It looks like this year’s NFL head coaching cycle is nearing its end. The Baltimore Ravens completed their process by hiring new head coach Jesse Minter on January 22. Since then, the rest of the teams have followed and have their new leaders for the 2026 season.
On Sunday, the last two vacancies are reportedly expected to close up. The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to land Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and the Arizona Cardinals are zeroing in on Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.
There have been plenty of intriguing hires this cycle. Veteran head coaches like John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski are in position to rebuild franchises in the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, and Minter and Kubiak are two of the brightest minds getting their first shot at a head coaching gig. For the Ravens, Minter looks to be possibly the best hire of this offseason.
CBS Sports writer Tyler Sullivan offered a heap of praise for Baltimore’s decision to bring in Minter. In a recent article where he graded all 10 hires of the past month, the Ravens got an A. Sullivan wrote:
“One of the biggest obstacles in the Ravens' pursuit of a Super Bowl berth has been their defense falling short, despite having elite talent like Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith. Injuries played a major role, but the unit also simply didn't perform to its level.”
“Minter should help fix that, as his Chargers defense ranked top five in the NFL in several key categories this season as defensive coordinator.”
Baltimore also got a significant edge up on their AFC North counterparts in Sullivan’s eyes, as the Pittsburgh Steelers were given a C+ for their Mike McCarthy hire and the Cleveland Browns got a C- for their Todd Monken hire.
Jesse Minter to rebuild Ravens defense and reinforce Super Bowl aspirations
Defense is exactly where the Ravens needed to grow. While quarterback Lamar Jackson is the centerpiece of the team, he’s proven he’s dangerous no matter who’s calling the plays. In 2026, it will be Declan Doyle, who comes over from the Chicago Bears to be Baltimore’s offensive coordinator. On the other side of the ball, it will be Minter calling the shots.
Minter is set to bring electric schemes to the Ravens’ defense. Sullivan highlighted some key areas where the Los Angeles Chargers thrived under Minter last year in his piece. They were top-five in total yards per game, passing yards per game, touchdown to interception ratio, interceptions, and passer rating.
Despite having just two years as an NFL defensive coordinator, the 42-year-old designed a defense that was nearly impossible to figure out. Hopefully, he keeps that rolling in Charm City.