The Baltimore Ravens are always a hot team to poach from once the offseason comes around. Time and time again, they are among the top teams in the NFL, and while this year has been severely underwhelming, they once again find themselves in a position to make the playoffs in Week 18. If they beat the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday, they will win the AFC North for a third straight season.
It’s clear that Baltimore is one of the best-run organizations in not just football, but in all of sports. Even in down seasons, they somehow find a way to be competitive. It can be a blessing and a curse, though. Every time the season ends, they lose several key pieces to other teams.
Whether it be free agents, coaching staff, or front office members, there are countless talented players and minds who eventually depart Charm City. The Ravens’ 2026 free agency class is stacked, and many contributors will inevitably leave for new homes. The same can be said for several important decision makers.
NFL insider names key Ravens decision-makers as GM candidates
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently constructed a list of front office names who could earn general manager jobs in the 2026 offseason. While no Ravens’ staffers were listed as on the doorstep of becoming GMs, two appear to be closing in. Breer highlighted Baltimore’s director of player personnel, Mark Azevedo, and their VP of football administration, Nick Matteo.
“[Azevedo] landed in Baltimore in 2005, and like so many others who’ve become GMs, steadily worked his way up…When Hortiz left for the Chargers, Azevedo moved into an elevated role that pushed him closer to the decision-making process, which is essential to becoming a GM.”
“Now in his seventh year with Baltimore, Matteo is another rising young exec on the operations side who has a background working at the league office, and has become a vital piece of DeCosta’s department. As a point man in negotiations who brings intimate knowledge of football analytics…Matteo could be appealing to an owner looking for a new age setup at a GM.”
If anyone lands Azevedo, Matteo, or any other Ravens front office member this offseason, they will take their draft philosophy with them. Dating back to Ozzie Newsome, Baltimore has been a draft-focused franchise.
They tend to have a high hit rate in the NFL Draft. Joe Hortiz, the most recent Baltimore staffer to leave for a GM job, has continued that tradition with the Los Angeles Chargers. His first draft class as a general manager included names like Joe Alt, Ladd McConkey, Tarheeb Still, and Cam Hart. This year, rookies Omarion Hampton, Oronde Gadsden II, and R.J. Mickens have stood out.
If teams want that type of success coming from their draft class, then they should look no further than the Baltimore Ravens. It can usually be difficult to replenish the organization with bright minds to keep the franchise running at an elite level, but Baltimore has proven capable of that during pretty much their entire existence.