Jesse Minter is one of the hottest names in the head coach market for what he has done to the LA Chargers' defense in two short years. And while there were teams already interested, Minter's next job may have just smacked him right in the face.
After missing the playoffs thanks to a missed game-winning field goal, the Baltimore Ravens and John Harbaugh have agreed to part ways. Baltimore enters its first head-coach search since 2008, while Harbaugh will almost certainly land a head coaching job elsewhere.
The Baltimore job just became the definitive best job available for prospective head coaches, and Minter might just have the inside track to land the most lucrative job of this cycle.
Jesse Minter is an obvious favorite to replace John Harbaugh as Ravens head coach
The Chargers and Ravens have been interconnected the last two years. Los Angeles hired former Ravens exec Joe Hortiz as general manager, prompting a flood of former Ravens in Los Angeles.
The pipeline may now go the other way. Minter's first job in the NFL was on Harbaugh's staff before he joined Jim Harbaugh's Michigan staff as the defensive coordinator. Now, Minter has an opportunity for a full-circle moment with a franchise he's more than familiar with.
Minter would bring a defensive identity back to the Ravens that has been missing for quite some time. And with a defensive-minded head coach, this would open the door for Baltimore to hire an innovative mind as the offensive coordinator to get the most of Lamar Jackson.
With no home-run offensive head coach candidates this cycle, going the defensive-minded route may be the best path for Baltimore, especially if they could hire someone established like Kevin Stefanski to run the offense.
The elephant in the room is Minter's loyalty. Minter first got a chance because of John Harbaugh, and returned to the NFL with a bigger role because of his brother. He may have connections to the Ravens' front office, but will he openly take the job of one of his mentors? Will he leave Jim to go take his fired brother's job? That's a heavy decision to make, even if it's the best job available.
At the very least, Minter will get an interview with the Ravens and will firmly be in the mix for the job. Chargers fans hoping for Minter to take the Ben Johnson path of staying one more year in Los Angeles have to hope that Minter's loyalty trumps all else.