The Baltimore Ravens are in dire need of a bounce-back season. They wasted a year of Lamar Jackson’s prime in 2025, as an onslaught of injuries, poor coaching, and inconsistent execution led to them missing the playoffs.
Luckily, things will look extremely different in 2026. They already made some huge moves necessary to right their ship. They fired John Harbaugh, hired an up-and-coming coach in Jesse Minter, and added a major threat off the edge in Trey Hendrickson. There’s still a lot to do if they want to become that feared squad again, but the organization is trending in an encouraging direction.
In fact, many are expecting Baltimore to get back into the playoffs and reclaim the AFC North crown. It may be Minter's first year as a head coach, but they’re capable.
In some recent NFL playoff predictions, NFL Spin Zone’s Lou Scataglia sees a major rebound coming in Charm City. Scataglia wrote:
“With a new head coach installed in Jesse Minter, coupled with (ideally) better roster health, the Ravens will return to the top of the division in 2026.”
“This team does have the best quarterback in the NFL in Lamar Jackson, and Minter's highly successful tenure as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator does instill a ton of confidence that he can find some success with Baltimore in year one.”
Baltimore Ravens given extremely positive outlook ahead of 2026 season
It felt like Baltimore had the worst possible outcome last year. The defense gave up countless leads, the offense didn’t really help by committing uncharacteristic and untimely turnovers, and there was simply no clutch gene. Still, they somehow barely fell short of a playoff berth. It’s certainly fair to say that following a strong offseason, they should be the favorites to win the division in 2026.
Still, the biggest question mark is Minter’s inexperience. Make no mistake about it, Ravens fans are thankful that it’ll be Minter leading them into battle this year instead of Harbaugh. It'll also be a breath of fresh air to see Minter call plays rather than former defensive coordinator Zach Orr. However, it can take a first-year head coach some time to iron out the kinks.
Baltimore’s biggest competition, the Pittsburgh Steelers, also have a new head coach in Mike McCarthy, but he has 18 years of experience under his belt. It may be rocky experience—he’s been fired twice, but he also carries 174 career wins, 12 playoff trips, and one Super Bowl win. Even though the Steelers have been disappointing in their own right, they’ll remain a tough opponent to slay for Minter in his debut campaign as a head coach.
Free agency also may have seen Pittsburgh pull out in front of Baltimore. After additions like Michael Pittman Jr., Jamel Dean, and Jaquan Brisker, they seem to have a more well-rounded roster than the Ravens.
However, what Minter and company have more of is star power. Most notably, Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Kyle Hamilton, and Trey Hendrickson are a fearsome four. And if the team can stay healthy and the new coaching staff can call better games than the last regime did, then they should be on a collision course with that lofty goal of winning the division and returning to the playoffs. The future is bright in Baltimore, and the belief is sky high.