The Baltimore Ravens
After a disappointing season that saw them miss the playoffs, the Baltimore Ravens are looking to do a small rebuild heading into the 2026 NFL Season.
This has mostly been seen with the coaching staff, particularly with former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator repressing longtime Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
With Minter, the Ravens have one of the best defensive minds in football, having greatly improved the Chargers in his tenure and helping lead the University of Michigan to the College Football Playoffs national championship.
This pairs great with one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL, especially with two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry. However, the Ravens could lose one of their most important offensive weapons in free agency this offseason.
Center Tyler Linderbaum is one of the best offensive linemen in the league, having been named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team in 2022 and to three Pro Bowls since then. And analysts are recognizing it.
Not only was Linderbaum ranked as the third best free agent this offseason, he has also been named as possibly the most important signing Baltimore can make before the season starts.
"The Ravens would love to keep Linderbaum, who has become the anchor of their offensive line," Jamison Hensley of ESPN said. "But it won't be easy because Linderbaum is expected to draw a lot of interest as one of the top free agents available. He is the first Baltimore offensive lineman to go to three consecutive Pro Bowls since guard Marshal Yanda went to six straight (2011 to 2016).
"Linderbaum could become the NFL's highest-paid center and surpass Kansas City's Creed Humphrey's $18 million per season. He's a free agent this offseason because Baltimore declined his fifth-year option at $23.4 million, which would have been $5.4 million more than the NFL's highest-paid center in terms of average per year."
To many casual football fans, this may seem like a lot of attention for a non-skill player. However, if you want to see Jackson and Henry do the things that make them some of the best players in the league, you need protectors like Linderbaum to give them room to work.
With Minter at the helm, the Ravens have a chance to once again find themselves on top of the AFC North. And they can make the work a whole lot easier if they hold on to Linderbaum.