The NFL’s coaching carousel officially began this week when the Tennessee Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan. Several more head coaches are on the hot seat entering Week 7, including Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and his staff.
The Ravens are 1-5 at the bye. The poor start to the season hasn’t been helped by Lamar Jackson being sidelined with a hamstring injury he suffered in Baltimore’s 37-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4.
However, the defense has been the major impediment to the Ravens, as the team averages giving up 32.3 points per game, which ranks dead last in the league.
Harbaugh has defended second-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr through the first six weeks. But one NFL executive thinks Baltimore needs to make a coaching change for the defense by bringing back Dean Pees to advise Orr, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
Via The Athletic:
“‘Baltimore needs to bring back Dean Pees.’ The 76-year-old defensive mastermind came out of retirement last season to steady the ship, and even Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin credited Pees for helping turn Baltimore's defense around.”
Pees served as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator when the team last won a Super Bowl in 2012.
Russini agreed that adding Pees back to the staff could help.
“Pees can't fix it all and may still be sharing his opinions and thoughts with team leaders, but getting him back couldn't hurt,” Russini wrote.
Still, the defense has serious issues, and some of them might be personnel-related. Russini quoted another league head coach who thinks the Ravens have lost their identity on defense.
“The Ravens have built their defensive reputation on stopping the run, especially out of their signature split-safety looks,” the coach said. “But this season, that calling card has faded. Baltimore's struggled to consistently control the ground game, forcing them to commit more bodies to the box and lean on run pressures.
“They haven't been able to take anything away, and opposing offenses are staying balanced against them."
It’ll be interesting to see if the defense makes improvements coming out of the bye. Baltimore will next host the Chicago Bears in Week 8.
The Ravens cannot afford to lose the game against the Bears and drop to 1-6, or more questions about the coaching staff might be asked.
For more on the Ravens and the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.