The Baltimore Ravens are off to a strong start this offseason, and for the first time in a while, there’s a sense that real momentum is building in Baltimore. After a disappointing 2025 campaign that ultimately cost longtime head coach John Harbaugh his job, the Ravens made a bold move by handing the reins to Jesse Minter, a rising coaching talent with deep ties to the organization and a fresh vision for the future.
Minter’s hiring signals a new era in Baltimore-one focused on innovation, energy, and accountability. And while he’s still assembling his staff, early signs suggest the Ravens are laying the foundation for a more modern, aggressive approach. But perhaps just as important as what Baltimore is doing right now is what’s happening-or not happening-around the rest of the AFC North.
Let’s start with the division rivals.
The Cincinnati Bengals chose continuity, sticking with Zac Taylor after a turbulent season. The Steelers, meanwhile, made a headline-grabbing hire by bringing in Mike McCarthy to replace the departing Mike Tomlin. And in Cleveland, the Browns opted to replace Kevin Stefanski with Todd Monken, a return to a familiar face with a strong offensive pedigree.
Each of those moves comes with its own set of question marks. Taylor’s Bengals have struggled to recapture the magic of their 2021 Super Bowl run.
McCarthy, for all his experience, brings a conservative style that may not mesh with Pittsburgh’s need for a fresh identity. And while Monken knows the Browns well, it’s fair to wonder whether his second act in Cleveland will be any more successful than the first.
All of this creates a potential opening for Baltimore. If Minter and the Ravens can capitalize in free agency and, more importantly, crush the 2026 NFL Draft-as they’ve done so many times before-they could re-establish themselves as the team to beat in the AFC North.
The Ravens’ draft history speaks for itself. They’ve consistently unearthed talent across all rounds, building rosters that are tough, physical, and smart. And with a roster that still needs plenty of retooling, especially after a season that exposed depth issues, this year’s draft will be critical.
Now, let’s pivot to one of the more intriguing storylines coming out of a recent mock draft: the Pittsburgh Steelers potentially targeting Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss with the 21st overall pick.
There’s a lot to unpack here.
Chambliss is an electric talent. He turned heads in the College Football Playoff and put together a stat line that jumps off the page: 66.1% completion rate, nearly 4,000 passing yards, 22 touchdowns through the air, and just three interceptions. Add in 527 rushing yards and eight scores on the ground, and you’ve got a dual-threat quarterback who can make things happen in a hurry.
But there’s a flip side.
Chambliss has just one season of Division I experience under his belt after transferring from Ferris State, a Division II program where he was dominant but untested against elite competition. That limited exposure raises fair questions about how quickly he can adjust to the speed and complexity of the NFL. And at 24 years old by the time the 2026 season kicks off, he’s older than most rookie quarterbacks, which could factor into his developmental timeline.
This year’s quarterback class isn’t exactly loaded with surefire stars, and that scarcity might push teams to take bigger swings earlier than they normally would. For Pittsburgh, the Chambliss pick would be a gamble-one that could either signal a bold new direction or echo past missteps.
Ravens fans will remember all too well when the Steelers reached for Kenny Pickett in the first round back in 2022. That pick didn’t pan out the way Pittsburgh had hoped, and a similar outcome with Chambliss would be music to Baltimore’s ears.
To be clear, Chambliss has tools-big arm, athleticism, poise under pressure. But he’s also a project. And if the Steelers are banking on Mike McCarthy to mold him into a franchise quarterback, they’re putting a lot of faith in a coach whose recent track record with young QBs is, at best, mixed.
Meanwhile, the Ravens are focused on building something sustainable. The coaching change was the first step.
The next will be nailing the offseason-free agency, draft, and everything in between. If they can do that while their rivals make risky moves at the most important position in football, Baltimore could find itself back on top of the AFC North sooner than expected.