The Baltimore Ravens have traded two first-round draft picks to the Las Vegas Raiders for superstar defensive end Maxx Crosby less than a week prior to the start of free agency. Baltimore has built its sustained success by having elite defenses on an annual basis for the last twenty-five years, but that identity has not been maintained over the previous two seasons. In 2024, the Ravens were among the worst defenses in the league during the first half of the year before making some adjustments and transforming into one of the best units in the league during the second half of that season.
Photo Cred: News Day
Some thought this would be the case again in 2025 after another terrible start, but their struggles lasted the entire season, which was a heavy contributor to them missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021. This resulted in Baltimore firing head coach John Harbaugh, who had been in that position since the 2008 season. The Ravens were familiar with the man they hired as his replacement, Jesse Minter, the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers. Minter was on the Ravens staff for four seasons spanning 2017 to 2020.
He was able to turn a consistently terrible Chargers defense around immediately, finishing with the number three and number eleven defenses in 2024 and 2025 despite not having elite talent to work with. Baltimore’s front office made a statement by acquiring future Hall of Famer Crosby, trading a first-round pick for a player for the first time in their 31-year franchise history. Unlike Harbaugh, Minter will actually call the plays defensively and should be able to turn the defense around in short order just as he did with the Chargers.
Photo Cred: Yahoo Sports
Despite what was considered a disastrous season by their standards and expectations last year, Baltimore had an opportunity to make the playoffs had they won their final regular season game in Pittsburgh against the Pittsburgh Steelers. A 44-yard missed field goal by rookie kicker Tyler Loop as time expired dropped the Ravens to 8–9 and out of the playoffs, but they realistically should have been in. With their defense expected to return to elite form, and better health at quarterback with Lamar Jackson, the Ravens should be AFC contenders once again this season.
