BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-9)<\/p>\n
Expectations<\/p>\n
The Ravens<\/a> were considered Super Bowl contenders entering last season. Then everything that could go wrong seemed to. Lamar Jackson dealt with an early injury and wasn\u2019t all that great even when he returned. The defense wasn\u2019t good enough, and when Baltimore still had a chance to win the division despite all that, rookie Tyler Loop missed a last-second kick in a loss at Pittsburgh in the finale. For the first time in 19 seasons, John Harbaugh<\/a> won\u2019t be on the sidelines this season in Baltimore. Jesse Minter<\/a> has replaced him as coach, and with Jackson, Derrick Henry, Kyle Hamilton and plenty of other key players back, a return to the playoffs will be the bare minimum requirement for a successful season. Unlike last year, when the beginning of Baltimore\u2019s schedule was loaded, the Ravens won\u2019t face a 2025 playoff team until Week 8. So the opportunity is there to put last season behind them pretty quickly.<\/p>\n New faces<\/p>\n LB Trey Hendrickson, S Jaylinn Hawkins, DL Calais Campbell, G John Simpson, TE Durham Smythe, G Vega Ioane, LB Zion Young, WR Ja\u2019Kobi Lane, P Ryan Eckley, coach Jesse Minter, OC Declan Doyle, DC Anthony Weaver.<\/p>\n Key losses<\/p>\n C Tyler Linderbaum, TE Isaiah Likely, TE Charlie Kolar, P Jordan Stout, S Ar\u2019Darius Washington, coach John Harbaugh, OC Todd Monken, DC Zach Orr.<\/p>\n Strengths<\/p>\n If Jackson is healthy and playing at an MVP level again, Doyle should have a lot of fun directing Baltimore\u2019s offense. And Hamilton remains a versatile weapon whom the Ravens can build around on defense. Adding Hendrickson in the offseason should boost a pass rush that wasn\u2019t effective enough in 2025, and defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike has been working toward a return after missing most of last season with a neck injury. Many of the main pieces that made Baltimore seem like such a threat entering the 2025 campaign are back, and the Ravens will hope the new coaching staff can provide a boost, especially on defense, where Minter\u2019s expertise lies. Henry rushed for 1,595 yards last season and was still a workhorse with 307 carries. He\u2019s scored 16 touchdowns on the ground in each of his two seasons with Baltimore. Zay Flowers is coming off his most productive season as a pro: 86 catches for 1,211 yards and five TDs.<\/p>\n Weaknesses<\/p>\n The interior of the offensive line had some issues last season, and now the Ravens have to replace Linderbaum at center. They drafted Ioane in the first round to play guard, but it remains to be seen how quickly he\u2019ll adjust to the pros. The depth at tight end took a hit in the offseason, and Loop remains fairly unproven after one year. Baltimore also had to replace a standout punter in Stout. It\u2019s not clear if Madubuike will be back in time for Week 1, or how effective he\u2019ll be at first. And if Jackson has any health issues, the Ravens are well aware how easily that can derail a whole season. Minter inherits a team that has had high expectations for a while but has turned that into just one trip to the AFC title game during Jackson\u2019s career. Baltimore had a penchant for blowing late leads during Harbaugh\u2019s last few seasons, so the first time the Ravens face some adversity, the new coach will be put to the test. Jackson will be under pressure early to show the decline in his rushing production last season was a blip and not the start of a new normal.<\/p>\n Camp development<\/p>\n Danny Pinter, a candidate to take over at center, went down with a leg injury and is on injured reserve. Lane has turned some heads as a pass-catching target, and Flowers received a new contract extension.<\/p>\n Fantasy player to watch<\/p>\n Mark Andrews has considerable upside at the tight end spot, having scored 56 receiving touchdowns in eight seasons. Now he\u2019s 30, coming off career lows in yards receiving and yards per catch, but with Likely and Kolar gone, Andrews could receive more targets, and there remains a comfort level with Jackson.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n