The Los Angeles Chargers will need to face a new outlook on defense in 2026.
Former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who led the Chargers defense to top finishes in each of the last two seasons, has departed to become the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens. In his place, Los Angeles has hired Chris O'Leary, who worked under Minter at both the NFL and college level.
O'Leary has a real chance to replicate the dominance that Minter found. Although his scheme will take on a different expression than Minter's, the infrastructure (as far as we can tell) will likely be the same— frequent pre-snap communication and heavy implementation of zone schematic looks. O'Leary also has a replenished trough of talent to pull from on his side of the ball, with Akheem Mesidor, Nick Barrett, and Genesis Smith being added through the 2026 NFL Draft.
Even if there are ultimately some hiccups, it's fair to assume the Chargers will be fine under O'Leary.
But analysts across the NFL world are bullish on the Ravens' chances for a resurgence under Minter. If the Ravens find immediate success in the form of a deep playoff push, Minter's departure could provide a bitter pill for the Chargers to swallow in 2026.
Jesse Minter could quickly make his Chargers departure even more painful in 2026
The Ravens finished 8-9 in 2025 and ultimately missed the playoffs after their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18.
Pre-season rankings can often be unreliable and reactionary, especially when it comes to the betting markets. But it seems as though analysts are almost universally high on Baltimore heading into Minter's first season. As Brad Gagnon mentions in his list of the NFL's most interesting teams heading to 2026, no AFC squad has higher Super Bowl odds currently than the Ravens. ESPN's Football Power Index, which they use to create their in-season power rankings, has Baltimore ranked as the third-best team in the entire league, trailing only the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills.
What's most frightening, though, is that these are not just empty reactions stemming from a strong offseason for Baltimore. When you dig deeper, there's a real path for them to be a formidable squad in 2026.
The defense is, obviously, the biggest factor with Minter in the fold. The Ravens finished in the bottom-10 in total yards allowed in 2025, and they finished with the third-highest total passing yards against, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts.
Needless to say, that's not great company. The Ravens also didn't make many inspiring additions this offseason on that side of the ball. But Minter is known for maximizing the talent available to him in the secondary. With Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, and a number of capable cornerbacks at his disposal, Minter has a real chance to work his magic.
The offensive side of the ball also presents some real questions under new coordinator Declan Doyle. But assuming Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Zay Flowers are at full health, there's certainly room for a resurgence there as well. If they can survive the departure of Tyler Linderbaum and turn things around on the defensive side of the ball, there's no reason that the Ravens can't be one of the league's top contenders in 2026.
Of course, comparison is the enemy of contentment. The Chargers have a real chance to earn their first playoff win of the Harbaugh era with both O'Leary and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel running the show.
But it's difficult to ignore how painful it would be to see Minter find that level of success in his first season in Baltimore.
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