After the Baltimore Ravens suffered a gut-wrenching loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18, they were officially eliminated from the playoffs. It is the first time Baltimore will not appear in the postseason since 2021.
It was simply a disastrous year capped off in the most painful way possible: a missed game-winning field goal by rookie kicker Tyler Loop as time expired. Despite the fight to stay in contention until the very last day, it is clear that the Ravens need to make several changes to be a legitimate threat to make a Super Bowl run in 2026. That goes for both the roster and coaching staff.
For the most part, the call for change from the fanbase has been targeted at the coaches. While it has mostly been surrounding Head Coach John Harbaugh, signs are actually pointing towards him sticking around for now. Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr, on the other hand, could (and should) be done as the team’s defensive playcaller.
On Monday, Josina Anderson reported that league sources anticipate a coordinator change in Baltimore. Given the team’s performance, that most likely means Orr is on the hot seat.
If he is done, recent coach firings have revealed a prime candidate for a potential vacant Ravens defensive coordinator job.
Ravens have proven replacement for Zach Orr if needed
Following their Week 18 win over the New Orleans Saints, the Atlanta Falcons cleaned house. Among those fired was Head Coach Raheem Morris, who led Atlanta to back-to-back 8-9 seasons during his two-year tenure. He also disappointed in three years as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach from 2009 to 2011.
While Morris has been a bust as a head coach, he remains a bright defensive mind. He played a huge role in the Falcons’ success on defense this year. While they were middle of the pack (15th) in yards allowed per game this year, with 326.6, their pass rush and turnover rate took significant strides.
There isn’t a spot on the team where Baltimore needs more help than the pass rush. They finished with just 30 sacks in 2025, which was good for third-worst in the NFL. In Atlanta, they finished second in the league with 57 sacks. As for the takeaway department, the Falcons had the seventh-most takeaways (23) to the Ravens’ 20.
Most notably, Morris did an great job developing the Falcons’ young defensive linemen. Second-year defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus had a career-best year with 8.5 sacks, and rookie outside linebackers James Pearce and Jalon Walker had excellent years with 10.5 and 5.5 sacks, respectively. He also had his fingerprints all over a standout rookie campaign from safety Xavier Watts, who tallied five interceptions.
What makes this pairing even more tempting is the fact that the Ravens have two of their own rookie playmakers ready to emerge. On the defensive line, outside linebacker Mike Green is an explosive edge rusher. In the secondary, rookie safety Malaki Starks showcased outstanding intelligence and ball hawking ability in year-one. With that type of young talent, the Ravens could be an attractive destination for Morris.
Morris’s head coaching experience, which includes six seasons, should make him a hot commodity, as well. Regardless of where he took his team in those years, it speaks volumes about his coaching and leadership. Cleveland Browns’ defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, another failed head coach, is one of the NFL’s best coordinators. Maybe Morris can follow a similar route in his coaching career.
