The Baltimore Ravens are inching closer to hiring their next head coach. After firing their longtime coach, John Harbaugh, they are two weeks into the interviewing process. After starting with 17 candidates, they are now conducting the second round of interviews.
Thus far, only three targets have been reported to come back for the second wave. Those names include Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, and Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. They are deemed three of the finalists, and others, most notably those still in playoff contention, could emerge as finalists in the coming week.
However, it sounds like some of those coaches may not even get the chance to come back for another interview. Most speculation around their vacancy is pointing toward Minter taking the job.
According to Jason La Canfora, who covers Baltimore sports and is a former NFL Network insider, his sources from NFL front office executives believe the Ravens are moving in on inking Minter to a deal. He would become their fourth head coach in franchise history.
With Minter interviewing with the Ravens on Wednesday, the likelihood of him landing in Baltimore is only looking more realistic.
Minter has been one of the top candidates since the Ravens fired Harbaugh. It should come as no shock that the team’s front office is intrigued by what the Los Angeles defensive playcaller could bring, as he has a strong relationship with those currently in the building.
The 42-year-old coach started his NFL coaching career in Baltimore. He left his defensive coordinator job at Georgia State to become the Ravens’ defensive assistant in 2017. He spent time in that role from 2017 to 2018, eventually earning a promotion to assistant defensive backs coach in 2019. In 2020, he took another step up the coaching ladder, becoming the defensive backs coach for one season.
After a few years at the collegiate level, Minter found his way back into the NFL in 2024, becoming the defensive coordinator for Jim Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers, a job he still holds for now.
Those Minter-led defenses have been formidable ones. They were 11th in yards allowed per game and first in points allowed per game in 2024. This past season, the Chargers were fifth in yards allowed per game and ninth in points allowed per game.
Minter put an exclamation point on that season in the playoffs, as Los Angeles’ defense held its own against an explosive New England Patriots offense in the Wild Card round, forcing two turnovers and notching five sacks.
For a franchise that has been known for elite defenses, Minter would be a perfect fit with the Ravens. He proved he can get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, most notably with former Raven Odafe Oweh, and force game-changing turnovers. That’s exactly what Baltimore needs.
