So what’s next for the Baltimore Ravens in 2024?

From a last-place team in 2021 to a division title and the conference’s top seed two years later. John Harbaugh’s Ravens enjoyed a huge season, finishing with a league-best 13-4 mark. A win over the Houston Texans in the divisional playoffs meant the franchise would host the AFC title game for the first time in its brief history.

It wasn’t meant to be as the formidable Baltimore defense held the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to 17 points. However, the Ravens’ offense scored only one touchdown and turned over the ball three times in a frustrating loss. So what can Harbaugh and the Ravens take from this frustrating defeat and what’s ahead for this franchise?

What’s Next for the Baltimore Ravens?

Only the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers scored more points than John Harbaugh’s team in 2023. The Ravens finished with the NFL’s top scoring differential (plus-203), allowed a league-low 280 points, led the NFL in sacks (60) and tied for the league lead with 31 takeaways. So how on Earth did they wind up coming up short in the AFC Championship Game, at home no less.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson had a huge year both as a passer and runner. New offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s balanced attack produced 53 offensive touchdowns, 26 on the ground and 27 through the air. However, mistakes proved to be costly in each of their five total losses. Baltimore committed two-plus turnovers in each of those setbacks. All told, the team gave up the ball 22 times in their 19 overall outings, 12 in their five defeats. Ball security must be re-emphasized.

Biggest Offseason Concern?

Will the team lose highly-regarded defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to an NFL head coaching job. He opened a lot of eyes this season and the Ravens were tough when it came to his side of the ball, and his departure would obviously be a huge blow.

Meanwhile, general manager Eric DeCosta has a number of key defenders who could test the open market in mid-March. Baltimore led the league with 60 sacks, with Justin Madubuike (13.0), Jadeveon Clowney (9.5) and Kyle Van Noy (9.0) combining for more than half (31.5) of that total. All could test free agency, but don’t be shocked if the team locks up Madubuike one way or another.

Other key potential unrestricted free agents include free safety Geno Stone, who finished second in the league with seven interceptions, and linebacker Patrick Queen – second on the team with 133 tackles in 2023.