The ink is barely dry on Jesse Minter’s head coaching contract, but he’s already laying down the law for the Baltimore Ravens offense and its relationship with superstar Lamar Jackson. Currently on a five-year contract with the team, the QB is not only influencing the roster but the management as well. And according to Minter, the Ravens’ new offense will be built around Jackson, which he believes will turn out to be an effective move.

“First of all, you know, being the head coach of the team that has the best player in the National Football League is pretty exciting,” Minter told ESPN. “The respect and love I have for Lamar and having been here before, having seen him come up as he was drafted here, what he did in his first few years, having defended him last year in 2024 in Los Angeles, just man, grateful, excited, stoked to have the best player in the league as our quarterback.”

This came just days after the Ravens hired Jesse Minter as their new head coach on January 22, 2026. This was after a mutual agreement to a five-year contract to replace long-time coach John Harbaugh after an 18-year tenure, according to reports. Minter, 42, was most recently the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers and has strong ties to the Ravens organization, having previously served on Baltimore’s coaching staff from 2017 to 2020.

Among all franchises with a head coach opening, it was just the Ravens who offered a stable and reliable quarterback already in place. Jackson produced eight seasons of top-tier output, winning two MVP awards, earning four Pro Bowl selections, three All-Pro honors, and compiling a 76–31 regular-season record as a starter.

It’s no wonder Minter is excited; he’s inheriting a two-time MVP in Jackson, who has a career 76–31 record and has redefined the quarterback position with over 6,500 rushing yards. The quarterback’s career saw him complete 64.8% of his passes for 22,608 yards, 187 touchdowns, and 56 interceptions, posting a 102.2 passer rating and averaging 8.25 air yards per attempt.

Despite some fluctuations amid health issues throughout the season, Jackson maintained his high level of play. The Week 18 game at Pittsburgh saw him return from injury with the AFC North title at stake. Jackson threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns on 11-of-18 passing, including fourth-quarter scoring strikes of 50 and 64 yards.

Despite Jackson’s heroics, the offense is facing a major shakeup. The architect of that high-powered attack, Todd Monken, has departed for Cleveland, creating a crucial vacancy at offensive coordinator and raising the stakes for Minter’s first big hire. With the offense already performing at a high level, Minter sent a clear message to his future offensive coordinator.

Jesse Minter Lays Out Clear Expectations for New Ravens OC

The Ravens are entering a new era under head coach Jesse Minter, with his active involvement across media channels and several television interviews. One of those stops was The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, where Minter explained what he wants from the team’s next offensive coordinator.

He refrained from stating any names so far, but clarified that the offense must be built around quarterback Lamar Jackson. He urged the new OC to strengthen the offense with proven talent already in place, like Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and Ronnie Stanley.

“I think I’m looking for a connector and an innovator, and a scheme builder around the best player in the world,” Minter said. “But ultimately, building an offense around Lamar’s skillset, what he does best, making plays easier for him at times and making plays at times when he has the ability and his instincts to take over. A very well-rounded, well-constructed offense that’s very creative, innovative, always forward thinking, always trying to find ways to improve, and looking forward to Lamar leading that charge.”

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The Ravens’ offense will depend on getting more out of Lamar Jackson as a runner again. The team is known to be most efficient when Jackson stresses defenses in the run game, which also opens lanes for Derrick Henry and improves play-action efficiency. Much of that responsibility falls on new head coach Jesse Minter and his choice of offensive coordinator.

The team is currently viewing Davis Webb, Declan Doyle, Scottie Montgomery, and Kliff Kingsbury, after Joe Brady left the market to take the Bills’ head-coaching job. Roster decisions matter too, especially with center Tyler Linderbaum entering free agency and expected to command $17–18 million per year.

Minter has drawn a clear line in the sand: the next OC must be an innovator who builds the entire scheme around his superstar quarterback. The success of the Ravens’ new era depends entirely on finding the right person for the job.