A big job in the NFL has opened up. The Baltimore Ravens are looking for a new voice in the locker room after firing their Super Bowl-winning head coach, Jim Harbaugh. With the Ravens being a top-ten job in the league, there should be plenty of suitors for the position. Let’s dive into my top three candidates who should be in the running for B-More’s next head coach.
Mike McCarthy’s Return to Coaching
Why not go from one Super Bowl-winning head coach to another? If Baltimore wants to continue their high expectations and is looking for someone who could take it over the hump, McCarthy could be their guy. The longtime head coach of the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys would be the most seamless hire. You go from someone with 18 years of coaching experience in a cold-weather organization to someone who has 18 years of coaching experience, with 13 being in a cold-weather organization.
McCarthy was fired after Week 13 of the 2018 season after a 4-7-1 start. His time in Green Bay and even with the Cowboys saw high-flying offenses. They ranked in the top 10 in points per game 13 times, including 11 top-five finishes. What has been the issue with the Ravens the past few years? The offense has fizzled out in high-pressure situations.
Ravens Stay Defensive Oriented: Brian Flores
If Baltimore wants to stay true to its historical defense, it will target Brian Flores, the former Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator and Miami Dolphins head coach. Flores’s performance against the injuries Minnesota has suffered over the past two seasons has been dominant. They have ranked 7th and 5th in points allowed. Even drawing back to his days with the Dolphins, in his six years as a HC/DC, his defenses have been in the top 10 in three of those seasons.
The Ravens have been a defense-led team for nearly the entire franchise’s existence. This is a loaded roster, not just on the offensive side of the ball. Can you imagine what a defensive-minded coach like Flores will do with a defense that has Roquan Smith, Nate Wiggins, and Kyle Hamilton? The exotic blitzes and the physicality they would bring resemble the early 2000s team, whose defenses were the bullies of the NFL.
Roll The Dice In “The Horseshoe”: Klink Kubiak
If I were running the franchise, here is who I would hire. I know pairing an MVP with a first-time head coach is a crap shoot, but I think he is a great choice and would bring a modern-day offense to the Ravens. This would turn the organization from a defensive mindset to an offensive team with a plethora of defensive talent. He’s been an offensive coordinator for Minnesota and the Saints and is currently the Seahawks‘ OC.
Despite finishing last season with the 24th-highest scoring team, that NOLA team got off to one of the hottest starts any offense has ever gotten off to. This year in Seattle, they rank 3rd in points, 8th in passing yards per game, 10th in rushing yards per game, 7th in offensive touchdowns, and 5th in yards per play. There have been reports that they have already contacted Kubiak for an interview for the vacant head coaching position.
Final Thoughts
As a Steelers fan, I wanted Kubiak as my OC before he took the Saints’ job two years ago. If the Ravens hire him as their next head coach, I would be nervous about the future. He has the potential to be an elite head coach in the NFL. Who would you want to see the Ravens hire as their next head coach?
As always, thank you so much for checking out my top three candidates for the Baltimore Ravens’ vacant head coaching position! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day and look forward to seeing you again soon.
