What’s next for the Ravens? Big questions for Lamar Jackson, John Harbaugh after disappointing 2025 season
The Baltimore Ravens’ season fittingly came to an end on a missed opportunity. Tyler Loop’s miss wide right from 44 yards agonizingly drove one final dagger into the most disappointing season in the NFL. Pittsburgh Steelers 26, Baltimore Ravens 24. The AFC North’s playoff bid belonged to Baltimore’s hated rival.The fact that the Ravens even got the chance was a minor miracle. Two weeks earlier, a Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots that epitomized the entire season in just 60 minutes.In the course of the 28-24 prime time loss…Their season could have (perhaps mercifully) ended there. Instead, they beat the Green Bay Packers in Week 17, and the Steelers fell to the Cleveland Browns, setting up the Week 18 clash.Then came deja vu all over again, but somehow different In the course of the 26-24 prime time loss …
Jackson looked like his MVP self, making not one but two go-ahead touchdown throws to Flowers;but Jackson also threw an interception that deflected off a defender and his own lineman;Kyle Hamilton suffered a concussion;Chidobe Awuzie slipped on a double move on Aaron Rodgers’ game-winning touchdown to Calvin Austin III;Rodgers, playing without DK Metcalf, was 11-for-14 for 133 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter;and Baltimore blew a 10-point first-quarter lead.That encompasses how a team that entered the season as Super Bowl favorites failed to even make the playoffs, how an offense that returned 10 of 11 starters took a massive step back and how a defense that made significant additions this offseason failed to live up to the expectations that accompanied the reputation of the big names and the strong 2024 performance.Each NFL team that fails to make the postseason is, like each unhappy family according to Leo Tolstoy, “unhappy in its own way.” The Ravens can point to the aspects unique to them — the basic faults, the bad luck, the breaks that didn’t go their way — but the biggest question might simply be why these Ravens were so un-Ravens-like: Why Baltimore missed the playoffs for just the second time in Jackson’s career and, most crucially now, what level of change is necessary this offseason?What went wrong for the Ravens?The Ravens looked like the rightful Super Bowl favorites for approximately the first three-and-a-half quarters of the season opener and then essentially never again. Baltimore led the Buffalo Bills 40-25 with under four minutes left in Week 1, with the offense running roughshod and the defense doing enough against an elite opponent.
Then the defense allowed a touchdown, Henry lost a fumble, the defense allowed another touchdown, the offense went three-and-out, and the defense allowed a field goal.That was, essentially, what the team looked like for the next five weeks. Baltimore started 1-5, with Jackson suffering a hamstring injury in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The defense was one of the NFL’s worst, gashed on the ground and through the air and producing few disruptive plays — sacks, turnovers, etc. — to stem the bleeding. A 44-10 loss to the Texans meant the Ravens had allowed 177 points through five games, 11th-most in NFL history and the franchise’s most ever in any five-game span.Harbaugh promised changes and delivered, sending edge defender Odafe Oweh to the Chargers for safety Alohi Gilman. The defense, able to use three-safety looks, got back on track. Getting healthier certainly helped, too. From Weeks 6-16, Baltimore’s defense ranked sixth in success rate and fourth in defensive expected points added per play.
It was notable improvement, but issues persisted. Only the Cincinnati Bengals allowed more plays of 20-plus yards this season, and only two teams had fewer sacks. Those point to significant systematic and personnel issues, but at least the defense was semi-viable for much of the year.The offense never got on track. Jackson missed three games with the hamstring injury and was never himself after returning. A bevy of nagging injuries — ankle, toe, knee, back — ailed him. Even during Baltimore’s five-game winning streak coming out of the bye, the offense underwhelmed.”We need to execute better,” Jackson said after a 23-10 win over the lowly New York Jets. “We just have to put points on the board. Our defense has played lights out for the last few weeks. (We) started to play well in Miami, but the last few weeks, I feel like we need to put points on the board and execute drives.”
