Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Ravens fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Baltimore Ravens are embracing the new in 2026. Save for a few assistants, they have an entirely new coaching staff, led by new playcallers on both sides of the ball in head coach Jesse Minter and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Minter’s scheme is a variation of the one the Ravens have used
for years, but Doyle’s offense will look vastly different from Todd Monken’s.
Another offseason change was the signing of All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson to a four-year, $112 million contract, the biggest free agent spend in team history. Not only has Eric DeCosta shied away from such big-money signings in the past, he has especially avoided aggressive pursuits of edge rushers in general. But the aborted Maxx Crosby trade and subsequent Hendrickson addition could be indicative of a new approach from the front office.
There are, of course, several other new players, including early draft picks Vega Ioane and Zion Young, who are expected to add some much-needed physicality in the trenches. But if Baltimore is truly going to make a Super Bowl run in 2026, a few longtime Ravens will need to bounce back from down years in 2025 and re-establish themselves as some of the league’s top players at their respective positions.
That brings us to this week’s Ravens Reacts survey. Which of the players listed below will make the biggest improvements from their relatively disappointing performance last year? Here’s the case for each one:
After a strong 2024 campaign, Mark Andrews posted career-lows of 422 yards, 8.8 yards per reception, and 6.0 yards per target last year. Target competition was hard to blame last year, as Rashod Bateman (next on this list) and Isaiah Likely did not produce much, either. But a weak offensive line affects the entire offense. Lamar Jackson’s injuries and inability to get comfortable behind the line of scrimmage no doubt affected his ability to find his favorite target downfield. But Bears tight end Colston Loveland led the team in receiving last season, so Doyle’s offense could not only bring Andrews back to more efficient play, but elevate him back to his Pro Bowl peak.
Bateman stands to benefit even more from improved offensive line play. During his breakout in 2024, he did most of his damage on deep balls. But Jackson hardly had the time to find his veteran wideout downfield last year, resulting in the lowest output of Bateman’s (just 19 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns). It seems impossible that he could do any worse this year.
Roquan Smith earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl recognition in 2024 and another Pro Bowl last year, but he has still not been the same force multiplier as he was in 2022 and 2023 under Mike Macdonald. One theory is that Zach Orr, a former linebacker himself, simply put too much on Smith’s plate, and an injured defensive line in front of him didn’t help, either. Jesse Minter got solid linebacker play out of relatively unheralded players in Los Angeles, so incorporating a star like Smith into his scheme could get the 29-year-old linebacker back to his previous level of impact.
And then there’s Marlon Humphrey. For all the Ravens’ defensive struggles in 2024, he was a consistent bright spot and earned his first All-Pro nod since 2019. He allowed just 9.6 yards per completion and 5.8 yards per target, numbers that jumped to 14.4 and 9.3, respectively, in 2025. He was often caught out of position in coverage and did not make his usual impact along the line of scrimmage. But the arrival of Minter, a former secondary coach, and ex-Notre Dame passing game coordinator Mike Mickens could be just what Humphrey needs. Also, more than any other player on this list, he has the biggest financial opportunity this year. He is in the final year of his contract with a vastly bigger cornerback market awaiting him next year. He will not get to the top of the market, but he still stands to make a lot of money with a strong 2026.
All of these players have admitted, in one way or another, that their 2025 performance was not up to their standards. Who will hit the mark this year?
