One day after their playoff defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Baltimore Ravens suffered another loss. The Los Angeles Chargers are hiring Ravens’ front office executive Joe Hortiz as their new general manager, according to multiple reports.
As the above tweet from CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes, Hortiz was one of two finalists to replace Tom Telesco and pair with Jim Harbaugh, who is back in the NFL after a long stint at Michigan. Hortiz has a clear connection, working with Jim Harbaugh in Baltimore since Harbaugh was hired in 2008. Hortiz had been with the Ravens’ organization his entire NFL career, first hired as an assistant in 1998. He climbed the scouting ranks to become the team’s Director Of Player Personnel in 2019, a role he held until today. Now, he’s a general manager.
Hortiz’s departure could be the first of many the organization suffers over the next several days. Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald could soon be a head coach for one of the two remaining openings, Washington and Seattle. The Seahawks seem more likely as the Commanders zero in on Detroit Lions’ OC Ben Johnson, though there’s no guarantee he will get the job.
Macdonald is regarded as one of the league’s top assistants and led the Ravens to the No. 1 scoring defense on the season while also leading the NFL in sacks. While Baltimore has a long tradition of solid defensive coordinators, losing Macdonald would be one heck of a blow.
Elsewhere, Defensive Line and Assistant Head Coach Anthony Weaver is a sleeper name for the Washington job. Weaver and MacDonald are on the Commander’s list of second interviews expected to take place over the next several days. Hired in 2021, he’s led the Ravens’ d-line, highlighted by the development of DT Justin Madubuike, who put in a career year with 13 sacks. Even he is a pending free agent with a good chance to price himself out of Baltimore.
So long as the Ravens have QB Lamar Jackson, they’ll compete in the regular season. But Baltimore’s losses didn’t end against Kansas City on Sunday. It might’ve only been the start.
