The Ravens' coordinators are now in place with Todd Monken's hiring, but there still are some moving pieces with assistants on offense and defense.
Baltimore has openings at wide receiver coach, safeties coach and now outside linebackers coach, and could find roles for other offensive coaches.
Head Coach John Harbaugh told the media Wednesday that Outside Linebackers Coach Rob Leonard is leaving to become the defensive line coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Safeties coach D'Anton Lynn recently accepted a job to become UCLA's defensive coordinator.
The Ravens promoted Tee Martin to become their quarterbacks coach, which means there's an opening for wide receivers coach. Keith Williams, who has spent the past two years as the team's pass game specialist, will be back in some capacity and is a candidate for the job, but he won't be the only one.
"We're opening it up, taking our time just like we did with the OC position," Harbaugh said.
Willie Taggart has been hired as the new running backs coach, replacing Craig Ver Steeg. Harbaugh said Ver Steeg and James Urban, who has been the team's quarterbacks coach for the past five seasons, could remain on staff in an assistant position.
"It could still be a position or it could still be a senior assistant type game-planning role," Harbaugh said. "I think it's a work in progress with Todd as they get a feel for what direction they want to go. Those guys are a big part of what we've been doing and I love those guys as coaches and people. I'd love to have them back."
Harbaugh raved about Taggart, who has been a college head coach at Western Kentucky, South Florida, Oregon, Florida State, and Florida Atlantic for the past 13 years collectively.
"Willie Taggart is one of the best coaches in football, no doubt," Harbaugh said. "[He's a] groundbreaking person, groundbreaking coach. He's a game-changing type of a person to me. [He's] one of the great offensive minds in the game, for sure. He's going to bring so much to our offense. Our players are going to love him. I know Todd already loves him. He's a difference maker."
Harbaugh said he's also "really excited" about making Martin the team's quarterbacks coach.
"I think Tee has been preparing for this for his whole life," Harbaugh said. "Tee is a quarterback guy. He played the position, studies the position, and I can tell you this: When we interviewed him for it, he blew us out of the water with it."
Harbaugh also made a change in the weight room, as Scott Elliott took over for Steve Saunders as the lead of the team's strength and conditioning program.
"Things move for different kind of reasons. What Steve did for us, what he brought to this thing for the last eight years, was pretty revolutionary in itself. We were one of the strongest teams in football, one of the most physical teams in football. One of the most conditioned teams in football. That's why our record in November, December, and January is pretty remarkable. A lot of it has to do with the way we condition," Harbaugh said.
"I'm excited for Scott Elliott. Scott Elliott and that whole group gets an opportunity now to show what they can do. All the things we did in the injury front we did last year paid off this year. Yes, we had some injuries, but the soft-tissue stuff was vastly improved. So I think we're heading in the right direction."
