{"id":689039,"date":"2026-01-19T16:20:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T16:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/689039\/"},"modified":"2026-01-19T16:20:29","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T16:20:29","slug":"will-ravens-look-for-experience-in-next-coach-they-have-options","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/689039\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Ravens look for experience in next coach? They have options."},"content":{"rendered":"

Join the huddle. Sign up here<\/a> for Ravens updates in your inbox.<\/p>\n

The good news for the Ravens: They have one of the most attractive head coaching vacancies in recent memory.<\/p>\n

The bad news: There are no Ben Johnson-level candidates in this year\u2019s coaching cycle.<\/p>\n

As the Ravens head into the homestretch of their search for John Harbaugh\u2019s replacement<\/a>, team officials have cast a wide net. Fifteen candidates with a range of backgrounds and skill sets have interviewed as of Sunday night<\/a>, either virtually or in person. Finalists are expected to meet with owner Steve Bisciotti and the Ravens\u2019 search committee as soon as this week. <\/p>\n

So whom could they hire? That depends partly on what type of coach the Ravens are looking for: a former head coach, a coordinator with no head coaching experience or a hot-shot assistant coach. Here\u2019s one candidate to watch in each category. <\/p>\n

Retread: San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh<\/p>\n

The optics around a potential Saleh hire don\u2019t look as good as they did before Saturday night. His stock took a beating, along with the 49ers, in the Seattle Seahawks\u2019 41-6 divisional-round win. But Saleh\u2019s candidacy has always seemed premised more on what he could do in Baltimore than what he has done as the New York Jets\u2019 head coach (20-36 record over three-plus seasons) and in San Francisco. <\/p>\n

In both roles, Saleh\u2019s defenses have overachieved. The Jets\u2019 drop-off after firing him early last season was notable \u2014 they led the NFL in points per drive allowed and expected points added per play in their final 17 games with Saleh, then were last in the league<\/a> in both metrics over their next 17 games \u2014 and the 49ers\u2019 scoring defense this season was respectable despite widespread injuries. According to Sports Info Solutions<\/a>, only the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders had a more costly injury toll this year, and most of the 49ers\u2019 losses were concentrated on defense. <\/p>\n

But Saleh\u2019s best asset as a head coach could be his offensive coordinator hire, which he bungled as the Jets\u2019 head coach. Saleh, 46, is close with former Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator and fellow Ravens head coaching candidate Mike McDaniel. They worked together for years on Kyle Shanahan\u2019s 49ers staff. Saleh\u2019s ties to the Shanahan tree and work as a consultant last year for the Green Bay Packers should help open doors around the league. <\/p>\n

Runner-up: Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, 44, is the more proven defensive guru, and his pressure packages would help energize a disappointing Ravens pass rush. But it\u2019s unclear whom he would target for his offensive coordinator. His 24-25 mark in three seasons as the Miami Dolphins\u2019 head coach might also be less of a red flag than unflattering comments about his leadership<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"Los<\/p>\n

Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter of the Chargers has ties to the Ravens. (Luke Hales\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Coordinator: Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter<\/p>\n

Mike Macdonald\u2019s not coming back to Baltimore. Not anytime soon, anyway. As the former Ravens defensive coordinator leads the Seahawks to the doorstep of the Super Bowl, Bisciotti can\u2019t afford to chase a ghost.<\/p>\n

But Minter, a former Ravens assistant under Harbaugh, might have the best chance of becoming the next Macdonald. In 2024, his first year under Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh after two stellar seasons at Michigan, Minter lifted a highly paid, underperforming defense from 26th in efficiency to ninth, according to FTN<\/a>. This year, despite having a considerably cheaper unit, the Chargers finished 10th in efficiency. They were one of the NFL\u2019s best defenses at limiting explosive plays, a testament to their secondary\u2019s connectedness, and a midseason trade helped unlock former Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (7.5 sacks in 12 games) and ramp up their pass rush. <\/p>\n

Minter, 42, has built his Chargers defense with a bend-but-don\u2019t-break philosophy. The Chargers, like the Ravens and Macdonald\u2019s Seahawks, have typically matched heavier groupings with nickel (five defensive backs) and dime (six defensive backs) personnel, daring opponents to run the ball. When the Chargers are stout up front, they can dictate the terms of engagement to opponents. <\/p>\n

As for whom Minter would hire to lead the Ravens\u2019 offense? Jim Harbaugh\u2019s reliance on a familiar face, recently fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman, partly led to the Chargers\u2019 undoing this year. Minter might need to look outside his usual coaching circles for a coordinator who can elevate quarterback Lamar Jackson.<\/p>\n

Runners-up: Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, 39, has turned one of the NFL\u2019s cheapest units into one of the best. The Rams finished fourth in overall efficiency despite having just one defensive player with a salary cap hit over $6 million. And they shut down the Chicago Browns on Sunday night to secure an NFC championship game trip. <\/p>\n

Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, 38, meanwhile, could be the latest offensive coach from the Shanahan tree to make it as a head coach. Quarterback Sam Darnold has led an occasionally overpowering attack despite his own bad turnover habits and a shaky offensive line. <\/p>\n

\"Los<\/p>\n

Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is part of the Sean McVay coaching tree. (Kyusung Gong\/AP)<\/p>\n

Hot-shot asisstant: Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase<\/p>\n

Sean McVay\u2019s coaching tree speaks for itself. Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Cohen, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O\u2019Connell, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, all of whom have overseen some of the NFL\u2019s best offenses in recent years, spent time working under McVay on the Rams\u2019 offensive staff.<\/p>\n

Scheelhaase, 35, could be the next wunderkind. A former Illinois quarterback, he was reportedly set up to one day take over for head coach Matt Campbell<\/a> at Iowa State before joining the Rams\u2019 staff in 2024. Scheelhaase was promoted from passing game specialist to pass game coordinator before this season, and he helped Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford deliver an NFL Most Valuable Player-worthy 2025. <\/p>\n

Scheelhaase\u2019s youth and inexperience could make a leap to the top job difficult, especially if he\u2019s tasked with building a staff. But McVay said<\/a> Scheelhaase has \u201cgreat leadership, great capacity for the game, similar to a lot of our other great coaches. First and foremost, he has great character. There\u2019s an ability to be able to connect with all different types.\u201d <\/p>\n

Scheelhaase doesn\u2019t have play-calling experience, but that shouldn\u2019t be disqualifying. Dan Campbell was the New Orleans Saints\u2019 assistant head coach and tight ends coach before the Detroit Lions hired him. Taylor made the jump from Rams quarterbacks coach to Bengals head coach. And John Harbaugh had only ever served as a special teams coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles when Bisciotti hired him in 2008. <\/p>\n

Runner-up: Denver Broncos offensive pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, 30, is a well-regarded up-and-comer. Broncos general manager George Paton said in 2023 that Webb \u201cblew them away\u201d during the interview process and that he is \u201cpoised beyond his years.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Join the huddle. Sign up here for Ravens updates in your inbox. The good news for the Ravens:…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":689040,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2052],"tags":[265,184,117,2282,7,6,169],"class_list":{"0":"post-689039","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-baltimore-ravens","8":"tag-american-football","9":"tag-baltimore","10":"tag-baltimore-ravens","11":"tag-baltimoreravens","12":"tag-football","13":"tag-nfl","14":"tag-ravens"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115922681400283129","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/689039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=689039"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/689039\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/689040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=689039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=689039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=689039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}