Post-Super Bowl Power Rankings Project Ravens Slight Bounce-Back

With the Super Bowl concluding in the Seattle Seahawks' favor atop the Seattle Seahawks in a 29-13 rout, the NFL returns to its long hibernation period. The clock until the next regular season now resets in looking ahead to September, but that doesn't mean it's too early to start mapping out expectations in anticipating whatever results await football fans in 2026.

The Patriots weren't the most impressive conference representative that the AFC's offered over recent years, and amidst an offseason of sweeping changes, the Baltimore Ravens are favored to inch towards returning to familiar dominance over the coming months.

Even after finding a head coach to replace John Harbaugh in former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, a slew of tough choices await this squad in working their way back to meaningful contention. Draft options and free agency choices now shoot to the top of every team's priority list, and with a weakened division and favorable draft positioning awaiting Baltimore, things look like they're starting to come up Ravens.

Baltimore Ravens Head Coach Jesse Minter — Jan 29, 2026; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Jesse Minter hugs players after meeting at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images | Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images

They rang in at No. 14 in ESPN's first power ranking of the league-wide offseason, ahead of any other member of the AFC North and in the top half of the NFL. Management is looking to shake off the stink of their most recent 8-9 campaign, and insider Jamison Hensley is focused on one particularly-pressing conversation that still needs to take place between the front office and their franchise face.

"Baltimore's priority is reaching a new contract with Lamar Jackson and getting the two-time NFL MVP back on track on the field," he wrote.

"The first issue is reducing Jackson's $74.5 million salary cap number, and owner Steve Bisciotti spoke to Jackson about the urgency to create more cap room before the start of free agency in March. Then, Baltimore's new coaching staff will look to build a scheme around Jackson, who is coming off 2,549 passing yards and 21 touchdowns -- both of which are his lowest since 2022."

Jackson's On- and Off-Field Importance

The best player on the Ravens, Jackson is someone who the new coaches need to touch base with regardless of any contract. Minter, after all, is no scoring specialist; he'll look to parlay his defensive experience into play-calling on that side of the ball entering the coming season, as he now turns to freshly-hired coordinator Declan Doyle to orchestrate the offense.

Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson and Center Corey Bullock — Dec 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) high fives center Corey Bullock (67) prior to the game against the New England Patriots at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Jackson's historically responded well to change, with Hensley correctly pointing out that the quarterback has won an MVP during both of the seasons in which the Ravens hired a new offensive coordinator. But getting on the same page as the iconic dual-threat isn't all that Baltimore management has to look forward to; as long as he's making how much he's slated to earn, the squad is in for a tough time finding all of the supporting pieces they'll all need to flourish.

With 3x Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum headlining most list of intriguing offseason free agents, that money will be imperative in the team's proving their appreciation for the young blocker. He'll be sure to test the market after not getting the initial contract offer he wanted, but with Jackson still under contract, he'll be more technically accessible in helping to forward negotiations.

Now, that doesn't mean that he's a guarantee to play ball with the suits. He can rationalize with Linderbaum, having been himself put through the ringer by the Ravens in securing his own long-term deals, and more extension talks are sure to ramp up over the long summer. But if the Ravens' show-runners want to give themselves and Minter a meaningful shot at taking advantage of the wide-open AFC field that could soon await them, they'll need to be on their best behavior with the players.

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