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The Baltimore Ravens will have a lot of pressure on their shoulder entering the 2026 season as Jesse Minter, a first-time NFL head coach, will be tasked with not only getting the Ravens to the playoffs, but to try and win the Super Bowl.
That is a tough thing to do for a veteran head coach, let alone a rookie, but Minter does have Lamar Jackson in his corner, so that counts for a lot.
But turning to expectations for the Ravens, there are a lot of unknowns about this group, so it can be hard to be truly optimistic about Baltimore.
However, Sports Illustrated's Eva Geitheim has given it a go, and while Lamar gets a mention, it's actually the other side of the ball that gets some love.
"If having a two-time MVP quarterback and a future Hall of Fame running back isn’t enough reason for optimism, the Ravens’ defense is set to improve under new coach Jesse Minter," Geitheim wrote. "The defense has lost its spark since Mike Macdonald left for Seattle, but Minter is the perfect replacement—two years later.
"He led a top-five defense during his time as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, and now joins a Ravens defense featuring talented pieces such as Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith."
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Lamar still main reason for hope
As is often the case, a team will only go as far as the quarterback will take them.
Yes, having a stellar defense is key, but the quarterback needs to pull his weight at crucial times as well, and Lamar will still be central to Baltimore making a deep playoff run.
He's just got to stay healthy, and if he can, I fully expect the Ravens to be in the postseason, and likely as a high seed in the AFC.
The defense was horrific early in the year before evening out its performances, so what Minter can do with that group is going to be an interesting watch.
But make no mistake, the biggest reason for 2026 optimism for the Ravens is who they have at quarterback.
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