Analysis: The stakes are high as the Ravens move on from the stability of the Harbaugh era

In three decades of existence, the Baltimore Ravens have had two primary owners, two general managers and three head coaches. Stability like that is hard to achieve in the NFL and should not be taken for granted. Now the franchise heads down an uncertain path after firing John Harbaugh. It's a risk owner Steve Bisciotti clearly felt was worth taking. "Our goal has always been and will always be to win championships," Bisciotti said in his statement Tuesday announcing Harbaugh's dismissal. "We strive to consistently perform at the highest level on the field and be a team and organization our fans take pride in." When Harbaugh was hired before the 2008 season, he'd been an assistant in Philadelphia — the less famous older brother of Jim Harbaugh, the former quarterback who at the time was a college coach. Then John won a championship in his fifth season with the Ravens, famously beating Jim head to head in the Super Bowl after the latter had become coach of the San Francisco 49ers. John Harbaugh's run in Baltimore ends with six division titles and four trips to the AFC championship game in 18 years. But since Lamar Jackson was drafted in 2018, the Ravens have posted the third-best record in the NFL in the regular season while going just 3-6 in the playoffs. Blown leads and close losses became common, and Baltimore may have been the most disappointing team in the league this year, finishing 8-9. As is often the case when a coach is fired, those who were spared will be under even more scrutiny. In Baltimore, that's Jackson and general manager Eric DeCosta. An MVP talent Jackson already has two MVPs, and the star quarterback's best year might have been 2024, when he didn't win. He threw for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns that season with only four interceptions, while also running for 915 yards. The Ravens don't have to unlock some never-before-seen level of performance from Jackson. They need a return to the way he played just one season ago — and for the team as a whole, Jackson included, to stay close to that level in the playoffs. This season, Jackson dealt with multiple injuries and didn't look all that comfortable when he did play. The result was a surprisingly average season in which he wasn't nearly the running threat he usually is. But even so, with the division title at stake last weekend at Pittsburgh, Jackson put Baltimore in position to win three different times in the fourth quarter, only for the defense and kicking game to let the Ravens down. Baltimore now has to decide what to prioritize. Should the new coach be someone hired to bring out the best in Jackson again, on and off the field? Or are the Ravens confident their quarterback, who turned 29 on Wednesday, will rebound mostly on his own, freeing them up to look perhaps at a more defensive-minded option? Constructing the roster The Ravens didn't make too many major moves before this season, reaching a new deal with tackle Ronnie Stanley and adding receiver DeAndre Hopkins. They largely stood pat, which didn't work out too well when the team regressed, especially in the trenches. Baltimore's pass rush wasn't great, with younger players failing to develop fast enough and veteran Kyle Van Noy slowing down. The offensive line paid a price for relying on less proven players at the guard position. DeCosta has a lot of areas to improve on this roster, and he'll also need to work out a new deal with Jackson to provide some short-term salary cap relief. Possible candidates The Ravens don't necessarily need a coach who can succeed for another 18 years. They need someone who can win big during the current window with Jackson. A couple former Baltimore assistants are now defensive coordinators elsewhere — Jesse Minter of the Los Angeles Chargers and Anthony Weaver of Miami. Brian Flores, Kliff Kingsbury, Robert Saleh and Kevin Stefanski have head coaching experience with varying levels of success. Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula could be in line for their first head coaching opportunities.