Lamar Jackson has to crack a smile at this exciting Jesse Minter stat

For the first time in 18 years, the Baltimore Ravens found themselves in need of a new head coach this offseason. After firing John Harbaugh, they conducted a two-week search for his replacement. On Thursday, they hired former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

Minter inked a five-year deal. He returns to Charm City, the place where he got his first NFL coaching gig. He spent time on Harbaugh’s defensive staff from 2017 to 2020, before going back to the collegiate level. In 2024, he returned to the NFL, becoming the defensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles squad.

Minter had two dominant seasons in Los Angeles. He led a couple of top 10 defensive units throughout his short time there, while also appearing in the playoffs in both those years. His strong performance come playoff time is just another quality that made him a top candidate this hiring cycle.

Minter had two playoff appearances with the Chargers. In those two games, his group forced five turnovers. That includes two in the team’s Wild Card loss to the New England Patriots this postseason.

In comparison, in eight playoff games with quarterback Lamar Jackson at the helm, the Ravens defense has forced just two turnovers.

Undoubtedly, this hire has Lamar Jackson smiling ear to ear.

Ravens’ defense set to flip the script under Jesse Minter

The Ravens needed this tone shift more than anything. In an underwhelming 2025 campaign, the play on the field was lackluster, and players looked disinterested far too often. The hope is Minter will help change that, especially in the playoffs.

Yes, Jackson has had his fair share of blunders in the playoffs, but more often than not, the defense has failed to come up clutch in the big moments. Even when Mike Macdonald was calling the shots, the defense failed to generate game-changing plays. Stops are one thing, but turnovers can shift the momentum, and evidently, there has been a severe lack of that recently.

It’s not like the defense is lacking talent either. The pass rush needs work, but there are talented players scattered across the field. In the secondary, safety Kyle Hamilton and cornerback Nate Wiggins can be game-wreckers. On the defensive line, defensive tackles Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones are forces on the interior. There’s even young talent with safety Malaki Starks, outside linebacker Mike Green, and linebacker Teddye Buchanan already emerging in year one.

While the past two years have been a disastrous road of highs and lows on defense, Minter is poised to change that.