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Two years after former Ravens coach John Harbaugh passed over Anthony Weaver as defensive coordinator, Weaver will reportedly return to Baltimore to take that job under new head coach Jesse Minter.

Weaver, who was the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator from 2024 to 2025, will not call plays, since Minter made it clear in his opening press conference he will maintain control of the defense.

Weaver was in contention for the head coaching openings in Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Buffalo.

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti mentioned Weaver by name during his press conference discussing Harbaugh’s yet-unhired successor, saying he hoped general manager Eric DeCosta would handicap candidates familiar with the team and not be swayed by their inside knowledge. Weaver’s knowledge comes from two stints with the Ravens: one as a player and another as a coach.

The Ravens drafted Weaver in the second round of the 2002 draft, and he quickly became a starter along the defensive line. Weaver played four of his seven years in Baltimore, totaling 144 tackles and 14.5 sacks in 57 games.

After two years as a college coach, eight years as an NFL coach and one year as a coordinator, Weaver returned to Baltimore in 2021 as the defensive line coach and run game coordinator.

Weaver was quickly promoted. Harbaugh added “assistant head coach” to his title for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Weaver oversaw the development of young players such as Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones and Broderick Washington while also getting the most out of veterans Michael Pierce and Brent Urban toward the ends of their careers.

In 2023, the Ravens made history with a defensive triple crown — finishing first in sacks (60), takeaways (31) and points allowed per game (16.5). Madubuike’s 13 sacks played a huge role in the pass rush’s success.

However, after then-defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald left to become head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, Harbaugh promoted linebackers coach Zach Orr to defensive coordinator on Feb. 1. Two days later, Weaver left to become the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins. Weaver also interviewed for head coaching positions that offseason.

Weaver had previous coordinator experience, with the Houston Texans in 2020. Neither that stint nor the one in Miami produced impressive results. His Texans defense ranked second to last in efficiency, and both Dolphins defenses were below average. However, he was not set up for success in either job.

Weaver will return to a Ravens roster that had high expectations but finished far below them in 2025. The secondary was full of first-round talent, but only Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton consistently stood out. Pro Bowl linebacker Roquan Smith dealt with injury and at times struggled with speed and tackling as he played next to rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan. The pass rush lost Madubuike and struggled to generate pressure.

The 2026 roster is far from set. Veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy is a free agent, but his production dropped steeply from 2024 to 2025. Former Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey lost a step and could be an option for release. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie was a consistent veteran on a one-year deal.

Most importantly, Madubuike’s future is unknown after he suffered a season-ending neck injury early this season. His status will affect the way the front office approaches the roster and the salary cap.

Weaver will have to try to get the most out of returning players. He’ll have a large group of second-year players who gained significant experience as rookies and need to make a jump (though Buchanan’s promising year was cut short by an ACL injury).

Weaver will reunite with Jones, who signed a contract extension at the end of the season and has taken huge strides.

While Weaver won’t call plays, he has strong relationships with players and throughout the organization to draw on as he helps Minter build a new era in Baltimore.