The Baltimore Ravens are a new team heading into 2026. Gone is the old coaching staff led by John Harbaugh. Instead, it’ll be a coaching regime headed by head coach Jesse Minter, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Times have changed in Charm City, and it's exciting.
Still, it’s a bunch of fresh faces. Weaver is the more experienced one with just two years as defensive coordinator under his belt, Minter is entering his first year as a head coach, and Doyle will be in his second season as an offensive coordinator, but his first as the lead playcaller.
However, that inexperience hasn’t stopped the Ravens from shouldering sky-high expectations in 2026. Their over/under win total for this upcoming season comes in at 11.5. That’s the highest win total in the NFL. They're all alone at that spot, too.
Will Baltimore get the new coach bump? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/c3RZOMuE6w
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) March 23, 2026
Baltimore Ravens hit with astronomically high expectations in Jesse Minter’s first season
That’s quite a high bar for Minter to reach. He’s taking over a squad that was possibly the most underwhelming team in football in 2025. The offense was very inconsistent and still lacks talent outside of their stars, Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Zay Flowers. On defense, it was one of the worst seasons in franchise history, as it felt like they got very few stops and couldn’t sack opposing quarterbacks for the life of them. That’s a lot to turn around in your first year as a head coach.
Despite all those struggles, the Ravens still salvaged an 8-9 season and almost made the playoffs. If Tyler Loop had made that kick as time expired in Week 18, Baltimore would’ve been playoff-bound. There’s no telling what would’ve happened if they made the playoffs. It’s clear that the talent was there, and they needed a new coach. With Minter arriving, there’s a ton of hype. There’s also a ton of uncertainty, though.
Just because Minter led one of the best defenses as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2024 to 2025 doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to get the Ravens back on track. Head coaching is obviously a completely different ballgame. There are so many different hats to wear, and only time will tell if he adjusts well. But he does have the supporting staff to put the team back into playoff contention.
Doyle comes over from the Chicago Bears as one of the fastest-rising coaches in the NFL. He hasn’t called plays before, but is one of the more innovative offensive minds, and has already sparked excitement with his emphasis on hunting explosive plays. He may be able to unlock a level in Lamar Jackson that we've never seen.
As Minter calls the defensive plays, Weaver is the leader you want as defensive coordinator. He did a solid job with the Miami Dolphins over the last two years, but it’s the mentality he brings that could be the difference maker. He’s got Baltimore’s defense ready to go full hunt-mode and make an impressive bounce-back this upcoming season.
The Ravens have also done a very good job in free agency thus far. While the offense is still lacking, the defense has an influx of talent coming through the door. They signed Trey Hendrickson to be their top sack-getter, replaced Alohi Gilman and Ar’Darius Washington with Jaylinn Hawkins, and re-signed Chidobe Awuzie. The right pieces are coming together on that side of the ball.
It’s sort of unfair for Minter to face this kind of pressure in his debut season as a head coach. The potential is there, but we’ll have to wait and see how he fares. One thing's for certain, though, whenever you have Lamar Jackson on your team, anything can happen.