After a successful tenure that included a Super Bowl win, it was time for the Ravens to part ways with head coach John Harbaugh. Despite a 180-113 record with the team, Harbaugh’s message had seemingly grown stale, and they’ve now brought in former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. And after years of declining defensive play in Baltimore, this was a great move by the Ravens’ front office.

Jun 16, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter watches during organized team activities at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Ravens won two Super Bowls in the last 25 years on the back of their defense, but have seen that side of the ball become their Achilles’ heel under Harbaugh.

While Harbaugh had been an exemplary “CEO head coach”, his defensive coordinator position had become a bit of a revolving door, which led to the Ravens ranking 32nd in total defense in 2025. 

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Minter’s defense in Los Angeles was second in the league in 2025 in points allowed after leading the league in 2024. He’ll have a lot of work to do to fix the Ravens’ defense, but Baltimore has some intriguing pieces for him to work with in Kyle Hamilton, Travis Jones, and Roquan Smith.

Minter has yet to bring in an offensive coordinator to work with Lamar Jackson after losing out on Joe Brady’s services when he accepted the Bills’ head coaching position, but it’s safe to assume he’ll find someone to handle the offense while he focuses on defense.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) rushes the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium.

And with the perennial MVP candidate at quarterback, even a small improvement to the defense could mean big things for the Ravens as they were one win away from making the playoffs in a year where they played half their games without Jackson. 

If Minter can find someone to manage his offense, this will be a home run hire that will help remind Ravens fans of their defensive glory days.

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