We’ll never truly know how Jackson was impacted by his ailments, but the numbers indicate a player robbed of the traits that make him so special.Expected points added per dropback0.062022Off-target rate13.6%2021Sack rate10.7%EverSacks per pressure24.0%EverNegative play rate13.7%EverThen there was Henry and the running game. Though the hulking running back produced another monstrous statistical season, some underlying numbers painted a dramatic decline from the historic 2024 attack. Notably, Henry lost three fumbles, two of which came in games the Ravens were winning and ended up losing (Week 1 against the Bills, Week 16 against the Patriots). Henry’s tackle avoidance rate went from one of the league’s best (23.9%) to one of the league’s worst and a career worst (14.0%).”It’s just really embarrassing,” Henry said about his fumble against New England. “Kind of like this whole year, you kind of work hard to be the best player you can, be consistent and have the most success, and sometimes it doesn’t go that way, which is upsetting.”Still, the Ravens had a chance. They had won five straight entering Thanksgiving. Then they committed five turnovers in a loss to the woeful Bengals and missed opportunity after opportunity in a loss to the Steelers in a battle for first place in the AFC North.”Through the roof,” Jackson said of his level of frustration after the Steelers loss. “I felt like Thanksgiving game, we shouldn’t have lost that game — turnovers, unfortunately. This one here, I don’t know what happened.”But it happened over and over again. In the finale, the Ravens led 10-0 after their first three offensive possessions but stalled out. When the offense came up clutch, the defense fell apart, unable to make the one or two big plays to get a win. The Ravens had their first season with a negative turnover differential since 2021, also the last time they missed the playoffs. They didn’t come through in key scenarios — 2-5 in one-score games — and they were, on the whole, shockingly average on both sides of the ball.A few bad breaks and bad plays here or there, and a team with little margin for error made too many errors. What’s next?Why there should be no Lamar Jackson question
This should be an open-and-shut case. Jackson was terrific early in the season and then never the same after the hamstring injury (and playing through several other ailments).The missed games are worrisome. Jackson, who turns 29 next month, will have missed 14 games due to injury since the start of 2021 assuming he doesn’t play next weekend. There’s been a variety of lower-body injuries, a sign of wear and tear for a mobile quarterback who has taken a lot of hits.But there is no way the Ravens, as presently constructed, can move on from Jackson. He was a first-team All Pro in 2024 and the MVP the year before that. He makes the offense go. He is a superstar; for all the struggles this season, he is sixth in passer rating. He has improved greatly as a passer throughout his career. In four healthy seasons as a starter, he has three first-team All Pro selections, two MVPs and a second-place MVP finish. He is simply too good and, when healthy, great, to move on from. Look at his fourth quarter in the finale as all the evidence necessary.Jackson also reinforced his desire to be with Baltimore ahead of the season finale. The Ravens will have to figure out an extension for him, though: He carries a $74.5 million cap hit in 2026.Why there should be a John Harbaugh questionEven before the Ravens were eliminated, bigger questions arose. Harbaugh addressed his future after the Patriots loss.”One thing I always have believed is that, first of all, coaching at any level is a day-to-day job, and your job is to do the best job you can today, and to do everything you can to help your players and your coaches — if you’re a head coach — be the best they can be every single day. And it’s never been about keeping a job, and there’s no such thing as ‘your’ job or ‘my’ job.”A few days later, a column in The Baltimore Sun stated that Jackson falls asleep in meetings, stays up late playing video games and is the reason the Ravens practice in afternoons, not mornings. It also called Jackson an “overgrown kid,” one whom Harbaugh had grown tired of.”We don’t take too much credence in anonymous-type sources,” Harbaugh said. “So, I don’t know where that’s coming from. I’ve never seen that ever. That’s not something that I’ve ever witnessed, and I’m in every meeting. And to speculate on how I feel about it — I’ll tell you how I feel; I’m pretty transparent. I think all the guys in the building will tell you if I have something that I want to talk to them about, I’m right upfront. So, that would be wrong to say that. That’s not true. I had a great conversation with Lamar this morning about a few things and football and how he’s feeling, things like that. So, our relationship is ‘A+.’ I love him. I always have, always will.”Whether Harbaugh always will be Jackson’s coach is under the microscope. Harbaugh said he’s had conversations with owner Steve Bisciotti, whom he described as “fantastic.” Harbaugh hasn’t been quite as good this season. In the loss to the Patriots, Harbaugh admitted he wished he had Henry on the field more late. (The following week, Henry had 36 carries, 11 more than in any other game this season.) The Ravens had too many instances of undisciplined play. There wasn’t always a clear identity. When Jackson was out, Cooper Rush got the first call, and it took too long for Baltimore to switch to Tyler Huntley.Whether or not Harbaugh’s coaching or message has gone stale is hard to evaluate. The numbers show a team that has consistently failed to finish: 16 fourth-quarter leads blown over the last five years, tied for most in the league. Of course, the Ravens have to be good enough to build those leads in the first place — their 51 wins over that span are tied for fifth-most — but they have also made far too many mistakes that have cost them by tiny margins. That was especially apparent this year.
