The Baltimore Ravens will look drastically different in 2026. While the roster will still have some of the brightest stars in the NFL, the coaching staff is almost completely different.
It can be a bit scary to see so many young coaches on the same sideline. There’s not an overabundance of experience. The Ravens hired a 42-year-old Jesse Minter to be their head coach, a 29-year-old Declan Doyle to be their offensive coordinator, and a 45-year-old Anthony Weaver to be their defensive coordinator. That youth does give them an advantage in connecting to players, though, as well as a hungry mindset to prove themselves.
For Weaver, he already has Ravens fans ready to run through a wall. During a press conference on Wednesday, he highlighted what he expects the defense to look like in 2026.
“It’s about how we play. It’s about us going out there and flying to the ball,” Weaver said. “Having 11 guys connected that are in a flow state…Looks like a pack of wolves. Looks like we have 13 guys out there, that’s what we’re chasing. Defeating blocks, if you get the chance to intimidate and hit somebody, let's do it…We’re just trying to get back to that standard.”
It’s clear that after an abysmal last two seasons on the defensive side, Weaver is looking to make a statement and bring back the Baltimore defense of old. He’s looking to strike fear into their opponents on every single down.
Anthony Weaver is ready to unleash a pack of wolves on Baltimore’s defense
It will be Minter calling the defense next season, and rightfully so, as his defensive coordinator resume is elite. However, Weaver will have a key part in gameplanning, scheming, and leading the team when Minter is occupied by other duties. It’s those leadership qualities that have the Baltimore organization so excited to welcome Weaver back to Charm City.
Last season, it felt like the Ravens’ defense was playing with their shoulders slumped. The pass rush lacked energy and urgency, the linebacker group was a step slow in the middle of the field, and the secondary gave up an excruciating amount of back-breaking plays. That can’t all be fixed by a tone shift, but Weaver can certainly help change the demeanor. There’s talent there, but they looked asleep far too often. With the way Weaver made it sound, he wants his unit playing like they just chugged energy drinks for four straight quarters.
Sure, Weaver’s short time as Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator didn’t work out entirely. In 2024, he led a strong unit, which finished fourth in yards allowed per game and 10th in points allowed per game. 2025, though, was a major shift in the worst way. The unit fell into the bottom half of the league in both of those aforementioned categories. However, those struggles could be traced back to injuries and a loss of star power. In Baltimore, that shouldn't be a prominent issue for Weaver.
The Ravens absolutely needed to enter a new era, and they made the right choice in firing John Harbaugh. While Jesse Minter and Declan Doyle will take most of the attention, given that they’re the lead play-callers, there may be very few coaches who are better choices to help usher in that new era and change the culture than Anthony Weaver. The few soundbites we’ve heard from him thus far are proof of that.