Peter Schrager: Ravens' Offensive Coordinator Hire Might Be As Important as Their Head Coach Hire
As noted in Wednesday's Late for Work, ESPN's Peter Schrager said the Ravens' interviews with offensive-minded coaches such as Kliff Kingsbury and Mike McDaniel will not only be for the head coaching job, but also the offensive coordinator position.
Schrager went into more detail on ESPN's "First Take."
"This job is so coveted that you might say, 'We love Kliff Kingsbury, or we love Mike McDaniel, or we love whoever's on the street as an offensive mind, but we think Robert Saleh, or Brian Flores, or Jesse Minter might be the best head coach,'" Schrager said. "But that offensive coordinator position, who's going to be working with Lamar [Jackson] on a daily basis and getting the most out of him, might be as valuable and as important a hire as the head coaching job."
Schrager also described what the Ravens' interview process has been like based on his conversations with some of the candidates who have already interviewed.
"The questions are: What is your plan for Lamar Jackson? How do we maximize Lamar Jackson in the next few years? How do you work with this team that we have now – what would be an addition that you would add to Lamar Jackson to make us get over the hump?" Schrager said.
John Harbaugh reportedly is finalizing a deal to become the New York Giants’ head coach, and Todd Monken, the Ravens' offensive coordinator the past three seasons, is expected to join him.
Mike Florio Projects Jackson's Next Contract
Owner Steve Bisciotti said on Wednesday he'd like to sign Jackson to a contract extension before free agency begins in March because Jackson's cap hit will jump from $43.5 million to $74.5 million.
"I think that he's amenable to doing something that mirrors the last deal he did, although the annual number will be a little higher, but I'm hoping that it's [going to be] plug a new number into the same contract he signed last year and move on," Bisciotti said. "And the urgency of that matters to me because we've got free agents, and I don't want to go into free agency with that hanging over our head."
Jackson signed a five-year, reported $260 million contract ($52 million per year) before the 2023 season, which put him under contract through 2027.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio projected what a new deal for Jackson could look like.
"Since then, the market has moved (as to new money) to $60 million per year (if we ignore the new-money analysis regarding Josh Allen's latest deal)," Florio wrote. "And so the goal presumably will be to get Jackson beyond Dak Prescott's current high-water mark. Jackson has two years and $104 million left on his current contract. To get to a new-money average of, say, $61 million, the Ravens would have to offer a three-year extension at $183 million.
"But there are no actual 'extensions' in the NFL. The old contract gets ripped up, and a new one takes its place. With the two remaining years at $104 million, the Ravens could offer five years, $287 million. That would boost the new-money average to $61 million, even if the true average from signing would be $57.4 million."
Florio said getting the right structure is key.
"Last time, Jackson got a signing bonus of $72.5 million," Florio wrote. "If he receives $80 million up front on a new deal, his cap number (coupled with a minimum salary of $1.3 million) would be $17.3 million plus the $22.5 million in 2026 allocation from his prior contract. That's $39.8 million — creating cap space of $34.7 million in advance of 2026 free agency. They'd also have to figure out how much of the new contract would be guaranteed. In 2023, he wanted all five years to be fully guaranteed. He ultimately agreed to a deal with three years of full guarantees."
Marlon Humphrey Reveals His Thoughts on Ravens Parting Ways With Harbaugh
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey revealed his thoughts on the Ravens parting ways with Harbaugh, the only head coach the nine-year veteran has played for.
"I knew there was a chance, but I definitely didn't think it would happen," Humphrey said on his podcast. "I was sad. … Harbaugh really was my guy. When I first got there, Harbaugh may or may not have told me something that was not that nice, but that was OK. I think guys respect when you can say something like that and it not be personal.
"All I know is this: Harbaugh came to me as a man. I felt like he was a leader. I took a lot of notes from all his meetings because one day I want to be a head coach and I want to be able to lead a team. I want a player to walk out of a meeting the way I walked out of those meetings in a positive [way]."
There has been speculation that Humphrey, who turns 30 this offseason, could be a cap casualty. Humphrey said he thinks there is a good chance he'll be back based on a conversation with General Manager Eric DeCosta, but said that with the Ravens having a new head coach, "even though you're on the same team, it's basically like you're going to another team."
Ravens' Rookie Class Was Among 10 Most Productive
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz ranked the 2025 rookie classes based on their production this season. The Ravens' class was No. 9.
"The Ravens' top rookies were almost entirely on defense," Schatz wrote. "First-rounder Malaki Starks was a valuable rookie safety, starting 15 games with 84 combined tackles and two interceptions. Fourth-rounder Teddye Buchanan started 13 games at inside linebacker before tearing an ACL to end his season. He ended 2025 with 93 combined tackles. First-round edge rusher Mike Green had 3.5 sacks, and undrafted cornerback Keyon Martin had 23 combined tackles and a sack.
"The one significant non-defensive contributor was sixth-round kicker Tyler Loop, who went 30-for-34 on field goals."