Moving on from Harbaugh or general manager Eric DeCosta would be a seismic shift. The Ravens have 179 wins since 2008, when Harbaugh took over. Only three teams have more. DeCosta has been with the team since its 1996 inception and has been GM since 2018.Bisciotti has big calls to make, perhaps the biggest he’s had to make as owner. This was not just a disappointing season because of Jackson’s injury. This was a disappointing season on all levels. The roster is aging, and younger players haven’t emerged in several key spots. Baltimore, per usual, has a gold mine of picks. It will also have some resources in free agency, especially assuming a Jackson extension brings his cap hit down.There’s still a talented core. But there are plenty of holes to fill, no matter who’s in charge.
Questions around the offense: Interior linemen, playmakers needsBaltimore has significant areas to address around Jackson, starting with his offensive line. Center Tyler Linderbaum and guard Daniel Faalele are free agents; Linderbaum should be a priority.But Faalele and the left guard spot — occupied by Andrew Vorhees — are up in the air. Entering the Ravens’ Week 18 game, they ranked 33rd and 34th, respectively, in PFF’s grades out of 40 guards who had played at least 800 snaps. They were 33rd and 36th, respectively, in pass blocking.Baltimore could see what it has in Emery Jones Jr., a third-round pick in 2025 who missed much of the season due to injury. It could pursue answers in free agency and/or the draft. But it will need answers at potentially both guard spots.
The Ravens also need upgrades at pass catcher. Isaiah Likely will be a free agent and, after extending Mark Andrews, the Ravens might not want to shell out for another tight end. After a breakout 2024, Rashod Bateman has struggled.Baltimore needs more downfield production. It needs more separation from its outside receivers. It needs someone other than Flowers who can really stretch — and stress — a defense.Henry showed he can still be the fulcrum of a physical running game, but he might have taken a step or two back from his dominating, devastating 2024. In turn, Baltimore needs to be more dynamic in other facets of the offense and better up front, regardless.
Big question on defense: Can the pass rush be revitalized?The Ravens felt the absence of Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) keenly, not just as a run defender but as an interior pass rusher; he had 19.5 sacks across 2023 and 2024. He had two more in just two games this season.The edge rush is in bad need of a boost.That’s a glaring issue. The Ravens’ 4.6% sack rate was the second-lowest in franchise history.
This is where recent draft misses show up. Adisa Isaac (third round, 2024), Robinson (fourth round, 2023), David Ojabo (second round, 2022) haven’t produced. Injuries have played a big role. Baltimore traded Oweh, a 2021 first-rounder, to Los Angeles. It’s not as if the Ravens haven’t invested. They just haven’t gotten results.The team also invested heavily in the secondary, where Awuzie, Jaire Alexander, first-round pick Malaki Starks and eventually Gilman, joined the All-Pro Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey. But Alexander hardly played before being shipped off again, and the Gilman addition came after the Ravens had already dug themselves into a hole.Gilman, Awuzie and Ar’Darius Washington are free agents after this season. Perhaps two stay. Either way, Baltimore will be looking for reinforcements.Final thoughtsWhatever happens with Harbaugh, there has to be — and will be — change. That’s the simple truth after a season that falls well short of expectations. If Harbaugh stays, he’ll have big calls to make on offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who has helped Jackson grow as a passer but didn’t have his finest season leaning on Henry, and defensive coordinator Zach Orr, whose unit improved but didn’t become the lockdown unit of the past few years. It’s hard to envision a scenario in which Harbaugh, Monken and Orr all stay, and it’s hard to envision a scenario in which the Ravens don’t make significant upgrades at key spots.That’s the overall takeaway here. The Ravens have built a sturdy roster with some stars but some holes around a superstar (but imperfect, oft-injured) quarterback. We say the numbers don’t lie, and for all the negative numbers of 2025, there are plenty of positive numbers that have stood the test of time. This season was more than a blip. It showed significant cracks in what had been a solid foundation for years. There are questions, undoubtedly. But the Ravens aren’t very far from finding answers.
已发布: 2026-01-05 05:23:00
