ExtremeRavens Posted 12 hours ago Posted 12 hours ago New Ravens coach Jesse Minter made one thing especially clear Thursday. The defense is his. Minter confirmed during his 25-minute introductory news conference that he will call plays on defense, continuing the hands-on approach that’s helped define his rise from defensive assistant in Baltimore to one of the NFL’s most respected young defensive minds. It was a decisive answer, and quite frankly, an expected one. A bigger issue still remains. What about the offense? That uncertainty hovered inside the team’s Owings Mills headquarters after Minter finished shaking hands, posing for photos and fulfilling his first-day responsibilities. In Minter, the Ravens hired a defensive head coach following consecutive campaigns that went awry due to defensive struggles and ultimately postseason regression. After losing to the Chiefs at home in the 2023 AFC championship game, the Ravens lost to the Bills in the 2024 divisional round and missed out on the playoffs completely this past season. Minter arrives in Baltimore with deep familiarity with the organization. He first served as a defensive assistant, working his way up to defensive backs coach between 2017 to 2020, before leaving on his “own accord” to become Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator. He later joined Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, won a national championship in 2023, then spent the past two seasons engineering a defensive turnaround with the Los Angeles Chargers. On Thursday, Minter outlined traits he’s looking for as he fills out the rest of his coaching staff, including the ever-important offensive coordinator position. “I’m looking for leaders and connectors and relationship builders and schematic expertise,” Minter said. “But most importantly, guys that the players believe in. Coaches that are willing to dive deep and build really strong relationships with the players.” Baltimore has reportedly interviewed Lions assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery and Broncos pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb for the offensive coordinator vacancy. Whoever gets the job will be tasked with helping resurrect an offense that was plagued by inconsistency and poor execution during critical downs. Overall, the Ravens finished 16th in the NFL in total offense (332.2 yards per game). Quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson battled multiple injuries in a forgettable season that ended with a 6-7 record as the starter. His rushing numbers dipped to career lows, while his explosiveness and elusiveness vanished. As Minter and the Ravens chart their future, the coaching staff’s ability to maximize what’s left of Jackson’s prime ahead of his age 29 season is undoubtedly a top priority. It’s also impossible to separate Jackson’s on-field outlook from his current financial situation. Jackson’s cap number balloons to $74.5 million next season, representing roughly a quarter of the team’s projected salary cap. A restructure is essential if Baltimore wants to build a more complete roster around the quarterback. Jackson’s willingness and urgency to collaborate on a solution remain paramount. “I just look forward to connecting with [Jackson], helping him become the best version of himself,” Minter said. “Creating a team identity that allows him to thrive, which he’s already proven to be an elite — one of the best players in the National Football League, and put a team around him that allows him to reach that ultimate goal of bringing a Super Bowl back to Baltimore.” Unfortunately, Jackson’s absence from Thursday’s news conference stood out. Only nine players attended to support Minter: Running back Justice Hill, offensive linemen Carson Vinson and Gerad Lichtenhan, defensive linemen Travis Jones, Broderick Washington Jr. and Aeneas Peebles, linebacker Teddye Buchanan and defensive backs Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam. Jackson wasn’t there. Neither were Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, Mark Andrews or other cornerstone veterans. To be clear: Jackson was not required to be present for Minter’s first official day at the Castle. But just earlier this month during their end-of-season news conference, owner Steve Bisciotti and general manager Eric DeCosta publicly challenged Jackson to display improved communication and collaboration moving forward. Thursday presented a golden opportunity for Jackson to signal alignment as the franchise turned the page to its fourth head coach. Around the league, similar introductory moments unfolded a bit differently. On the same day the Ravens introduced Minter, franchise pillars in Buffalo and Tennessee showed up alongside new head coaches Joe Brady and Robert Saleh, with Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Titans quarterback Cam Ward joined by defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. Those key appearances displayed established leaders understanding the importance of their presence at the outset of new eras. Allen even hosted an impromptu news conference, discussing his involvement in Buffalo’s hiring process, his support of Brady and his broken foot injury. Back in Owings Mills, Minter said he and Jackson have already started building a relationship. “Lamar and I have had multiple conversations,” Minter said. “It’s been great. It’s been great to get to know him. Relationships take time. … We’ve been working towards that already.” Bisciotti previously volunteered to lend Jackson his private plane to travel from South Florida to Baltimore to participate in head-coaching interviews. The Ravens interviewed nearly two dozen candidates, including finalists Minter, Brady and Anthony Weaver. If that level of access existed during the process, it’s fair to wonder whether Jackson could’ve taken up the same service Thursday. With Minter flanked onstage by team president Sahsi Brown and DeCosta, Bisciotti had a front row seat alongside former general manager and senior adviser Ozzie Newsome. DeCosta was asked directly whether Jackson participated in finalist interviews. His response came across as general and notably indirect. “We had a small group of players kind of split evenly among offense and defense,” DeCosta said. “They had the opportunity to come into Baltimore or be a part of a Zoom. … Their opinion was valuable and very helpful.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, right, and offensive coordinator Todd Monken speak before a Week 18 game against the Steelers. Jackson will have a new offensive coordinator in 2026. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) The Ravens are walking a familiar line of protecting their franchise quarterback while hoping Jackson grows into a more coherent leadership role that includes improved communication with the coaching staff and front office. Former offensive coordinator and new Browns coach Todd Monken acknowledged that imbalance, noting on his recent appearance on the Ryan Ripken show that “I didn’t coach Lamar well enough” and “didn’t have as good of a relationship as I could have.” Minter inherits that challenge immediately. The first-time coach arrives in Baltimore with a long history of connecting with players and forming real off-field relationships that have consistently converted to on-field success. “Our football identity, I would say, is [to be] physical, tough, relentless and playing together,” Minter said. “I think when people turn on our film, I want them to see a team that’s really well connected, that plays for each other. You’re not just playing for yourself, you’re playing for everybody. There’s a physicality that comes along with that. There’s a mental and physical toughness that comes along with that. There are schematic things that come along with that. “I’m really looking forward to building that with our team, creating our own identity in that regard and building on what’s been done here in the past.” Minter is in place and the defensive identity is spoken for. The offense, however, from coordinator and offensive staff to philosophy and how it maximizes what remains of Jackson’s prime while navigating an unavoidable contract restructure, remains under construction. Have a news tip? Contact Josh Tolentino at jtolentino@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200, x.com/JCTSports and instagram.com/JCTSports. View the full article Quote
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