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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson warms up before a November 16, 2025 game.
The Baltimore Ravens recently completed a complete overhaul of the coaching structure. One writer believes that those moves place them in the best position to succeed in the AFC North. The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, when asked about which division team looked in the best shape to contend, mentioned the Ravens.
“It’s impossible not to heavily consider the talent that the head coaches have on their rosters in any discussion about their potential 2026 success. Because of that, I have to go with Minter here. The Ravens have plenty to figure out this offseason—and those issues shouldn’t be minimized—but there’s also a lot to still like about their team, including the quarterback. As long as the Ravens have a healthy Lamar Jackson, their head coach is going to be in a position to win a lot of games.”
GettyNew Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter during his introductory press cconference on January 29, 2026.
The Elephant in the Room
As of this writing, Jackson and the team continue to work on a restructure and extension. The purpose of the extension is to alleviate the cap hit the Ravens would incur if Jackson’s contract remained unchanged. According to Spotrac, Baltimore would sit with a $74.5 million cap hit.
That would take up 24.55% of the team’s salary cap. Consequently, that fact may prevent the team from adding free agents to play in the new schemes Minter wants to execute on both sides of the ball.
For example, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle wants a big-play offense that operates out of a three-receiver set. As of right now, Zay Flowers is the only receiver who can conceivably carve out a dominant role in the offense. As a result, when free agency opens on March 11, the team could choose to bring in a veteran on a short deal or make a bigger move.
All of this is possible with a restructuring.
there’s elite playmakers… then there’s Lamar Jackson 🎱⚡️#RavensFlock #NFL pic.twitter.com/lpCEm6C3AI
— Redzone Rants (@Rz_Rants) February 17, 2026
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Separation of Powers Benefits Minter’s Coaching Style
At Michigan, Minter operated as the defensive coordinator. The same thing happened with the Los Angeles Chargers. In both cases, he focused on one side of the ball, perhaps crafting his approach in Baltimore. Doyle will hold the full reins of the offense. Granted, there are senior offensive assistants in place to offer input. However, the offensive coordinator will have the final word.
Meanwhile, on defense, Minter is there to teach the team, and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver serves as the motivator, also evaluating what works and what doesn’t. As the main defensive playcaller, Minter wants to bring his brand of aggressive chaos to the fold.
The Ravens defense getting their identity back is one thing, but I’m looking forward to seeing what Jesse Minter has in store for Kyle Hamilton!
Hopefully, it’s more stuff like this! 👇 pic.twitter.com/OHsIN7Ed6q
— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19) February 1, 2026
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Are the Ravens the Most Talented Team in the AFC North?
In his reply, Zrebiec believes that Baltimore fields the most talented team in the division. Conventional thought features Myles Garrett as the best overall player and the Bengals‘ receiving duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Yet, as a team, a collection of talent, the Ravens could lay a rational stake to the claim.
On both sides of the ball, the Ravens, while not a complete team, could possess more pieces and need less fine-tuning than the other four teams. Two of them have quarterback questions, while the third may need to bolster their defense.
On paper, the Ravens can win the division. However, what will the new coaches bring, and how will they affect the season?
Terrance Biggs Terrance started at heavy.com in January 2026
He is a veteran sportswriter with 12 years of experience, covering NFL, College, and MLB. Terrance has held positions at Sports Illustrated and Pro Football Sports Network. A graduate of Fort Hays State University with a bachelor’s in Communication, he is also a voting member of the Football Writers Association of America, United States Basketball Writers Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. More about Terrance Biggs
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