ESPN Pundit Grades Ravens' Eventful Offseason
It's been an eventful offseason for the Ravens, but was it a fruitful one?
ESPN’s Seth Walder handed out offseason grades for every team, which he based on the decisions they made rather than simply measuring how much talent was gained or lost.
The Ravens earned a "B."
Baltimore's first move of the offseason altered the NFL's head coaching landscape, as it parted ways with John Harbaugh after 18 seasons and hired Jesse Minter, who was arguably the most sought-after first-time coach of the hiring cycle.
"Minter, a former Harbaugh assistant, excelled as the Chargers' defensive coordinator," Walder wrote. "On paper, Minter looks like a good hire – he got the most out of Los Angeles' defense over the past two seasons."
In March, the Ravens sent shockwaves throughout the league by reaching an agreement with the Las Vegas Raiders to acquire All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby for the No. 14th pick this year and their 2027 first-round pick. A few days later, the Ravens backed out of the blockbuster trade, reportedly due to concerns over Crosby's surgically repaired knee.
"The Ravens' biggest move was one they didn't ultimately make: trading for Crosby," Walder wrote. "The trade was a bad deal for the Ravens, who would have been giving up major draft capital for the right to pay a player in the second half of his career."
The Ravens subsequently signed another All-Pro edge rusher in Trey Hendrickson, inking the former Cincinnati Bengals star to a four-year, $112 million deal.
"In a vacuum, the Hendrickson signing – for $28 million per year with $60 million fully guaranteed – was fine, if slightly overpriced considering the risks he brings with his age (31)," Walder wrote. "But it was a much better deal than the one proposed for Crosby, for the simple fact that it doesn't cost the Ravens two first-rounders (though it did drop a projected compensatory pick down from a third-rounder to a seventh-rounder, per OverTheCap.com).
"Hendrickson isn't nearly the same player Crosby is in the run game, but that difference was not worth all the extra draft capital. Baltimore also brought back [defensive tackle] Calais Campbell, who is still a valuable player despite turning 40 in September."
While the Ravens landed one of the most-prized free agents in Hendrickson, they lost one in Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, who obliterated the center market by signing a three-year, $81 million contract with the Raiders.
"The Ravens were correct not to match the outrageous $27 million per year contract the Raiders gave him," Walder wrote. "Tight end Isaiah Likely and edge rusher Dre'Mont Jones walked, too, but both were reasonable to let go (and will net the Ravens compensatory picks).
"New head coach or not, Crosby or not, the Ravens enter 2026 back where they usually are – as one of the AFC's favorites."
Lamar Jackson Was Elite in Clutch Situations Last Season
Lamar Jackson was one of the very best quarterbacks when the game was on the line last season, and Pro Football Focus has the numbers to prove it.
PFF used advanced metrics to grade how quarterbacks performed in clutch situations, which it defined as "fourth-quarter and overtime plays when a team trails by 14 points or fewer or leads by eight points or fewer, excluding garbage time. In other words, these are the snaps that matter most when the game is still hanging in the balance."
Jackson was third with an 82.9 passing grade.
"He led the NFL in yards per attempt in clutch situations (10.2) and recorded only one turnover-worthy play in the process," PFF's Mark Chichester wrote. "His 1.45% turnover-worthy play rate was the lowest among the top five quarterbacks in these rankings, while his 34.8% positive-play rate ranked third league-wide.
"When Jackson pulled the trigger, the ball was typically going to the right place. His 68.3% accurate-pass rate ranked fifth among qualifying quarterbacks, rounding out one of the most efficient clutch performances in the NFL."
Chichester noted that elite clutch quarterback play is "exceptionally rare."
"Only 22.8% of qualifying quarterback seasons have produced a grade above 75.0 in clutch situations," Chichester wrote.
The only quarterbacks with higher clutch grades than Jackson last season were the Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott (87.8) and Los Angeles Rams' Matthew Stafford (87.4).
Declan Doyle, Anthony Weaver Named Potential Head Coaches in 2027
The Ravens have a rising star in new Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle and an experienced new Defensive Coordinator in Anthony Weaver. It wouldn't be surprising if both were head coaches in 2027.
As noted in Monday's Late for Work, ESPN's Ben Solak predicted Doyle will be getting head coach interviews during the next hiring cycle if the Ravens offense takes off. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox is the latest pundit to tab Doyle as a potential head coach next year.
"He was a first-time coordinator under Ben Johnson with the Chicago Bears this past season and made a lateral move to join the Baltimore Ravens this offseason," Knox wrote. "In Chicago, Doyle helped craft an offense that ranked sixth overall, and he helped quarterback Caleb Williams make a big second-year jump. However, Johnson was the primary play-caller. In Baltimore, Doyle will get to run the script, and the early reviews are encouraging.
"If Doyle can replicate Chicago's recent success in Baltimore, while crafting a production system around Lamar Jackson as the primary play-caller, he'll likely draw interest as the NFL's next 'bright young offensive mind.' Yes, Doyle is only 30, but so was Sean McVay when the Los Angeles Rams hired him nine years ago."
Weaver made PFF’s Bradley Locker’s list of 15 future head-coaching candidates entering this season. The former Ravens linebacker has had multiple head coach interviews in recent years, including with the Ravens this offseason.
"Touted for his leadership and charisma, Weaver should benefit immensely working under new head coach Jesse Minter," Locker wrote. "If Baltimore's talented defense can take a step in 2026, it'll be a major boon to his chances of landing a job one year later."
Two recent Ravens coordinators have become head coaches. Former Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald took the Seattle Seahawks' job in 2024 and led them to a Super Bowl title in his second season. Todd Monken, the Ravens' offensive coordinator the past three seasons, is the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
Jackson, Kyle Hamilton Reunite With Former Coaches in Mock Draft of Active Players
NFL.com’s Chad Reuter released his annual seven-round mock draft of active players in which teams build rosters in an effort to win now.
Two Ravens went in the first round of the snake draft: Jackson to the New York Giants at No. 5 and safety Kyle Hamilton to the Seahawks at No. 32.
"Jackson had a bit of a down year in 2025, but new Giants head coach John Harbaugh saw firsthand in Baltimore how the two-time MVP can lift a franchise," Reuter wrote. "Seahawks Head Coach Mike Macdonald helped Hamilton reach his potential while serving as the defensive coordinator in Baltimore. I'm guessing a reunion would make both sides happy."
Not only did Harbaugh poach Jackson, but he also nabbed running back Derrick Henry in the third round with the 69th-overall pick.
The Ravens reunited a quarterback (Williams) and his coach (Doyle) with the 14th-overall pick. Baltimore used its seventh-round selection (No. 208) on one of its own in tight end, Mark Andrews.
The other Ravens selected were wide receiver Zay Flowers (Round 3, No. 71, Washington Commanders), defensive tackle Travis Jones (Round 6, No. 171, Tennessee Titans), and inside linebacker Roquan Smith (Round 6, No. 187, Browns).
Here are the Ravens' other picks: inside linebacker Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers (Round 2, No. 49); guard Joe Thuney, Bears (Round 3, No. 80); wide receiver Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions (Round 4, No. 115); cornerback Kamari Lassiter, Houston Texans (Round 5, No. 142): outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh Steelers (Round 6, No. 177).
