What's Next: 5 Best HC Candidates for Ravens to Maximize Lamar Jackson’s Window

John Harbaugh's departure is in the Baltimore Ravens' rearview. Now, it's time for the franchise to focus on getting the most out of its two-time MVP quarterback, Lamar Jackson, by landing a seasoned head coach who can best position the Ravens to win another Lombardi Trophy. 

For a team that failed to reach the postseason for the first time in four seasons and has not played in a Super Bowl since winning it all in 2012, the Ravens' parting ways with their longtime head coach shows that the team’s brass is no longer satisfied with the status quo. The next coach must be the right coach, who can fully take advantage of Jackson's unique skill as he just turned 29 and is still in his prime.

But complicating matters for the Ravens and their new coach, Jackson has two years remaining on his five-year, $260 million contract and wants a new deal that would make him the highest-paid player in the league. Baltimore’s vacancy is the best of the seven head coaching jobs available, as my colleague Ben Arthur noted in his head coach vacancy rankings, because of the stability provided by owner Steve Bisciotti, one of the most respected NFL general managers in Eric DeCosta and a roster led by Jackson that’s ready to win now. 

So, here are five candidates that could make sense for Baltimore, taking full advantage of the transcendent talent of Jackson while infusing the franchise with new energy and creating a culture that puts the Ravens back on track in chasing a Super Bowl. 

[Coaching Carousel: The 9 Strongest Head Coach Candidates for NFL Vacancies]

5. Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator

Brian Flores has helped the Vikings have one of the league's top defenses over the last couple of years. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Flores finished 24-25 as a head coach for the Miami Dolphins before being shown the door in Miami. Since then, he’s guided one of the most innovative and dangerous defenses in the league for Minnesota for three seasons.

Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL could complicate things and his hard-charging coaching style isn’t for everyone — just ask Tua Tagovailoa. However, the addition of Flores would improve an underperforming defense and provide a disciplined approach for the Ravens moving forward. But an obvious question would be who Flores would bring with him to serve as an offensive coordinator to get the most out of Jackson, and how those two would coexist in the building. 

4. Kevin Stefanski, former Cleveland Browns head coach

Kevin Stefanski won Coach of the Year twice during his Browns tenure, but missed the playoffs in his four other seasons with Cleveland. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

A two-time NFL coach of the year, Stefanski is considered one of the brightest offensive minds in the game and could jumpstart an offense led by top-tier offensive talent like Jackson. Stefanski is also intimately familiar with the Ravens and their culture, having faced them twice a year in leading Cleveland in the AFC North. Stefanski finished 45-56 in six seasons as the head coach for the Browns.

However, the Ravens would have to figure out why the Browns moved on from a talented head coach like Stefanski, how he would develop a winning culture in Baltimore and what his interaction would be like with foundational players like Jackson. Along with that, figuring out who Stefanski would bring in to lead the defense would be a key question before hiring him. 

3. Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator

Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has emerged as a top name to watch in the coaching carousel this offseason. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

In just his first season in Seattle, Kubiak has guided one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, helping Sam Darnold perform at a Pro Bowl level for a second straight season and creating a consistent running game grounded in the zone running scheme.

The son of former Ravens offensive coordinator and longtime NFL head coach Gary Kubiak, the younger Kubiak has the pedigree and personality to command a room. Even though he has never been a head coach, players who have played for him praise his no-nonsense demeanor, dry wit and detailed approach. And Baltimore would be plucking one of Seattle’s best coaches after general manager John Schneider did the same thing two years ago by wooing former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to become that team’s head coach. 

2. Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator

Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has previously worked for the Ravens. Do his past ties to Baltimore make him a favorite for the job? (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Minter knows the building, having served as a defensive assistant for four seasons in Baltimore from 2017-20. He’s also worked for John Harbaugh’s brother Jim Harbaugh, with the Los Angeles Chargers, orchestrating one of the top-performing defenses in the league over the last two seasons. Minter's done that with less-than-ideal talent on that side of the football.

Minter brings creativity and innovation defensively, running a similar system schematically on that side of the football already in place in Baltimore. But he also can command a room, has experience working in L.A. with one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league in Justin Herbert and will provide a fresh leadership style from the head coaching chair. Minter’s father, Rick Minter, served as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals for nine seasons and currently works as a senior defensive analyst for the Chargers. 

1. Robert Saleh, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator

Robert Saleh has emerged as a top name in the coaching carousel a year after getting fired as the head coach of the New York Jets thanks to his work as the 49ers' defensive coordinator. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

No one has done more with less as a coordinator this season. Saleh has had to scheme around not having two of the best defensive players in the league in linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa, but still has San Francisco performing well enough defensively that the 49ers have advanced to the postseason.

Saleh is well-liked by players but also offers a strong presence as a leader of a franchise. He finished 20-36 in three-plus seasons as head coach of the New York Jets. However, Saleh looks even better after leaving the Jets, watching the dysfunction of the franchise take place since he left. 

Saleh must bring an offensive coordinator with a background in a Kyle Shanahan-style offense that would make the most of Jackson and his unique skill set. And he has strong interpersonal relationship skills to navigate Jackson’s personality. Saleh interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars last season. The Arizona Cardinals have already requested to interview Saleh for their vacant head coaching job this year. So, there is interest in Saleh across the league. 

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.

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