Which Ravens Players and Coaches Could John Harbaugh Bring With Him to Giants?
John Harbaugh is expected to be hired as the New York Giants' next head coach, and it wouldn't be a surprise if some Ravens players and coaches joined him.
It has already been reported that Todd Monken, the Ravens' offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, is the favorite to become the Giants' play-caller. Who else might be wearing blue instead of purple next season?
The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker identified several candidates, including fullback Patrick Ricard and tight end Isaiah Likely, who are pending free agents
"Ricard has been an integral part of Baltimore's plans on offense, but that could change under a new regime," Wacker wrote. "He has a lot of wear and tear, but he also wants to play at least 10 seasons and would hit that milestone next season. The Giants were sixth in rushing yards per game last season but just 17th in yards per carry, a metric Ricard's blocking would almost certainly improve, and his pass blocking skills would be a benefit to quarterback Jaxson Dart. He'd also be a fascinating fit alongside running back Cam Skattebo.
"With Likely's asking price out of the Ravens' range, Baltimore opted to re-up with veteran Mark Andrews instead. That means Likely, 25 and who just finished his fourth season, could be an attractive piece for an offense that lacks playmakers outside of wide receiver Malik Nabers. Likely took a step back this season after breaking his foot in August and missing the first three games, but he showed his potential in 2024 with 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns as he emerged as one of Jackson's favorite targets, particularly when things go off schedule."
Two of the coaches Wacker mentioned are Special Teams Coach Randy Brown and Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach Willie Taggart.
Brown has worked with Harbaugh since beginning his coaching career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004 and has been with the Ravens for all 18 of Harbaugh's seasons in Baltimore.
Taggart has spent the past three seasons with the Ravens, and his ties to the Harbaugh family go back to 2007 when he was hired as Stanford's running backs coach under Jim Harbaugh.
On a side note, Miami Dolphins Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver is reportedly among the candidates Harbaugh is targeting for his defensive coordinator. Weaver interviewed for the Ravens' head coaching job earlier this week.
Weaver played four seasons (2002-2005) on Baltimore's defensive line after the Ravens drafted him in the second round. He joined the Ravens' coaching staff in 2021, serving as defensive line coach and later as Harbaugh's assistant head coach.
Media Reaction to Giants Landing Harbaugh
As soon as Harbaugh and the Ravens parted ways last week, he immediately became the most coveted head coaching candidate for every team with an opening – and reportedly some who didn't.
The Giants, who reportedly agreed with Harbaugh on a five-year deal worth $100 million, were always Harbaugh's preference, according to The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor.
"Two days after he was fired by the Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh used the word 'we' when he talked about the New York Giants," O'Connor wrote. "He did not catch himself or correct himself in our phone conversation, because it sounded right. It felt right.
"He was picturing himself in that tunnel and on that sideline wearing the cap, jacket and colors of one of the NFL's most storied franchises. Again, he was only 48 hours removed from a phone call with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti that separated him from 18 years of earnest and accomplished work, and he was already picturing himself leading the big team in the big city to victory."
"I think we can win games next year with this roster and the players coming back," Harbaugh told O'Connor.
The Giants landing Harbaugh was universally praised by pundits:
The Athletic’s Dan Duggan: "Landing Harbaugh is like hitting the inside straight the Giants have been chasing all these years. They had no way of knowing he'd be available when they fired Brian Daboll in November, nor when they made the controversial decision to retain general manager Joe Schoen and his 22-45-1 record over four seasons. … Harbaugh became the best head-coaching free agent since — well, it's hard to think of a candidate with Harbaugh's resume becoming available while still in his relative prime."
Derrick Henry Outside Top 5 in Maurice Jones-Drew's Running Back Rankings
NFL.com analyst Maurice Jones-Drew released his running back rankings for the 2025 season, and Derrick Henry landed at No. 6.
"Other than some early-season fumbling issues, Henry had one hell of a season at 31 years old," Jones-Drew wrote. "In fact, he has now posted back-to-back campaigns with at least 1,500 yards and 15 rush touchdowns – no other player in NFL history has even one such season at age 30 or older.
"The ageless wonder continued to trounce defenses and finished the season with an absolute bang, rushing for 570 yards and six touchdowns on 85 carries over the final four games. That's 6.7 per clip. Normally, the football world starts to wonder when 31-year-old running backs will consider hanging 'em up. Henry feels far from it."
It's surprising Henry wasn't higher in Jones-Drew's rankings. Henry finished second in rushing yards (1,595), second in rushing touchdowns (16), third in yards per carry (5.2), first in 20+-yard runs (17), and tied for second in 40+-yard runs (four).
The running backs Jones-Drew ranked ahead of Henry were (in order): the Atlanta Falcons' Bijan Robinson, San Francisco 49ers' Christian McCaffrey, Indianapolis Colts' Jonathan Taylor, Buffalo Bills' James Cook, and Detroit Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs.
Why Tyler Linderbaum Is the One Free Agent Ravens Can't Afford to Lose
Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker identified one pending free agent from each team that it can't afford to lose. Unsurprisingly, center Tyler Linderbaum was his choice for the Ravens.
"Since being selected in the first round by Baltimore in 2022, Linderbaum has been one of the best centers in football," Locker wrote. "Over the past four seasons, the Iowa product is tied for second at the position in PFF Wins Above Replacement (1.15) and ranks fourth in PFF overall grade (87.0) among qualifiers. Linderbaum is a model of consistency in both the pass and run games, allowing just two sacks in the past two years while posting an 83.1-plus PFF run-blocking grade in both of the past two campaigns.
"Linderbaum very well may reset the center market this offseason based on his pedigree, and the Ravens should look to ensure he stays in purple."
The Ravens declined Linderbaum's fifth-year option, but General Manager Eric DeCosta said the goal is to sign him to a contract extension. ESPN’s Dan Graziano said re-signing Linderbaum is "a tricky one."
"The Ravens declined Linderbaum's fifth-year option for the same reason the franchise tag likely isn't a possibility – because all offensive linemen are the same in the eyes of the fifth-year option and the franchise tag, and applying either would make Linderbaum the highest-paid center by $4 to $5 million per year," Graziano wrote. "They want to have Linderbaum back, but he has the leverage."
NFL Head Coaching Turnover Since 2002 Reflects Stability of Ravens and Steelers
ESPN’s Keith Jenkins researched how many head coaches each team has had since the league realigned in 2002 to its current format of eight four-team divisions.
The Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers being the NFL's models of stability was reflected. Both franchises had just two head coaches over that span, fewer than every other team.
Twenty-five of the 32 teams had five or more. The Las Vegas Raiders had the most (12), followed by the Cleveland Browns (nine).
Brian Billick was in his fourth season as Ravens' head coach in 2002 and was succeeded by Harbaugh in 2008. Bill Cowher was in his 11th season as the Steelers' head coach in 2002 and was succeeded by Mike Tomlin in 2007.
