The Baltimore Ravens' 2025 season was obviously not what they hoped it would be. The team had Super Bowl hopes, but after three straight playoff berths and two straight AFC North titles, they collapsed and missed the playoffs. As a result, John Harbaugh was fired, and the Ravens will start anew after hiring Jesse Minter.
It felt like Baltimore lost their way in 2025 and even a bit in 2024. Despite the success in that 2024 campaign, it was an up-and-down year, especially on the defensive side. Even after the coaching changes, roster upgrades must be made.
According to NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, the Ravens need to go back to what worked for them in the past. While they enter a new era, there are certain philosophies that they need to reclaim in 2026. He revealed where he thinks they’ve gone wrong in recent years at the NFL Combine on Wednesday.
“When [the Ravens] are at their best, they are big. They’re big everywhere,” Jeremiah said. “They wanna be the bully. I think they got away from that a little bit with some finesse players, some speed players that they brought in. I look to them, trying to get back to that tenacity, that style.”
Jeremiah hit the nail on the head. While the landscape of the NFL is shifting into an explosive, game-changing style of play on both sides of the ball, Ravens football has always been about physicality and punching the opponent in the mouth. The team needs to get back to playing like a Raven.
Ravens must get back to being the bullies in 2026
Jeremiah knows the Raven way a lot better than most media members. He began his scouting career as a personnel assistant from 2003 to 2004, and then became a West Coast scout from 2005 to 2006. He eventually departed for the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles later in his career, but he clearly knows what goes on in the Ravens’ front office. He understands the mindsets of Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta.
DeCosta needs to find upgrades on defense that match that bully mentality. He already brought in defensive minds in Jesse Minter and Anthony Weaver, who will look to shift the tone, and, as Weaver put it, play like a wolfpack on defense. That starts with the defensive line.
Baltimore already has some nasty players on the interior with Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones, and John Jenkins doing the dirty work. It’s the edge rushers that have been the problem. Mike Green flashed in his rookie year, but the Ravens didn’t really have true edge setters that looked to run through opposing offensive linemen's faces on every play. In addition to boosting that abysmal sack rate, the defensive front must make its presence known in short-yardage situations.
The secondary already has some pieces in place. Minter and company have a lot of confidence in those guys. However, it’ll be about changing the playstyle there.
Former defensive coordinator Zach Orr played far too passively, playing talented corners like Nate Wiggins 10 to 15 yards off the line of scrimmage. He’s flashed as a physical, press-man corner at times, and Minter and Weaver need to let him lean into that more. The same goes for Marlon Humphrey, who took a massive step back in 2025, but a change in schemes could do wonders for him.
Jeremiah’s words about investing in bigger players go for the offense, too. Most notably, they need more physically imposing pieces at wide receiver. Throughout his career, Lamar Jackson hasn’t had a consistently dominant X wideout. With Zay Flowers doing damage underneath, a bigger contested catch artist opposite of him would be the perfect complement, and would help the offense take major strides in 2026.
Overall, it seems like the Ravens are getting back to the bully mentality. The new coaching staff certainly suggests that, and they’ll likely follow through with that in free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.