Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees has officially retired. RSR staff react to the news here…
Dean Pees: “after 45 years of football, 680 games, I’ve decided to retire from coaching. It’s been a great, great run.”
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) January 1, 2018
Derek Arnold
Too little too late. I’m annoyed that this dude gets to go out on his own terms. He should have been canned three or four years ago. A quick count shows that the Ravens have lost ~18 games since 2012 in which they’ve held the lead at some point in the fourth quarter.
The front office spent the entire offseason building up the defense to avoid a collapse like last Christmas in Pittsburgh, then they did it not once, but TWICE in the season’s final month. Once with the playoffs on the line against a team with nothing to play for but being spoilers.
Yesterday in particular, it seemed that the pressure Pees dialed up in the second half was very, very successful. Yet, with the game in the balance, he reverted to his usual Passive Pees ways. It’s so fitting that the final play call of his NFL career resulted in a long touchdown that lost the game, where a defensive stop on the same play would have put the team in the playoffs and extended his own career.
Good riddance.
As for a replacement…knowing Harbs, he won’t even consider any young up-and-comer. I think a retread is in our future, and as far as those go, Chuck Pagano is probably the best-case scenario. Here’s to him being able to recreate the 2011 success he had here (3rd overall, 4th vs. pass, 2nd vs. run, T-2nd sacks, 3rd PPG).
Todd Karpovich
— The news of Dean Pees’ retirement was not a surprise. The players are going to sorely miss him. The fans have been clamoring for change. His replacement will be one of the biggest decisions for coach John Harbaugh this offseason.
— The Ravens could find Pees’ replacement within the organization. Linebackers coach Don “Wink” Martindale would likely be the top in-house candidate. He already has the familiarity and support of the players. Martindale also has experience and was the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos in 2010.
– The most intriguing candidate outside the organization is Chuck Pagano, who was the Ravens defensive coordinator before taking over as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Pagano was fired on Sunday. Other potential candidates could include Jack Del Rio, Ted Monachino and possibly Vic Fangio.
– The team might need that new voice from outside the organization after the disappointing end to the 2017 season. The Ravens need to stop giving up big plays late in the game. It has cost them a spot in the postseason the past two years.
Carey Stevenson
The Ravens should be careful and diligent with the decision on who replaces Pees. They’ve invested a lot of resources into this defense and the status quo won’t cut it. An aggressive, flexible, modern-thinking coach who can get the most out of the young athletic players the team has added would be ideal. This team has to rush the passer better in 2018 if they want to end the playoff drought and I’ve got a feeling they already have the personnel to do so. They just need to be developed and utilized differently.
Ken McKusick
When the Ravens hired Harbaugh prior to the 2008 season, they did a fine job detailing the process to PSL owners in the offseason. This hiring requires the same treatment. To summarize my feelings:
· The decision is organizational and as such, Harbaugh can’t have the sole vote or even veto power.
· The decision should include at least 1 internal candidate as well as several external candidates.
· The decision should include Bisciotti’s experience with hiring practices.
· The Ravens need to realize this THE marque coordinator position in the NFL and take the opportunity to avail themselves of all candidates including the best young position coaches, any coaches at the college ranks, and coordinators who have succeeded here and elsewhere in the NFL.
· The Ravens should not overvalue (nor put zero value) on the stability that might be provided by an old guard choice dropping from the HC ranks (Ryan, Nolan, Lewis, Pagano, Del Rio) and the hope such a candidate could stay for several years.
· If in doubt, the Ravens should err on the side of a coordinator who has the revolutionary mindset (as opposed to a safe choice) to deploy the assets in the secondary differently and effectively, because that is where the Ravens greatest strengths are.
· The Ravens need to take this opportunity to decide where new position coaches are required.
There is a throng of talented NFL coaches who want this position. The organization supports the defense like almost no other in terms of the draft and acquisition. Much of the talent is in place now and a lot of it is young. The Ravens need to leverage that into the hire that redefines the defense.
Ryan Jones
It’s clear that Ravens players have developed a strong relationship with Dean Pees considering the reactions that rolled in as news spread he was retiring. He’s a well respected coach within the organization and based on what you read from people who spend time in the locker room a really good guy. So I wish him well in retirement and whatever comes next in his life. With that said it’s a good thing for this team that he is moving on to that next chapter because the Ravens need a change there and several other places. Had he not retired there’s probably a really good chance Harbaugh would have brought him back because that’s what this team does now. They preach change, and learning from experiences. They talk about how they’ll come back more motivated and how the adversity will eventually translate into better things. The problem though is that has been all talk for the last few years. Coaches and players taking accountability with phrases like “it starts with me” and “this ones on me,” but things never change.
The best thing they can do is bring in a strong outside candidate. I’ve got nothing against Don Martindale but the Ravens need a fresh new voice to get through to their players and break this trend of breaking down at the worst time in the biggest moments. With that said if they want to bring back an old face like Pagano, Del Rio or Spagnulo that’s great too. But someone who has spent time recently outside the Castle is the smartest thing they could do.
