The Ravens’ season was on the brink of a resurgence, and perhaps this era in Ravens football.

Lamar Jackson dominated the league from 2018-2021 under the Greg Roman offensive. Todd Monken was given the task of maximizing the offensive potential after Roman’s departure. The Ravens also assembled their dream defensive coaching staff, led by Mike Macdonald.

Macdonald was quickly hired by the Seattle Seahawks after his success in Baltimore was overwhelming. Baltimore also lost defensive backs coach Dennard Wold and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver after their historic 2023 campaign. Baltimore was forced to make a rapid transition. Linebackers coach Zach Orr became the new defensive coordinator.

It’s obvious that roster talent hasn’t been maximized. Fast forward to today, when a Super Bowl-bound team is out of the playoffs. Each coach has found success in some areas and boosted the team. This is a league that looks at what you’ve done recently for me, and in Baltimore, mediocrity will not be tolerated. What changes are needed and who is the Ravens’ top leader?

John Harbaugh

John Harbaugh has been a coach for the NFL since 1983, and is second only to Mike Tomlin in terms of tenure. Harbaugh is ranked 35th overall in terms of winning percentage and 14th in total wins. Harbaugh ranks 7th in all-time playoff wins, with 13 victories. Nine of these wins were achieved in Harbaugh’s first four years of coaching. The Ravens only have 3 playoff victories in the Lamar Jackson years, despite having a successful regular season. Harbaugh is a great coach, but he has achieved a lot in his early career, when Reed, Lewis and Suggs shaped the culture and leadership of the team.

The league has undergone a number of changes since 2008. The majority of successful teams are led by a coach who brings a tactical edge to the game. It’s rarer and rarer to find a CEO-style coach flourishing. You’ll see names like McVay and MacDonald on the top teams of the league.

This isn’t just a random occurrence. It’s important that the coordinators of teams with CEO-style coaches are top-notch. In the modern game it is more important to have a head coach who can influence the offensive and defensive sides of the ball positively. You’re playing with your arm tied behind you, and relying on the coordinators to do their best. John Harbaugh enjoyed this luxury in 2023 with Monken & MacDonald. In 2024, Nick Siriani, had a similar luxury. The Ravens are losing ground.

Harbaugh, like Mike Tomlin or other CEO-style coach, has always been regarded as a leader, someone who can get the most out of players, including their toughness and grit. The Ravens were always in the hunt for the playoffs and had a great roster. The story has changed in 2025. The Ravens appear tired, unmotivated and incapable of getting up for big matches. Harbaugh is the one who has a negative impact on this team. Other issues under Harbaugh have not changed, even if 2025 may seem like the straw to break the camel’s rear. The Ravens have been notorious for blowing second-half leads, failing to hold onto the ball in crucial situations, and displaying questionable game plans.

The Ravens are able to coast along on talent during the regular season, but they get exposed frequently in games with high stakes against top coaches and teams. Fans and players are simply tired. Harbaugh’s run has been good, but his battery is low and his constant mistakes have reached a breaking-point. It’s not easy for the Ravens to accept a change of this magnitude. But, as we approach 2026, I feel it’s finally time.

Zach Orr has had his ups and downs as defensive coordinator for the Ravens. Baltimore’s defensive performance has been abysmal for the past two seasons. Kyle Hamilton has usually moved to the part of the field that needed the most help. In 2024 it was the defensive backend that required his heroics. Hamilton moved into the box in 2025 to ensure the run defense and the pass rush. Hamilton is a versatile player who can be used in many different ways. However, it is concerning to rely on one player so heavily for a defensive fix.

The Ravens are a talented defense. They have four first-round picks in the secondary. This has somehow translated to one of the worst football defenses over the past two years, especially against good offenses. Since 2024, good offenses have systematically beaten the Ravens and shut down bad ones. You expect to lose more points when playing against good teams, but the contrast between these two is alarming. In the first five games of the season the Ravens gave up more than 35 points per game. They had some injuries, and they were playing against good opponents. But there are many other defenses in the league that have injuries. They rarely look so bad. The Ravens’ pass rush was abysmal in 2018. What is more worrying, Odafe Oweh who had zero sacks in Baltimore this year, has flourished in a different system. Orr is not solely responsible for the lack of pass rush, but it’s suspicious.

