titles in his fourth and fifth years after replacing legend Tom Landry. Bill Cowher immediately got the Steelers to the divisional round of the playoffs in his first year, the AFC title game in his third and a Super Bowl in his fourth before eventually winning it all in 2006 after replacing Chuck Noll. Enter Jesse Minter, who was named Ravens coach last week, replacing the fired John Harbaugh. In 18 seasons, Harbaugh won a Super Bowl, steered Baltimore to four AFC championship games and became the 14th winningest coach of all time. Will Minter be more Mike Macdonald, who coached the Seahawks to the Super Bowl in his second season after replacing Pete Carroll, or will his tenure more closely resemble someone like Phillips, who was likewise a defensive coordinator? The answer will play out in the months and years ahead, but as a first-time head coach the 42-year-old one-time defensive assistant in Baltimore and son of longtime NFL and college coach Rick Minter will face plenty of questions when he steps to the podium Thursday for his introductory news conference. Here are the five most pressing questions Minter is facing. Can he get through to and get the most out of quarterback Lamar Jackson? While owner Steve Bisciotti made it clear that Jackson did not have an “outsized” role in Harbaugh’s dismissal and ultimately did not have any “power” when it came to Minter’s selection, general manager Eric DeCosta also made it clear that communication is paramount. That most importantly extends to the the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and the head coach, both of whom are the two most important figures in the operation. Though Bisciotti said Jackson told him that he had no problem with Harbaugh or offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and Harbaugh said the same, something was clearly amiss this past season. Whether it was Jackson’s spate of injuries and perhaps frustration over his missing a practice a week for two straight months, or things simply having plateaued for myriad reasons, some inside the building — including the guy who pays the bills — felt it was time for change. Among Minter’s traits, those who have worked with him have lauded his ability to see the game in a unique way and meaningfully connect with players. Both of those attributes will be important when it comes to Jackson, 29, as he enters his ninth season and with Bisciotti saying they’re in it for the long haul with the quarterback. How will he turn around a defense that went backward the past two years? There is Pro Bowl and All-Pro talent at nearly every level of the Ravens’ defense, from safety Kyle Hamilton to linebacker Roquan Smith to rising defensive tackle Travis Jones, with a handful of solid contributors sprinkled throughout. Yet, the Ravens had one of the worst defenses in the NFL in 2024 and 2025. It was hardly all coaching, but Minter should immediately raise the floor and the ceiling, at least based on his track record of doing so elsewhere. Georgia State, Vanderbilt and the Los Angeles Chargers all improved notably under his direction, so why would Baltimore be any different? While it’s still unclear if Minter will be the one calling the plays or if he will leave that to whomever he names as defensive coordinator, he will no doubt be heavily involved. He has also already started to surround himself with coaches who have drawn high praise, including defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Mike Mickens. The former Notre Dame assistant helped develop a handful of top cornerbacks and safeties in college — including Hamilton — and was a significant presence in identifying and cultivating talent. How much say will he have in roster decisions, and is that important to him? One of the more compelling aspects of the coaching change is how much sway Minter will have over personnel, be it during free agency, the draft or other needs. Harbaugh certainly had plenty during his time. But it remains to be seen if that will be the case for Minter, or if it will be solely DeCosta, vice president of football administration Nick Matteo and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome making those decisions. The Ravens will no doubt say it will be a collaborative effort between all of them, but to what extent? With Minter being a first-time coach, though, it’s reasonable to expect him to lean on DeCosta and company. What will be his approach in assembling a staff? Some of Minter’s assistants have already been revealed, and he has received acclaim on Mickens as well as run game coordinator/offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford. Of course, who he names as his offensive and defensive coordinators will rightfully get the most scrutiny. Some candidates are also off the board, most notably Joe Brady, whom the Bills promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach to replace the fired Sean McDermott. Kliff Kingsbury, shown in 2025, has yet to land an offensive coordinator job this offseason after spending the past two years with the Commanders. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Meanwhile, Broncos offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb is a candidate for the Raiders’ head coach job and could be elevated to offensive coordinator in Denver after coach Sean Payton fired Joe Lombardi. And if Rams offense coordinator Mike LaFleur gets the head gig for the Cardinals, that could lead to Rams pass game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase being promoted to their offensive coordinator, taking him off the market. That could lead to Baltimore going with Kliff Kingsbury, whose name has remained in the mix, even though he was initially not high on Minter’s list of potential candidates. Or perhaps Minter brings Chargers pass game coordinator Marcus Brady to Baltimore. On defense, things are probably less complicated. Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen checks a lot of boxes. He’s experienced, a coach from one of the Ravens’ biggest nemeses and, like Minter, was previously a respected Ravens assistant. Or perhaps Minter will turn to longtime assistant and current Chargers defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale. Whatever happens, it’s likely he will have a mix of veteran coaches and up-and-comers. The offensive and defensive coordinators will be Minter’s most important hires. It’s also possible he won’t get his first choice, much the way Macdonald didn’t his first year in Seattle with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb before moving on to Klint Kubiak. How will he get Baltimore over the postseason hump? Baltimore enjoyed plenty of regular-season success during Harbaugh’s tenure, only missing the playoffs four times. The biggest reason Harbaugh was fired was for a recent lack of success — including a regression — in the postseason. So, how exactly will Minter, who came from the Harbaugh coaching tree, be any different? That’s of course the most pertinent question. There is reason to believe, though. First, there is a trust from within that he will help restore the Ravens’ identity as a defensive powerhouse, something they were in 2023 under Macdonald as well as in their championship years. Second, he has drawn comparisons to Macdonald in the way he sees the game and with his ability to get through to players. Third, the Ravens have one of the best players in the sport in Jackson at the most important position in the game, along with a number of talented players. All that’s left is to see how it unfolds. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbles against the Bills in a 2025 postseason defeat. Despite all of Jackson's accomplishments in Baltimore, he's yet to play for a Super Bowl. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) View the full article Quote
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