Dan Orlovsky Weighs in on Who Ravens Should Hire As Offensive Coordinator
With Jesse Minter officially introduced as the Ravens' head coach at Thursday’s press conference, all eyes now turn to who will fill the crucial role of offensive coordinator.
ESPN's Dan Orlovsky revealed which candidates he believes are best suited for the job.
"If I were the Baltimore Ravens, my offense coordinator would be [Nate] Scheelhaase, Sean Mannion, or Declan Doyle," Orlovsky said on "NFL Live." "They come from the right tree – the [Mike] Shanahan/[Sean] McVay tree. I just believe that offense, because the starting point, the foundation is, I'm going to take all these things that are simple to me and make them complicated for you. Those are recession-proof.
"And the second thing is, I can take one presentation and do five different things from it. That is a thing that carries over week to week. It elevates the performance of the offensive line. It elevates the performance of the backs. It elevates the performance of the quarterback. And it makes the receivers' jobs easier. I will always believe that a coordinator from that tree is the best option."
The Ravens have requested an interview with Doyle, the Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator. Scheelhasse, the Los Angeles Rams' pass game coordinator, interviewed for the Ravens' head coach job and reportedly was a finalist for the Cleveland Browns' head coach position. He is reportedly expected to remain with the Rams. Shortly after this segment aired, Mannion was hired as the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator.
Orlovsky went on to say that he believes a defensive-minded coach such as Minter has an advantage when choosing an offensive coordinator.
"Defensive coaches that are really intelligent and schematically advanced, and I think Minter's one of them, I think they do have an advantage when it comes to picking a coordinator because it's, 'What offense do I not want to prepare for? What offense do I think is the most difficult to have answers for?'" Orlovsky said.
Minter discussed what he is looking for in an offensive coordinator on "The Pat McAfee Show."
"I'm looking for a connector, and an innovator, and a scheme-builder around the greatest player in the world [in Lamar Jackson]," Minter said. "… So, a very well-rounded, well-constructed offense that's very creative, innovative, always forward-thinking, always trying to find ways to improve."
To which McAfee jokingly replied, "I can't wait for you guys to hire Dan Orlovsky."
Steve Bisciotti Video-Bombs Live 'SportsCenter' Segment
Owner Steve Bisciotti received rave reviews for his candor and humor during his hour-long press conference two weeks ago. Now he's getting kudos for his impromptu cameo appearance on "SportsCenter."
Bisciotti, who rarely speaks publicly, video-bombed a live segment outside The Castle with ESPN's Jamison Hensley, draping his arm around the reporter as they braved the frigid conditions.
"I said to him, 'Why aren't you doing this inside?'" Bisciotti told studio hosts Christine Williamson and Jason McCourty. "We've got so many nice places for him. … I don't know why they kicked him to the curb, so to speak, because we're out here on the curb."
And cue the music.
Hensley managed to sneak in a question before Bisciotti exited stage right, asking him why the Ravens hired Minter.
"I didn't. [General Manager] Eric [DeCosta] did, and I approved it," Bisciotti said. "I can tell those two are going to work really well together. He stood out. We got some good candidates out there, but he stood out, so we're really happy with him."
Minter Makes Media Rounds
Minter was interviewed on several national shows (as well as by our own Garrett Downing) after his press conference.
Ravens Were Worst Team for Bettors This Season
It was a rough season for people who bet on the Ravens.
The Ravens were the worst teams for bettors, followed by the Kansas City Chiefs, according to ESPN’s Doug Greenberg and Ben Solak.
"The Baltimore Ravens and Chiefs, two of the most reliable teams in recent seasons, struggled throughout the 2025 campaign, making them the largest losers for bettors," Greenberg and Solak wrote. "The Chiefs, in particular, fell very short of expectations when favored, losing nine games straight up and failing to cover the spread in 10 games, both the most in the league."
The Ravens were involved in two of the five most-bet games this season. The Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills was No. 3, and the Week 16 game against the New England Patriots was No. 4.
Running back Derrick Henry was No. 3 on the list of most-bet players.
Ravens Enter 2026 Season With One of NFL's Best Quarterback Situations
Pro Football Focus’ John Kosko ranked every team's quarterback need entering the 2026 season. Unsurprisingly, the Ravens were among the least QB-needy teams, coming in at No. 31 out of 32.
"While the organization is undergoing a change at head coach, Lamar Jackson ranks second among quarterbacks in PFF grade over the past two seasons," Kosko wrote. "Jackson has dealt with his share of injuries in recent years, but when healthy, there is no one more electric at the position."
The Ravens were joined in the elite tier by the Chiefs (No. 29), Cincinnati Bengals (No. 30), and Buffalo Bills (No. 32).
Ravens Select Miami Edge Rusher in Bucky Brooks' Mock Draft
The Ravens will be looking to beef up their pass rush this offseason, and NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks sees them addressing that unit in the first round of the draft.
Brooks has the Ravens selecting Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 14 overall in his mock draft.
"The return of former Baltimore assistant Jesse Minter as the team's new head coach could help the Ravens return to their beat 'em up defensive roots, especially if they add an energetic combo player with pass-rush skills," Brooks wrote. "Despite lacking ideal measurables, Bain dominated throughout the College Football Playoff (five sacks), suggesting his skills can translate to the pro game."
Bain is often projected to go higher than No. 14, so it would be a surprise to see him slide that far. Then again, it was a surprise that Kyle Hamilton made it to No. 14 in the 2022 NFL Draft.
