NFL
Season Outlook:
Baltimore's 8-9 record in 2025 — the franchise's first losing season since 2021 — was enough to get John Harbaugh fired after 18 years. He's replaced by Jesse Minter, who inherits a talented roster labeled with unfulfilled promise, still built around a ninth-year Lamar Jackson. The Ravens will look to Lamar and a steadier defense to restore order and become Super Bowl contenders again.
What's Changed:
Minter is the most prominent new face. He’s not unfamiliar with Baltimore, however. Before he had his previous job as Chargers defensive coordinator, he coached the Ravens’ defensive backs. There will also be a new voice on offense, with Declan Doyle calling plays. Their biggest player acquisition is unquestionably ex-Bengal pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, a solid pivot after being unable to complete the trade for Maxx Crosby with the Raiders. Vegas was the beneficiary of the Ravens’ most significant loss: three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum.
Bigger Role & Sophomore Breakout:
Two members of the secondary should benefit under Minter's watch. Kyle Hamilton was already one of the league's most versatile safeties, and Minter figures to line him up all over the formation as the identity piece of this defense. Malaki Starks started 15 games as a rookie, picking off two passes, and now has a real shot at an elite-level jump. If Minter unlocks him the way he unlocked players in the Chargers' secondary, Starks becomes a Pro Bowl-caliber player.
Key Question:
Can Lamar Jackson look like an MVP again? He battled back, hamstring, and thigh injuries throughout 2025, missing four games and playing diminished over his final nine starts. There is likely to be a little adjustment period in Doyle’s new offensive system. But once Jackson gets comfortable – and if Derrick Henry continues to defeat father time – it can be one of the league’s most dangerous offenses again.
Prediction:
The Ravens return to the top of the AFC North at 12-5, but as in recent years, Baltimore can't get over the Super Bowl hump. A light early schedule lets the offense acclimate without a major hole to dig out of like last season. Jackson's scrambling and rushing attempts go down as he becomes more apt to throw. The defense tightens up under Minter and gives up fewer costly big plays. Hendrickson records more sacks in Baltimore than he ever did in Cincinnati.
X-Factor:
How far the defense improves will determine how far they go. Marlon Humphrey had an unusually rough 2025 — does he return to form? Nate Wiggins broke out as a sophomore, and the question is whether he keeps climbing. The biggest reason for optimism: the return of All-Pro Nnamdi Madubuike, who played just two games in 2025 before a season-ending neck injury, joining Hendrickson to fortify the front line.
Final Scorecard:
- Offense: 8
- Defense: 7
- Coaching: 7
- X-Factor Upside: 9
- Schedule Strength: 7