After the Baltimore Ravens fired 18-year head coach John Harbaugh, they immediately became one of the top head coaching vacancies. However, two weeks into their search, they are just now getting to their second round of interviews.
On the other hand, four of the 10 openings from this offseason have already been filled. Of those, two were at one point targets for the Baltimore job. Kevin Stefanski signed with the Atlanta Falcons, and Robert Saleh signed with the Tennessee Titans. Now, of their 17 candidates, 14 names remain on their board.
While there could be reason to panic, seeing as other teams are making much quicker progress in finding their next head coach, it sounds like the Ravens are going to be just fine. ESPN reporter Adam Schefter explained just why he thinks the team’s front office is taking so long with their coaching hunt.
“The way the Ravens are approaching this hiring cycle, to me, is very similar to the way that they draft,” Schefter said on his podcast. “They watch all the teams in front of them make their moves, and then the Baltimore Ravens step in and make their selection with whatever greatness is left…They’re letting Atlanta hire, they’re letting Miami hire, they’re letting Tennessee hire. And these would not have been the hires that the Ravens would’ve made anyway…In the end, they’re gonna pick some guy, that’s gonna come in there, and probably be as much of a success as a coach, as many of their top draft picks have been.”
Adam Schefter eases panic in Baltimore
It certainly eases some concern knowing that of the four hired, Schefter believes that none of them would’ve been hired by Baltimore. Sure, there was speculation surrounding Stefanski, and Saleh was one of the favorites in the eyes of the fanbase, but it appears there wasn’t mutual interest.
Much of the reason the Ravens are waiting so long likely has to do with the candidates still in the playoffs. 17 of those they have interviewed or requested to interview, six remain in playoff contention. The issue is, they won’t be able to conduct in-person interviews until the week after Conference Championship weekend.
Waiting around for those candidates may be worth it. Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak appears to be a top target on many boards, and a potential pairing between him and quarterback Lamar Jackson could result in the perfect match.
At this point, there are three known finalists being brought back for the second round of interviews. Those are Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, and Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Who is set to join them remains to be seen.