Orr had a tough job to do if he wanted to replicate the success of MacDonald. They would be the Ravens DC now if Weaver and Wilson hadn’t left. Orr, unfortunately, has not lived up to expectations and frequently relies on retired coaches to return to Baltimore for help. The Ravens will need to hire a coach who has influence on that side of football in 2026 or change their direction.

Todd Monken

Todd Monken is the one with the most job security. The Ravens had a resounding offensive success in 2023 and 2024. In 2024, Lamar Jackson’s QB season was one of the best in NFL history. The offense broke records. The year 2025 was a very different one. The offense was on fire, scoring more than 30 points in each of their first three matches. Lamar Jackson’s numerous injuries have ruined an offense that was on track to repeat their success of 2024. The Ravens’ offensive line also suffered a significant regression this season. Jackson has been pressured more than ever, and his run game hasn’t met the standards of previous Ravens teams.

Derrick Henry has been the Ravens’ go-to quarterback when their starter is injured. But Monken often resorts to a dropback passing game, especially when the offensive line cannot hold the blocks and Jackson seems to have limited mobility. Monken is a huge upgrade over Greg Roman. Monken hasn’t always been the best offensive coach and he’s not Andy Reid or Sean McVay, but he’s shown us what an offense’s potential can be. It’s beautiful. Monken’s team will have a great season in 2026 with a healthy Jackson, and an offensive line that has been retooled.

Eric DeCosta

DeCosta is regarded as a good general manager by many. He has been a great drafter and is able to make off-season and in-season trades that are more profitable than their contracts. Jadaveon, Kyle Van Noy Derrick Henry Dre’Mont Jones Marcus Peters and other players have outperformed the cap or trade costs. DeCosta, however, isn’t flawless. He has also made some questionable decisions, prioritizing certain areas such as linebacker and security over pass rush and the offensive line. Signing/trading players such as Mark Andrews and Roquon Smith have either failed or trended in the wrong direction.

DeCosta has a bad reputation for neglecting the trenches, and building the Ravens the other way around. The team had incredible success in 2024 with the same offensive line, but they lost their best rusher in week 2. The Ravens’ line of scrimmage has been weak for several years. Baltimore’s top-ranked sack totals were due more to the team’s ability to create pressure through disguises and simulations than to four linemen.

The talent of Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and the Ravens back end masked deficiencies in the offensive line. These weaknesses have become more pronounced with coaching changes and player regressions. DeCosta still has a good roster. There are still many talented young players on the Ravens roster, including Kyle Hamilton, Nate Wiggins and Travis Jones. Zay Flowers, Tyler Linderbaum and others. Henry, Smith and Humphrey, who are key players, are getting older, taking up a large portion of the salary cap, and have not many years left.

DeCosta must change the Ravens’ philosophy through personnel or coaching changes. The league has a tendency to go back in time with extra offensive linemen and large, athletic fronts. Baltimore has some solid foundations with Dre’Mont Jones, Travis Jones and Mike Green. The team believes that Mike Green will be a big contributor in year 2. But as we saw this year, the team needs a lot more. While it won’t be an easy task, extending Lamar Jackson’s contract this offseason will be a big help in helping the team to reload its trenches.

Conclusion

Baltimore has failed miserably at 2025. John Harbaugh cannot maximize talent without an excellent supporting staff. Maybe the Ravens will get a new defensive coach, improve the offensive line and pass rush, and return to contention. We’ve seen it happen before. Fans know that, even if Baltimore does bounce back, they will still face the same problems that have plagued them for the past decade. Fumbles and a lack of preparation are just a few examples. Baltimore’s decision to leave the league could make it one of the most sought-after coaching positions in football. The question is, will they finally remove the bandage?