The Ravens are heading into 2026 with a real chance to rebound, and the clearest way to see it is by breaking the roster into position groups. After a rough 2025 season, there are several areas that should climb, and a couple that could still drag.
The biggest reason for optimism is simple: some of these rooms were so underwhelming a year ago that improvement almost feels unavoidable. The pass rush is at the top of that list.
Whether Nnamdi Madubuike gets back to being fully himself or not, too many resources have gone into that group for it not to surge. No way no one has more than five sacks next season.
The additions of Trey Hendrickson and Calais Campbell only strengthen that case. This was a group that got run over and run through a year ago, and there’s no reason to expect a repeat of that kind of collapse.
On offense, Lamar Jackson is another major reason for confidence. He didn’t get on the field as much as anyone would have liked, and when he did, he didn’t fare all that well throwing to anyone other than Zay Flowers.
His running also wasn’t as frequent, or as explosive, as Ravens fans have come to expect. Even with uncertainty around rookie offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, the changes in tempo, cadence, aggression and more under-center snaps should help.
It might be rocky early, but topping last year’s production is a fair expectation.
Quarterback depth should also be better. Cooper Rush, who opened last season as the No.
2 QB, was a total disaster. Snoop Huntley isn’t someone I’m big on, but he has to be better than that if he’s called on.
There’s also reason to think the kicking game could settle in. Jordan Stout had a rough rookie season and didn’t really become a punter, let alone a Pro Bowl talent, until his walk season.
Rookie Ryan Eckley could face a similar learning curve. He doesn’t have to replace rookie Stout; he has to replace the player who got paid a record contract in free agency.
And with a head coach we suspect will be pretty conservative, he should get plenty of chances to punt.
The area that feels more fragile is tight end. Mark Andrews looks to be on a steady decline, and both the film and the advance metrics point in that direction. With Isaiah Likely no longer around and rookies with limited skill sets being asked to fill the gap, that setup looks risky.
Don’t get it twisted: this room wasn’t good last year. Not close.
And unless the Ravens do something real to address it, there’s a strong chance it won’t be any better in 2026. Darren Waller is batter and cheaper than Andrews; I’ll die on that hill.
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The pressure is obvious because Baltimore wants stable field position to help a defense now being shaped by new coordinator Jesse Minter. There is also a familiar cautionary note here: Stout took time to find his footing early in his career, which means the Ravens may have to live with a learning curve again if the new leg needs time to adjust. [Read more 🡒]
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The most important one is in the middle of the offensive line, where Baltimore still needs a dependable answer before the season starts. Elsewhere, there are other jobs worth watching if camp starts to tilt toward younger options, including a cornerback spot that could get more crowded and a receiver room where the margin for error is shrinking. For a team with playoff expectations, those are the kinds of decisions that can quietly shape September before the first snap is even taken. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Are Making One Quiet Change That Could Decide Everything
The Ravens are entering 2026 with plenty of familiar pressure points, but the most interesting shift may not be at quarterback or on the depth chart. With rookie head coach Jesse Minter in place and a new offensive coordinator still learning the job, Baltimore has also quietly turned its attention to how the team prepares, recovers and gets through the grind of a season that has too often been interrupted by injuries.
A big part of that reset runs through Nic Gill, the performance specialist hired from the New Zealand All Blacks rugby program, along with a broader review of rehab, recovery, conditioning and wellness habits. Practice times have already moved later in the day, and the staff is taking a fresh look at everything from travel and eating times to return-to-play protocols, which leaves one of the biggest questions hanging over camp: how the Ravens balance freshness with workload for veterans who have carried heavy mileage. [Read more 🡒]