The Baltimore Ravens are 4-4, a record that might not look disastrous with nine games still to play. But their 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills exposed serious problems across the roster and raised difficult questions about the direction of the franchise.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson is sidelined with a fractured thumb, and backup Tyler Huntley was also injured against Buffalo. That left undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano attempting to run an offense behind a line that has struggled to protect its quarterbacks. The defense has not been strong enough to compensate, and the kicking game has become another concern.
Injuries have contributed to Baltimore’s difficult season, but they do not explain every weakness. The roster was built with Super Bowl expectations, yet the Ravens have struggled to compete with the AFC’s stronger teams. The organization now faces a choice: continue chasing an unlikely playoff berth or begin making decisions aimed at building a stronger team for 2027.
The approaching trade deadline provides an opportunity to start that process. Baltimore should assess its veteran roster, consider whether some players could bring meaningful draft compensation and prioritize future salary-cap flexibility. Every move should be judged by one central question: will it help the Ravens compete next season?
## 1. Consider a Change in the Front Office
General manager Eric DeCosta has led Baltimore’s personnel department since 2019 and has had seven seasons to build a championship roster around Jackson. The Ravens have not reached a Super Bowl during his tenure, and the current roster has significant shortcomings, including an offensive line that has struggled to protect the franchise quarterback and a defense that has not consistently delivered.
DeCosta has made successful moves, but the organization must also evaluate the results of its overall roster construction. If Baltimore decides a new direction is necessary, it should identify who can oversee personnel decisions during the transition.
Ozzie Newsome, the Hall of Fame tight end and former Ravens general manager, remains with the organization as executive vice president. He built two Super Bowl championship teams in Baltimore and knows the franchise and its personnel. The team could consider giving Newsome temporary authority over football operations, including trade-deadline decisions, while beginning a search for a permanent replacement.
Any transition would need clear priorities. The Ravens could explore the market for veterans such as Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey, while listening to offers for other expensive players who may not fit the team’s next competitive window. The goal would not be to give away talent, but to make measured decisions that create useful draft capital and financial flexibility.
## 2. Reassess the Kicking Situation
Tyler Loop’s performance has added to Baltimore’s special-teams concerns. He missed a field goal against Buffalo and kicked a kickoff out of bounds, giving the Bills favorable field position. Keeping kickoffs in bounds had also been an issue the previous season.
Replacing Justin Tucker was always going to be difficult. Tucker had established himself as one of the most reliable kickers in NFL history, and no one should expect a new kicker to duplicate that career. Still, making makeable field goals and delivering kickoffs in bounds are fundamental parts of the job.
Baltimore should assess whether Loop is the right option going forward. He may yet develop into a dependable NFL kicker, but the team cannot ignore recurring problems in an area that can affect field position and scoring.
## 3. Explore a Trade for Roquan Smith
Smith has been an important part of the Ravens’ defense since arriving in 2022. He is experienced, physical and capable of contributing immediately to a contender. Those qualities could make him attractive to a team seeking defensive help.
Smith is also an expensive veteran on a roster that may need to get younger and create greater financial flexibility. Baltimore should consider whether a trade could bring meaningful draft compensation while improving its future salary-cap position.
Smith is not responsible for the team’s struggles, and his production deserves recognition. But the Ravens need to determine which veterans fit their next championship window. If Smith does not align with that timeline, the team should assess whether now is the right time to maximize his value.
## 4. Weigh Marlon Humphrey’s Future
Humphrey has made a significant contribution to Baltimore and has been an important part of its defensive identity. His history with the team, however, should not prevent the organization from evaluating his contract, age and future role.
If a contender offers reasonable draft compensation, Baltimore should consider a trade. If no suitable offer emerges, the Ravens can assess an offseason release and its salary-cap consequences. The team also needs to consider how to develop younger defensive backs who can handle the league’s increasingly explosive passing attacks.
Humphrey’s legacy in Baltimore is secure, but his future roster status should depend on what is best for the team going forward.
## 5. Listen to Offers for Other Veterans
Smith and Humphrey should not be the only veterans under review. Baltimore should contact potential trade partners and find out what other teams might offer for established players, including Derrick Henry and Ronnie Stanley.
That does not mean the Ravens should sell productive players for less than fair value. It means they should stop treating every veteran as essential to a championship run that appears increasingly unlikely this season.
