The Baltimore Ravens’ franchise has seen a massive shift this offseason. For the first time in 18 years, they’ll be entering the season with a first-year head coach. And although Jesse Minter is a John Harbaugh guy, he’s looking to reinforce the team’s identity, all while implementing a new way of doing things.
The major changes didn’t stop there either. The Ravens made some big-time moves in free agency, and, like always, brought in a very intriguing class of rookies in the 2026 NFL Draft. Simply put, this team looks miles better than it showed to be in 2025.
As a result of this altering offseason, countless players find themselves in better situations. On the other hand, others find themselves gasping for air in the battle for reps ahead of a pivotal campaign.
Here are four winners and two losers from the last six months in Baltimore.
4 winners (2 losers) of Baltimore Ravens’ 2026 offseason
Winner: The Defense
Let’s start with the easy one. There may be no bigger winner in Charm City than the defense. Pretty much the entire defense. They’re getting not one, but two, insanely talented coaches in the building.
Jesse Minter and Anthony Weaver were two of the hottest names in the NFL coaching search this offseason, and the Ravens were able to add both of them to their coaching staff. The head coach, Minter, will be calling the plays, and the defensive coordinator, Weaver, will be using his elite leadership skills to fire up what should prove to be an uber-talented unit.
In comparison to last year, the defense can’t take this turnover for granted. Going from a very questionable playcaller in Zach Orr to two of the smartest defensive minds in the sport is a massive improvement. It’s one that could see the group go from one of the worst in 2025 to one of the best in 2026.
Winner: Lamar Jackson
As for Lamar Jackson, he gets an overhaul of his own to boost his 2026 plans. From the coaching front to roster construction, there are plenty of reasons to believe that Jackson can return to MVP form this upcoming season.
Most notably, Jackson gets to play under Declan Doyle. Doyle is quickly proving himself as an unstoppable offensive playcaller. Sure, he wasn’t the lead playcaller with the Chicago Bears in 2025, but he helped lead one of the more explosive offenses the league had to offer. Now, he gets a more impressive offense, but one with a two-time MVP at quarterback.
Jackson also got his wish in the NFL Draft. The Ravens selected Vega Ioane to help protect him from the offensive guard spot, and they also surrounded him with physical wideouts in Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt. Jackson’s supporting cast could be much richer in 2026.
Loser: Andrew Vorhees
For losers, Andrew Vorhees might be near the top of that list. He wasted a golden opportunity to claim a starting spot for the foreseeable future, but unfortunately, he was nothing short of abysmal last season.
Following an offseason overhaul, Vorhees is one of the players who is seeing his role diminish rapidly. Once in the conversation to be a starter, the former USC Trojan finds himself fighting for a roster spot. The additions of John Simpson and Vega Ioane have pushed him to the end of the road.
In addition to those moves, Baltimore will be looking for 2025 third-round pick Emery Jones Jr. to make some noise in his second season. That draft pedigree and the fact he challenged Vorhees for reps last year could be enough to pass Vorhees on the depth chart. Even center signings of Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn may threaten Vorhees’ roster spot, too.
It’s been a rough start to 2026 for Andrew Vorhees. And it could culminate in him being cut.
Winner: Mark Andrews
Mark Andrews has struggled in recent years, but it’s clear that the organization is going to give him every chance to look himself in the mirror and find the Mark Andrews of old. This offseason gave him that path for at least one more season.
In 2025, Baltimore had all three of their tight ends heading for free agency in the ensuing spring. As it turns out, Andrews would sign a three-year, $39.3 million contract, and the team allowed Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar to walk in free agency. Pretty much, Andrews has full rein of the tight end room.
The Ravens did draft two tight ends in the 2026 NFL Draft in the form of Matthew Hibner and Josh Cuevas, but both of those guys are Day 3 rookies. They won’t really challenge Andrews for receiving reps, if at all. It’s a major lifeline for Andrews, and something he must take advantage of.
Winner: Mike Green
As he gears up for his sophomore season in the NFL, Mike Green has some real talent around him. We’re talking about a very well-rounded pass rush room that supplies threats all across the defensive line.
Two specific moves should benefit Mike Green the most: Trey Hendrickson and Zion Young.
Hendrickson is going to demand attention. He has 81 career sacks to his name, including four seasons of at least 13.5 sacks. The Ravens haven’t had that type of production since Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil, and a player of Hendrickson’s caliber will certainly help Green grow both on and off the field.
In the case of Young, he’s an energized bunny off the edge, playing at 100 miles per hour; he knows no other way. Most importantly for Green, Young’s expertise is in run-stopping. That play should unlock Green for more green-light pass rush opportunities.
Loser: Rasheen Ali
Rasheen Ali is staring down a similar situation to Andrew Vorhees. He wasn’t a starter; however, Ali did see an increase in reps due to injuries, especially on passing downs. He didn’t flash when he was on the field, though, and entering 2026, a new challenger is arising in the running back rotation.
Just as Keaton Mitchell headed West in free agency, the Ravens responded by drafting Adam Randall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Randall has a long way to go since he’s new to the position, but his skills as a runner, receiver, and blocker will make him difficult to keep off the field. His ceiling is way higher than Ali’s.
Baltimore also has Justice Hill still on the roster, too. Hill played in just 10 games in 2025, and injuries opened up snaps for Ali, but he’s back to 100 percent and was a consistent standout in the offseason program.
All that may force Ali even further down the roster. There’s definitely a realm of possibilities where the 25-year-old is cut.
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