ESPN ranked Baltimore fifth among the NFL teams most “all-in” on winning this season, pointing primarily to the Ravens’ difficult future salary-cap situation and unresolved contract status with Lamar Jackson. They also noted that Baltimore enters 2027 projected to be $41.5 million over the salary cap, with Jackson carrying an $84.3 million cap hit unless the two sides reach an extension. That is a valid case for ranking Baltimore so highly, but the Ravens should still get some grace following the significant turnover on their coaching staff.
The Window Is Not Endless
The Ravens will be without John Harbaugh for the first time since 2008, with Jesse Minter taking over alongside new coordinators Declan Doyle and Anthony Weaver. All three will need time to implement their systems, but Baltimore cannot afford an extended transition period either. Lamar Jackson is 29, Nnamdi Madubuike is 28, Trey Hendrickson is 31 and Mark Andrews is 30, while Ronnie Stanley and Derrick Henry are both 32.
Many of them are either in their primes or approaching the point where decline could begin, and several have been around long enough to remember painful playoff exits against teams such as Buffalo and Kansas City. It is hard to imagine that group being eager to repeat the same cycle under a different coaching staff.
Jackson has already made it clear that getting close is no longer enough. After Baltimore’s Divisional Round loss to Buffalo in January 2025, the quarterback summed up his frustration: “I’m tired of being right there. We need to punch it in. We need to punch in that ticket.”
Baltimore does not necessarily need to win the Super Bowl this season, but reaching at least the Divisional Round should be the baseline. A run that deep would show there is a legitimate path toward a championship under the new staff. Another early postseason exit, however, would raise uncomfortable questions about whether the Ravens are wasting the remaining prime years of this roster.
