Inside the building, the Dallas Cowboys are surely taking things one step at a time. The coaches and players are recharging from OTAs and mandatory minicamp and using the lessons from that time together to prepare for training camp. The regular season, and even the preseason, are still a bit away.
But in their undying support of America's Team, it doesn't hurt for this fanbase to look ahead to the 2026 NFL season and mentally prepare for who the Cowboys will be facing. It is a daunting schedule for Brian Schottenheimer's squad, but an influx of information ahead of time can calm the nerves.
That is why The Landry Hat spoke with expert Connor Burke of Ebony Bird, FanSided's dedicated Baltimore Ravens site. Through this conversation, we gained some key intel about Dallas' Week 3 foe, from the new era under Jesse Minter to Lamar Jackson's health to their biggest weakness.
Dallas Cowboys' matchup with Baltimore Ravens truly could go either way
Q: After such a long time with John Harbaugh at the helm, the Ravens have embarked on a new era under Jesse Minter. Is this what fans wanted, and how are the vibes in Baltimore right now with this big change? Is confidence still high?
A: Ravens fans were absolutely ecstatic about the decision to fire John Harbaugh, and they were just as excited by the hiring of Jesse Minter. The overwhelming consensus from the fanbase is that the organization hit an absolute home run. Even though there’s a bit of uncertainty with a first-year head coach, it seems like the confidence is still very high, if not higher. The players’ praise for the new era led by Minter has been nonstop, and it’s hard not to get excited for what’s to come.
Q: The whole Maxx Crosby/Trey Hendrickson debacle was the story of the offseason for the Ravens. Does this team feel like they have a target on their backs as a result?
A: The team has pretty much put that entire Maxx Crosby situation in the rearview mirror. There might be an added incentive with how Trey Hendrickson performs this year, but in reality, Baltimore isn’t really thinking about that at all. They got themselves a dominant pass rusher in Hendrickson and used the 2025 first-round pick on Vega Ioane, who could be a game-changing blocker up front. It may have been one of the craziest moves ever, but the Ravens are more than fine with how it played out.
Q: What kind of impact do Hendrickson and a player like Kyle Hamilton mean for a first-time head coach in Minter?
A: Having Jesse Minter, Trey Hendrickson, and Kyle Hamilton all in the same room is a terrifying thought for opposing offenses. For Minter, Hamilton is going to be his unit’s superpower. He had a similar player in Derwin James with the Los Angeles Chargers, and that experience should help the new duo hit the ground running. As for Hendrickson, Minter knows how to get the most out of his pass rushers. That should help Hendrickson get back to business after an injury-riddled 2025, and for the Ravens, they could have their first 15-sack pass rusher since 2014.
Q: How significant is the loss of C Tyler Linderbaum to the offensive trenches in Baltimore?
A: It seems like the Ravens just can’t figure out the interior offensive line. They made significant upgrades at offensive guard, but I guess you could say it came at the cost of not having a surefire center in 2026. At the moment, it’s a competition between Jovaughn Gwyn and Danny Pinter, which is…pretty bad. The uncertainty at that spot could be the team’s downfall. The whole offense will have to get used to life without Tyler Linderbaum, so we could see it sputter early on.
Q: Is Lamar Jackson fully healthy and ready to go this season?
A: Lamar Jackson is back. Recently, he revealed that hamstring issues actually began in Week 3, not Week 4, and a slew of other injuries also damaged his 2025 campaign. He was balling out throughout the offseason program, though. It looks like he is completely healthy and ready to do damage.
Q: What was the biggest or most impactful move that the Ravens made this offseason?
A: It sucks that I’m stating the obvious one here, but the Jesse Minter hiring was far and away the most impactful move of the offseason. The Ravens flat-out sucked on defense last year, and they desperately needed to get back to the defenses of old. Minter is set to do that and so much more. It took him no time at all to establish himself as one of the best defensive minds in the game, and with so much talent on Baltimore's defense, the group could look more like what fans saw in the early 2000s. The potential is that high.
Q: Do the Ravens have a glaring weakness that the Cowboys can take advantage of for an early-season win?
A: I have a fear that the Cowboys are just going to absolutely wreck the Ravens’ offensive line. It’s not just because of the center problem, either. Dallas catches Baltimore in Week 3, so along with the adjustments at center, Vega Ioane will be adjusting to the NFL learning curve. Then, there’s John Simpson, who can be a decent guard, but he’s not going to scare the opposition. Simply put, the interior offensive line is very beatable early in the season. And when the Cowboys employ Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark on the opposite side, they could be an incredibly dangerous threat.
The Dallas Cowboys will host the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:25 p.m. CT.
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