Ravens Executives Open Up About Recent Team-Building Shortcomings

Fans of the Baltimore Ravens can prepare for as long a look in the mirror as the franchise has indulged in in years this summer.

The successful organization is coming off of their version of a rock-bottom year in missing the playoffs with a healthy-enough roster in a weak division, a long way off from the championship expectations they entered the fall with.

They indicated that the season of change is coming just two days into their offseason, firing longtime head coach John Harbaugh after 18 years of matrimony. But team decision-makers indicated that he was no sacrificial lamb; the roster he had to work with was flawed, and the organization has a lot of holes to fill between now and the start of the 2026 campaign.

"Generally speaking, we've got to do a better job of creating pressure on defense," Ravens' majority owner Steve Bisciotti said in his first media availability of the offseason. "That will help the secondary. Affecting the QB would be something big." His thoughts on the offensive line were similarly lackluster; "I think we have pieces. We have to be more consistent."

Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson — Dec 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson (94) during the third quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

He directly pinpointed the two areas on which the squad suffered the most. That underwhelming trench work resulted in numerous opposing work doing their jobs uninhibited by the invisible pass-rush, while Lamar Jackson's own protectors did little to shield their own quarterback's pocket.

Finding the Right On- and Off-Field Pieces

But as much as firing Harbaugh seemed to hurt him, the owner is of the belief that the coaches have to own the mis-utilization of talent they've had to work with. He's come to expect growth from key on-field contributors, and stagnation reflects back on the men holding the clipboards and headsets.

"We have to own it," he said when asked about the organization's scouting and coaching staff. "It starts with me and it starts with a new coaching staff."

That seemed to imply that Harbaugh's far from the last member of the sideline crew to walk the plank, which can't be a surprise amidst their expansive, ongoing search for a Harbaugh replacement. The defense sank from their usual place towards the league's elite into below-average, while the offense fell short of expectations after the weak run-blocking minimized Jackson's and Derrick Henry's roles in the scoring scheme.

Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh — Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh walks the sideline in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game between Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Dec. 14, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

General Manager Eric DeCosta, also in attendance, pledged to continue using draft assets to get the team back to exceeding expectations, but did remain open to big-game hunting should a "game-wrecker" become available.

The Ravens, still a long way away from where they need to be, will continue focusing on bringing in intriguing head coach candidates while their Divisional Round-bound cohorts continue planning for the playoffs ahead. Once they've picked a new direction, then the process by which they'll choose to get back on track under new management will be clearer for the fans.

At the very least, the front office sensed the urgency of their situation, and have a strong plan of attack in moving forward through the Jackson era.

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