NFL Exec Votes Ravens' Jesse Minter as Best HC Hire, 'A Mix of' John Harbaugh, Mike Macdonald

The Baltimore Ravens are entering a new era under first-year head coach Jesse Minter, and some around the NFL consider his hiring as a perfect fit for the franchise.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe spoke to an NFL executive who picked Minter as the best head coaching hire of this cycle, citing his similarities to his predecessor.

"Jesse Minter is probably the cleanest fit out of all of them, the closeness to the scheme," the exec said. "It feels like they went for a younger version of the coach they had, a mix of John Harbaugh and (former Ravens defensive coordinator and current Super Bowl champion) Mike Macdonald. Jesse is a stud. They were able to rewind it in a very seamless way. They're minimizing the transition. That's a really important thing to do when you're making a hire. That's an easy one."

Minter worked on the Ravens' staff under Harbaugh from 2017 to 2020. He also spent time with his brother, Jim Harbaugh, as his defensive coordinator at Michigan and with the Los Angeles Chargers for the last two seasons.

Minter will certainly benefit from the presence of star quarterback Lamar Jackson, and one of his primary tasks will be to revamp a Baltimore defense that has struggled since Macdonald's departure to the Seattle Seahawks. The team ranked 24th in the league this past season with 354.5 total yards allowed per game.

The Ravens are hoping to return to title contention in 2026, and it sounds like there's confidence around the league that Minter is the right person to lead the way.

"The best thing about this hire is the continuity of the organization," a coach told Howe. "It's one of the best, if not the best, overall organizations. Just need to keep defense strong, kicking game elite and figure out getting over the hump with offense."