Surge recently made an article on his starting QB predictions for every NFL team (link: https://fanspo.com/nfl/s/general/p/rIWBR-DWXD1Aow/predicting-all-32-nfl-teams-starting-quarterback-in-2026 ). I am a casual Ravens fan and I don’t pay much attention to what goes on around the league beyond my Ravens, so my comments on other teams would be unintelligent and not worth making, much less someone else reading. However, I think I know enough about the Ravens to intelligently discuss Surge’s bold but well-informed predictions about my local franchise. He makes three main predictions for the Ravens, and I find it easiest to discuss each prediction individually, so that will be the structure of this response. I will quit rambling, let’s get into my reaction.

Prediction 1: Lamar’s tenure in Baltimore is coming to an end.

My response: There’s a good shot (60ish percent?) that Lamar is a Raven next year based purely on team construction. Derrick Henry isn’t getting any younger and Baltimore probably can’t do any better than Lamar in 2026. But that other 40% is very real and probably hinges on the outcome (and who starts) of the Ravens-Steelers game. Ravens fans wouldn’t be opposed to a Lamar trade (and many want one) but I wouldn’t call it likely this offseason unless the front office believes that it is within the realm of possibility that Jackson will be replaced by a top-half QB next season. However, that 40% chance is a very interesting discussion. Where could Jackson end up? A scenario I find interesting would be the Miami Dolphins. Jackson is from Florida and the Dolphins are a good QB away from a potential wild card bid. A package around a high draft pick or two is not out of the question, and could be mutually beneficial. Another interesting Jackson scenario would be another team with a star running back, and the Giants are interesting here. Their QB isn’t a superstar and a Jackson-led offense could lead New York to a division win alongside Skattebo and friends.

Prediction 2: John Harbaugh fired.

My response: Nope. Not happening. The take is well-informed: Ravens fans want Harbs gone. But, ultimately, it’s just not going to happen. Harbaugh has not committed any real fireable offenses except maybe one (which I will get to in a moment) and the Ravens have played consistently good football in his tenure in a decently small market that is Baltimore. Harbaugh has been the coach in Charm City my entire life and that statement is going to be true for years to come. However, the one possible fireable offense was hiring the Defensive Coordinator Orr. Orr has been a terrible DC this year, and while our defense has improved later in the year, I think that is a reflection of desperation and not of Orr being a good coach. Ravens fans want Orr fired and I think it’s going to happen. I’m not intelligent enough to name his replacement, but I hope there is one out there. I personally know a number of coaches in the Baltimore market that I would rather put at our DC spot instead of leaving Orr. Namely, my high school’s DBs coach, my high school’s DC, my high school’s DL coach, and my old high school’s DC and LBs coaches. Fire Orr. Please, for my sanity.

Prediction 3: Tua Tagovailoa as the Ravens’ 2026 starter.

My response: I don’t hate the idea of moving on from Lamar but Tua will not be his successor. Again, I don’t think Lamar is gone, but if he is, his successor will either be a reliable bridge QB or a top-half QB in the league, with only one exception that I will discuss in a moment. Tagovailoa would serve as an UNreliable bridge QB which is just not helpful for the Ravens. Tua has dealt with his own injury issues which Ravens fans would not want in a QB and I imagine the front office feels the same. The one exception to the “reliable bridge or Top QB” is already on the roster, and is who I would have put at projected starter if I couldn’t say Lamar, and that is Tyler Huntley. A career backup, Huntley has come in for Lamar and put up great efforts and great wins for years. Huntley is a fan favorite and the FO knows he is available cheap, allowing them to use the typical QB cap money elsewhere to bolster a Lamar-less Ravens offense. If not Jackson, I would hope for Huntley as the full time starter and I think we could shoot for a similar season record-wise to this one with a chance to sneak into the playoffs if the AFC North sucks again (which, as Surge outlined, is very possible). A second option would be the bridge QB route (as I believe the top-half QB path to be highly unlikely) would be Joe Flacco. The man is relevant again after being relegated to Lamar’s backup and won a Super Bowl in Baltimore. I would prefer Huntley but Flacco is a fine alternate choice. Other notable Ravens QB candidates would include Jacoby Brissett, Kyler Murray, Geno Smith, a rookie, and (HUGE dark horse) Colin Kapernick (Baltimore is in Maryland, the bluest state with an NFL team and the market that would be least hostile to a Kapernick type of figure sociopolitically). I threw out some crazy names but all of them are more likely than Tua Tagovailoa.

Thanks for the read, this article was originally intended to go into Surge’s comment section but it got too long and well-organized to stay there. Happy New Year and Go Ravens. Despite all of this talk, we are only one win out of the playoffs and a good run would shut all of this down.