Ravens Need to Replace Several Assistant Coaches This Offseason
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — While much of the Ravens' focus this offseason is adding playmakers, they will also need to replace several assistant coaches.
In the past couple of weeks, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh's staff on defense has been purged by other programs.
Inside linebackers coach Mike Macdonald agreed to be the defensive coordinator at Michigan.
Defensive back coach Jesse Minter took the job as the defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt.
Defensive line coach Joe Cullen is moving onto the Jacksonville Jaguars as head coach Urban Meyer's defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
In addition, Ravens assistant head coach David Culley interviewed with the Houston Texans for their head coaching vacancy.
"Those opportunities for coaches come up, I’m happy for them," Harbaugh said. "I want them to advance career-wise if it’s something they want to do. And we’ll have those conversations in the next couple of days. Guys are interviewing today for different jobs that are promotions to coordinator roles. So, we’ll see how it goes.”
Despite the changes, Harbaugh appears that he will retain both of his coordinators — Don Martindale on defense and Greg Roman with the offense.
Harbaugh said both Martindale and Roman would be exceptional head coaches.
"As it stands, we do, unless those guys get a late call as a head coaching opportunity," Harbaugh said. "They didn’t this year; I was disappointed for them in that. But you know, one thing that we talked about just amongst all of us as coaches and those guys in particular, is that things happen when they’re supposed to happen, and I would say in God’s time.
"When the opportunity comes, it’ll be the right opportunity at the right time for those two guys. They’re more than qualified right now to be head coaches in this league."
The time arrived for some of the other coaches:
- Macdonald just finished his third season as the team’s linebackers coach. Overall, he has spent seven years with the Ravens, also serving as the team’s defensive backs coach (2017) and as a defensive assistant (2015-16).
- Minter finished his fourth season with the Ravens and first as the team's defensive backs coach. Baltimore's secondary has been ranked among the best in the league under Minter.
- Cullen completed his fifth year as the Ravens’ defensive line coach. A defensive line specialist, Cullen has 31 years of coaching experience, including 13 in the NFL with four other teams — Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Jacksonville and Detroit.
