Lamar Jackson’s contract extension negotiations and a market-setting offer for top pending free agent Tyler Linderbaum were the top Ravens news coming from the NFL Scouting Combine Tuesday.
However, General Manager Eric DeCosta and new Head Coach Jesse Minter shared updates on a wide range of topics during their Tuesday press conferences.
Here are the other important news items to know:
Expect Marlon Humphrey to return in 2026.
At the end of last season, cornerback Marlon Humphrey himself expressed uncertainty about whether his nine-year run as a Raven would come to an end.
Humphrey is slated to have a $26.3 million salary cap hit in 2026, the final year of his current contract, per OvertheCap.com.
Asked if the Ravens would need to adjust Humphrey's contract to keep him, DeCosta said, "Not necessarily."
"I do expect him to be on the team," DeCosta said. "I love Marlon."
Humphrey is coming off a season in which he started 15 games, made 68 tackles, broke up 13 passes, and led the team in interceptions (four) for the second straight year. He was yet again a physical player with position flexibility, playing outside or at nickel.
The Nnamdi Madubuike situation isn't affecting the Ravens yet.
The future of star defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike remains a question after his season-ending neck injury early last season. DeCosta again didn't have an update to share on Madubuike, but said his situation isn't hindering the team's plans.
"It doesn't affect me very much. I think if we have the chance to draft a great defensive tackle, of course we will. It is one of the most important positions in football," DeCosta said.
"Salary cap-wise, it doesn't have any major impact on us at this time. There are a lot of unknowns when you build a team, and sometimes – I learned from [Executive Vice President] Ozzie [Newsome] – sometimes the best thing to do is just wait for more information, and that's what we'll continue to do."
Madubuike is reportedly due $22 million fully guaranteed in 2026, with a salary-cap figure just shy of $31 million. DeCosta said he doesn't have a timeline on when a decision will be made on his future.
Minter has spoken with Madubuike but will leave updates to the 28-year-old two-time Pro Bowler.
"I think that'll be up to him when the time's right," Minter said. "I know he's in great spirits, and it was great to see him in the building last week or the week prior. We'll keep the rest of that private."
Don't rule out an Isaiah Likely return.
The Ravens signed Mark Andrews to a contract extension during last season, but DeCosta confirmed that he was also talking to Isaiah Likely about a deal.
DeCosta said there is "definitely" a possibility that the Ravens could still bring Likely back, even though he's one of the league's top pending free agent tight ends.
Likely had a tougher 2025 season after a training camp foot injury set him back. In 14 games, he made 27 catches for 307 yards and one touchdown.
Jackson made it clear that he hopes Likely, who is one of his closest friends on the team, stays in Baltimore.
Even if Likely and/or Charlie Kolar, who is also a pending free agent, play elsewhere next season, DeCosta is confident in Andrews' ability to lead the unit.
"We expect him to get back to himself and be the player that he can be," DeCosta said. "He's been one of our great players over the last how many years, eight years? And he still has a lot in the tank, and we think he's going to be a playmaker for us this year, and we're glad we got the deal done."
The Ravens want to beef up in the trenches.
Madubuike's injury and inconsistencies across the offensive line left the Ravens vulnerable at times last year in the trenches. Hearing from DeCosta and Minter Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to turning that around heading into next season.
"It's an O-line [and] D-line driven league," Minter said. "Just look at the Super Bowl winners of the last couple of years; I think that's really where you start. How have these teams won that final game?"
The Ravens reached contract extensions with Travis Jones and veteran John Jenkins near the end of last season, helping to maintain a foundation on the defensive line with Madubuike's status looming.
Whether Baltimore brings back Linderbaum will play a large role in the stability of the offensive line, with the potential for three new starters along the interior.
"I think we've always been a team that has valued the importance of 'the trenches' and being up front. [That is] just one of the reasons why we want to bring Tyler back, if we can," DeCosta said.
"Certainly, a focus for us is ... When you look at your roster, and you see the ebbs and flows. You lose players – we've lost some offensive linemen the last couple of years, and we've lost some defensive linemen. We've got 11 draft picks, I think, and we should have a good opportunity to add players."
Ravens like this year's draft class of pass rushers.
It's clear that the Ravens know they need to improve their pass rush, which tied for the third-fewest sacks (30) in the league last season.
"We certainly know that we have to augment the pass rush and improve there. When we look at the best defenses, we see a ferocious pass rush, and that was lacking this year for different reasons," DeCosta said. "It's something that we feel strongly that we can attack this year in the offseason, whether it's through free agency or the draft."
DeCosta said he was just in his hotel room watching film of a pass rusher in the draft. He said the Ravens like this year's class and feel they'll "have a chance to add a couple draft picks this year who can help us on third downs."
With Minter orchestrating the defense, the Chargers were tied with the 10th-most sacks in the league (45) last season. Now he takes over a front that includes some young talents such as Tavius Robinson and Mike Green, as well as some question marks with pending free agents Kyle Van Noy, Dre'Mont Jones, and David Ojabo.
"[With] the pass rush, there's a lot of factors I would say that go into rushing the passer well. Sometimes, it's playing with the lead; sometimes it's blitzing more. So, I think there's a lot of variety of ways to affect the pass rush," Minter said.
"I feel like we have some guys that can do that, some young, ascending players in that regard, that can help us there. And then I think it's always a position that you're looking for more. So, I know Eric and the guys will do a great job attacking free agency and the draft in building a team that, in September, that we feel has the ability to rush the passer."
Minter, Declan Doyle get high praise from former teams.
Declan Doyle spent just one year as the Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator under Ben Johnson, but it's clear how much Johnson valued him.
Now Doyle will be calling the offensive plays in Baltimore, and Johnson was left looking for another trusted offensive leader.
"Declan is a phenomenal football coach. If you didn't know that he was 29 years old, you wouldn't blink an eye," Johnson said at the Combine. "The guy is seasoned beyond his years. This has been his calling. He's known for a long time that he was going to be a football coach, and he's prepared himself accordingly.
"[He's] very detail-oriented, extremely smart, has a great way of communicating; he's very clear. Those guys are getting someone really, really good. I'm disappointed that we lost him as quickly as we did. I was hoping that we'd be able to hold onto him for longer."
Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz, who worked his way up through Baltimore's front office, said he "hated to see [Minter] go, but loved to see where he landed."
Jackson, Ravens players react to NFL's reversal on crucial calls vs. Steelers.
The Ravens' 27-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Baltimore last season loomed large in deciding the AFC North champion.
Three crucial officiating calls also drew plenty of scrutiny in that game – a touchdown catch by Likely and an interception by Teddye Buchanan that were reversed after replay, and a penalty on Jones during a field-goal block that gave the Steelers a free first down.
The league already told the Ravens the day after the game that the officials made the wrong call on Jones' block, which opened the door for a Steelers touchdown and four extra points.
On Tuesday, Pro Football Talk reported that NFL Executive VP of Football Operations Troy Vincent also questioned the replay rulings.
Ravens players, including Jackson, reacted to the news.