Henry has been one of the greatest running backs of his generation, but Baltimore must decide whether keeping an aging star fits a substantial roster reset. The same evaluation should apply across the roster. If a player may not be part of the team’s plans beyond 2026 and another club is willing to provide valuable draft capital, the Ravens should listen.
A reset should not become a fire sale. Baltimore needs to weigh compensation, contract terms and the impact of each move. But no high-priced veteran should be considered untouchable simply because of his reputation.
## 6. Make the Offensive Line a Priority
Baltimore’s offensive line has become one of the team’s most pressing weaknesses. Jackson has been injured, Huntley was also hurt against Buffalo, and Fagnano was left to operate behind a line that has struggled to protect the quarterbacks.
That does not mean the offensive line caused every injury. It does highlight how vulnerable the team’s quarterback situation can become when its protection and depth are inadequate.
Rebuilding the line should be one of Baltimore’s top offseason priorities. The Ravens need to consider using significant draft resources, pursuing starting-caliber talent and adding depth capable of withstanding injuries.
Jackson’s mobility should be an advantage, not a substitute for reliable protection. If Baltimore wants him to remain its franchise quarterback, it must build an offense that does not depend on him escaping pressure to keep plays alive.
## 7. Decide Whether Lamar Jackson Is Part of the Next Window
Coach Jesse Minter confirmed that Jackson will undergo surgery for a fractured thumb and go on injured reserve. His absence removes any realistic hope that he can rescue the Ravens’ season, and it forces the organization to consider a larger question: should Jackson remain the foundation of the team’s future?
There are strong arguments for keeping him. Jackson is a two-time NFL MVP whose combination of passing ability, speed and improvisation can transform an offense. Finding a comparable franchise quarterback is difficult, and Baltimore would risk giving up a proven difference-maker if it traded him.
The organization should also consider whether it has consistently given Jackson the support he needs. A stronger offensive line, a balanced offense and a defense capable of protecting leads could reduce the burden on him and help the team contend without asking him to compensate for weaknesses across the roster.
There are also risks to a long-term commitment. Jackson is 29, has missed significant time with injuries during his career and plays a style that places considerable physical demands on him. His ability to run is a central part of his game, and a major contract would consume substantial future resources. Those funds could otherwise address several roster needs.
A trade could bring Baltimore valuable draft picks, possibly including multiple premium selections, and give the franchise resources to build a younger team. But those picks would not guarantee a replacement of Jackson’s quality. The Ravens must also consider whether Jackson would want to remain with a team undertaking a major rebuild, and whether the organization could build a contender around him soon enough to justify a historic contract.
The decision should not be driven by sentiment or fear of the unknown. Baltimore’s next general manager should speak with Jackson and his representatives to determine whether their plans align. If Jackson wants to stay and the Ravens believe they can build a legitimate contender around him in 2027, keeping him could be the quickest route back to contention. If the team is preparing for a longer rebuild, or if contract expectations and the team’s plans do not align, exploring a trade may be reasonable.
The worst outcome would be committing enormous money to Jackson without a credible plan to build a winning team around him.
## 8. Give Jesse Minter a Chance to Shape the Team
Minter took over from John Harbaugh with enormous expectations and inherited a roster built by DeCosta. The results after eight games have been disappointing, but changing coaches again after half a season would not necessarily solve the team’s broader problems.
Minter should have an opportunity to help shape the roster and build the kind of team his coaching approach requires. That should include a meaningful voice in selecting a new general manager and deciding how to address the roster’s weaknesses.
Baltimore should evaluate Minter based on what he can do with a team designed to fit his vision, not only on his ability to repair inherited problems. Moving on from Harbaugh was a major organizational change; the Ravens now need to consider whether other parts of the decision-making structure also require adjustment.
## Begin Building the 2027 Ravens Now
Recognizing the need to change direction is not the same as giving up. Baltimore’s coaches and players should continue preparing to win each week, and younger players can use the remaining games to show they belong in the league. But the organization’s leaders need to think beyond the immediate standings.
That means evaluating the front office, listening to reasonable offers for veterans, accumulating draft resources and addressing the offensive line. It also means giving Minter a chance to build a roster suited to his approach and making a careful decision about Jackson’s future.
The Ravens may be able to return to contention quickly if they make the right choices. But delaying difficult decisions could leave the team less prepared for 2027. Baltimore’s next steps should be guided by a clear plan: protect its quarterback, strengthen the roster and make every personnel decision with the next championship window in mind.
