All indications are that Ravens players have bought in on the new coaching staff, and a poll by The Athletic suggests an overwhelming majority of Baltimore's fan base also feels good about the changes, and as a result, the team's chances this season.
The Athletic polled fans from all 32 teams about whether they are optimistic or pessimistic about their squad in 2026, and the Ravens received a 90.8% optimism score on the Hope-O-Meter.
Comments from Ravens fans showed their optimism is largely rooted in the marriage of two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson to Head Coach Jesse Minter and Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle.
Here are some excerpts:
- "A change of leadership brings new ideas, LJ8 always gets an MVP with a new OC, and I can see them bringing fresh impetus to a championship-caliber squad that has needed it. My confidence is high."
- "New wünderkind HC and OC, buy-in from the QB and the AFC and NFC South as non-division opponents? All is well in Charm City, baby!"
- "Last year was such a disaster — and we still were a field goal away from winning the division."
Only six teams had a higher optimism score, with the Los Angeles Rams leading the way at 98.7%. The AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals (96.3%) were next.
The Denver Broncos (96.1%), Seattle Seahawks (94.6%), New England Patriots (94.1%), and Jacksonville Jaguars (92.4%) rounded out the top six.
The other two AFC North teams' fans don't have very high hopes. The Pittsburgh Steelers (36.2%) were 26th and the Cleveland Browns (2.7%) came in 32nd.
Three Reasons Ravens Can Win the Super Bowl
Sticking with the optimism theme, The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer identified 10 reasons the Ravens can win the Super Bowl.
Here's a look at three:
They have one of the NFL's best position coaches.
"What the Ravens lost from their starting lineup in free agency — most notably Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum — they could more than make up for in coaching. Dwayne Ledford is considered one of the NFL's best offensive line coaches and, after leaving the Atlanta Falcons for Baltimore this offseason, is also believed to be among the highest paid.
"General Manager Eric DeCosta has touted his ability to take younger players and 'make them really, really good.' The Ravens will need that magic touch; they could have two first-time starters in their season opener (center Jovaughn Gwyn and rookie Vega Ioane), along with two developmental backups (tackle Carson Vinson and guard Emery Jones Jr.). Ledford's importance in reestablishing the Ravens' identity as a physical team can't be overstated."
Their pass rush won't be impotent.
"The 2025 Ravens finished with just 30 sacks, tied for their second fewest in franchise history. They ranked near the bottom of the league in pressure rate, both with blitzes and without. Their most talented edge rusher didn't pop until he left Baltimore. Their most talented interior rusher played just two games total. The 2026 Ravens … should have a more formidable front.
"Trey Hendrickson is only two years removed from leading the NFL in sacks and appears rejuvenated after an injury-plagued 2025 in Cincinnati. Fellow outside linebackers Tavius Robinson, Mike Green and Zion Young are well suited for roles as secondary or tertiary pass rushers. Travis Jones was one of the NFL's best pass-rushing nose tackles last year and now could have Calais Campbell (6.5 sacks in 2025) or Nnamdi Madubuike to help take the heat off. And Kyle Hamilton is one of the NFL's best second-level blitzers."
Their home-field advantage is bound to return.
"The Ravens have poured way too much money into M&T Bank Stadium, not to mention their roster, for home-field advantage to disappear the way it did last year. The Ravens went 3-6 in Baltimore, the worst mark in franchise history.
"Until last year, the Ravens had never finished with a losing home record since Jackson's arrival in 2018. With a modest slate of non-AFC North opponents — the Ravens get the Jaguars at home on short rest, the Chargers after an extended break and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a bye — M&T Bank Stadium's mystique is on the line."
ESPN's Predictive Model Projects Ravens' Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios
ESPN’s Football Power Index, a predictive model that measures team strength, ranked the Ravens as the NFL’s fourth-best team, behind the Rams, Buffalo Bills, and Seahawks.
The Ravens were projected for 10.7 wins and given a 79.8% chance to make the playoffs and 50.3% chance to win the division. The best-case scenario was a 13-4 record, and the worst-case was 8-9.
"This season is a success if the Ravens advance to at least the AFC Championship Game," ESPN's Jamison Hensley wrote. "Baltimore fired coach John Harbaugh because of a lack of deep playoff runs. The Ravens need to avoid quick exits under Jesse Minter."
ESPN's Seth Walder's bold prediction for the Ravens was that the defense will rank in the top four in EPA per play.
"That's a pretty big jump from last season, when it finished 16th," Walder wrote. "But in Minter's first season with the Chargers, he took a defense that ranked 29th and brought it to seventh best. And Minter probably has more talent to work with in Baltimore."
