The Baltimore Ravens have a ton of work to do. So far, all that attention has been focused on hiring their next head coach, as after firing John Harbaugh, they have a head coaching vacancy for the first time in 18 years.
Still, the Ravens cannot afford to overlook the task at hand: bringing significant improvements to their roster in 2026. Obviously, with the new head coach, the team will soon get a better idea when it comes to the types of players they want to target this offseason, but some areas desperately need fixes.
Those two areas are the offensive line and the defensive line. Thankfully, general manager Eric DeCosta is already setting his sights on improving those positions. During his press conference with owner Steve Bisciotti earlier in the week, he reflected on the state of the roster and what needs to change next year.
“We didn’t play consistently from game to game,” DeCosta said. “Generally speaking, we gotta do a better job of creating pressure on defense. That will help the secondary…I know the offensive line seemed to be a narrative this year, and in some games I thought the line played well, and in other games we struggled. I think we have pieces, I think we gotta be more consistent on the offensive line.”
Eric DeCosta admits to what Ravens fans said all year
Obviously, those areas were going to be improved this offseason. You would have to be inept as a general manager to not realize those fatal flaws. However, it’s still a breath of fresh air to hear DeCosta say the team is looking to bolster those areas in the coming months.
When it comes to the pass rush, the Ravens finished tied for third-worst in the NFL with 30 sacks. Their leading sack-getter was defensive tackle Travis Jones, who tallied just five sacks. The top guy from the edge spot was Tavius Robinson with 4.5 sacks.
As a unit, they failed to generate consistent pressure, and in turn, the secondary was gashed for big play after big play. It led to two of their starting corners, Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins, giving up some of the most passing yards in the league this past year.
Some potential answers to that problem could be Maxx Crosby via trade, Trey Hendrickson via free agency, or Texas Tech’s David Bailey via the 2026 NFL Draft.
On the offensive line, tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten, and center Tyler Linderbaum provided starting-caliber play. The problem was possibly the worst offensive guard duo in the NFL in Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele. The two simply cannot start together next season.
Vorhees and Faalele failed to provide stability from the interior, leading to far too many pressures. They also likely played a part in Lamar Jackson being banged up all year long. They cannot afford to let that happen to their franchise quarterback again.
Rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr. showed some promise in very limited action and should start in 2026. Other options for Baltimore this offseason could be a slew of free agents like Kevin Zeitler, Joel Bitonio, or Wyatt Teller. The front office could also take a stab at Iowa’s Gennings Dunker or Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon in the draft.
The Ravens also need to fire offensive line coach George Warhop if he isn’t forced out the door when their new head coach is signed.