The Baltimore Ravens are on the hunt for just their fourth head coach in franchise history, as the team parted ways with John Harbaugh after 18 seasons at the helm. Unlike most franchises that part with their coach, Baltimore is not eyeing some sort of full-scale teardown.
With Lamar Jackson still at the peak of his powers and a roster that was put together with the thought that they were capable of contending for a Super Bowl, any coach who wants to avoid the usual grinding and rebuilding that comes with most jobs will be begging to succeed Harbaugh.
In a league that is full of openings that either don't have long-term plans at quarterback locked in or are in such dire financial straits that it could be difficult to improve the team, coaching candidates will be thrilled with the possibility of joining a team that could compete for championships right away.
NFL.com's Judy Battista confirmed what many Baltimore fans had already suspected, naming the Ravens as the most attractive of the now seven head coaching vacancies in the league. Jackson alone is surely going to be enough to attract some of the best and brightest minds on the market.
Ravens ranked as most attractive head coach vacancy by NFL.com
Dozens of coaches were washed out of town because of their inability to get solid quarterback play, but coming to a team with Jackson at the helm checks that box. Derrick Henry is still chugging along, and the defense is laden with star power on multiple levels.
The AFC North around the Ravens is also as weak as it has ever been. The Steelers are doing their usual flopping around at nine or ten wins without a long-term plan at quarterback, the Browns fired Kevin Stefanski after another offensive regression, and the Bengals did not fire Zac Taylor despite missing the playoffs again.
As has been proven over the last few years, even if you fall short in the postseason, Baltimore's ownership is willing to ride things out for a few years will give coaches some assurance that things won't be a one-and-done barring a complete collapse. Stability is always important.
Very rarely do wannabe head coaches get the chance to start their careers with a player like Jackson under center. That alone will get eyeballs on the Ravens, and the pedigree of the organization might do the rest of the legwork.