Jesse Minter Is Mina Kimes' Preseason Pick for Coach of the Year
As head coach, Jesse Minter has been entrusted with getting the Ravens back to the playoffs after a losing season. As architect and player-caller of the defense, Minter is tasked with turning around a unit that ranked 24th in the NFL, well below the franchise standard.
ESPN's Mina Kimes believes Minter has what it takes to achieve both goals, and that's why he is her preseason pick to win the Coach of the Year award.
"I think that Minter has the chance to do a unit turnaround, so maybe he'll get some credit for that, which is to say I think this defense has the potential to really make a leap this season," Kimes said on “The Mina Kimes Show.” "And some of it has nothing to do with Jesse Minter. Some of it has to do with the additions and Nnamdi Madubuike coming back.
"But a lot of it does have to do with Jesse Minter. What he did [as Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator], going from a defense that was 29th in EPA per play the year before he came, and then going back-to–back seventh is pretty remarkable. I think that also is a group that's frankly less talented than the one he has in Baltimore. So, in my mind, if this team does a complete turnaround, [which] obviously requires a full healthy season from Lamar [Jackson], he could get a lot of credit for the improvements that I think we're going to see in this defense."
Ben Solak Names Kyle Hamilton Dark Horse Defensive Player of the Year Candidate
Kimes and her guest, ESPN's Ben Solak, also made their picks for the other major awards. Solak named safety Kyle Hamilton as his dark horse candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
Only three safeties have won the award since the turn of the century (Ed Reed in 2004, Bob Sanders in 2007, and Troy Polamalu in 2010), but Solak believes Hamilton's versatility could put him in the DPOY conversation.
"I think that everybody knows Kyle Hamilton is the best safety in football. And so it's just a moment of, OK, how can we narratively get him there?" Solak said. "Let's say the Ravens – and I don't think this will happen – but let's say the Ravens become a defense-and-run-the-football sort of a team who wins more grimy games, who wins more low-scoring games. Hamilton's the sort of guy who plays in enough positions to accumulate enough counting stats.
"It's hard to win Defensive Player of the Year from deep safety because you're just policing the deep third and discouraging targets. … Being in the box, being at the line of scrimmage, creating sacks, creating forced fumbles. We know that Hamilton's a big bat-the-pass guy. Can we convert some of those into interceptions? There's just the chance that we're in Week 15 and Hamilton's got that scorecard that's like: first player in NFL history to have 100 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles. It's just like a laundry list of plays on the ball that put him in a spot where if it's a quiet year for edges, then Hamilton pops out."
Pundit's Takeaways on Interior Defensive Line, Declan Doyle's Offense
The Athletic's Robert Mays recently visited Ravens training camp. Here are a couple of his takeaways via "The Athletic Football Show":
There are concerns about the interior defensive line.
"They're being really patient with [Madubuike]. This is all going to be about when he is comfortable , when he's ready, when he feels he can come back and be himself coming back from that very serious neck injury. I think they're planning as though they might not have him this year, and if they do it's almost like they've traded for an All-Pro player early in the season.
"Why this is particularly concerning is that the interior defensive line depth is really tested with the depth right now. John Jenkins is banged up. Travis Jones is not practicing. Calais Campbell has been dealing with a personal tragedy for a good chunk of this offseason. And it's really affected the way that they've been able to work on some of the run fits in this light-box Jesse Minter scheme where that's a huge part of your ability to hold up with this sort of defense."
Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle's scheme is one of the most interesting in the NFL.
"This is the first time we've seen somebody plucked off of the [Bears Head Coach] Ben Johnson tree, and all the different layers of that offense are coming with Doyle to Baltimore. The phrase that he used that I thought was interesting is they're seeing how far away from shore they can get with all the pre-snap operation stuff that they're trying now: formationally, motions, all the different movement. That is what they're piling onto the players right now and just seeing what they can handle."
Could Ravens Add Veterans at These Two Positions?
With 10 of the Ravens' 21 training camp practices in the books, The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker analyzed each position group and looked at what questions still need to be answered.
One question was whether the Ravens have enough proven depth at tight end. Behind starter Mark Andrews and veteran blocking tight end Durham Smythe are fourth-round rookie Matt Hibner and fifth-round rookie Josh Cuevas.
"It would not be a surprise if the Ravens added a veteran to the room," Wacker wrote. "There are a handful still available, including Darren Waller, though there are questions about his health given a litany of injuries last year. Baltimore could also look to add a veteran pass catcher who is jettisoned from another team on or before roster cutdown day Aug. 30."
Other veteran tight ends still on the market include Jonnu Smith, Zach Ertz, and Will Dissly.
Wacker said the Ravens face a similar issue at outside linebacker.
"Beyond the top four (Trey Hendrickson, MIke Green, Tavius Robinson, second-round rookie Zion Young), there isn't much depth or experience," Wacker wrote. "Adisa Isaac, who suffered a dislocated elbow last season and was activated off the PUP list, continues to be a mystery. Will the Ravens look to add a rotational veteran pass rusher, as they have often done in the past?"
Haason Reddick, Von Miller, and former Raven Kyle Van Noy are among the top outside linebackers remaining in free agency.
Quick Hits
- CBS Sports analysts Leger Douzable and Emory Hunt made their AFC North predictions. Both have the Ravens winning the division.
