The Ravens will formally introduce their new head coach, John Harbaugh, at a noon news conference.

Adam Schefter of NFL Network reports that Harbaugh is expected to hire Eagles quarterbacks coach Pat Shurmur to be the team’s offensive coordinator, and to bring back Rex Ryan as the team’s defensive coordinator. 

Ryan was fired along with all of Brian Billick’s staff on December 31, and Ryan interviewed for each of the four head-coaching vacancies in the current hiring cycle.

If Shurmur is still under contract with the Eagles, the team could choose to block the move.

Though what we think really doesn’t mean anything, we like the hire of Harbaugh — and we think it lays the foundation for a long-term rivalry between Harbaugh and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, both of whom are likely to be with their respective teams well into the future.  The Rooneys hire new coaches once per generation, and we’ve got a feeling that Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti wants to do it the same way.

Meanwhile, we heard on Friay afternoon before Harbaugh was hired that if the team had instead gone with Marty Schottenheimer there would have been an all-out revolt from the team’s veteran players.  Recently, left tackle Jonathan Ogden said he wouldn’t want to play for Schottenheimer, citing the fact that Schottenheimer make aging veteran defensive end Bruce Smith participate in Oklahoma drills during training camp in 2001.

As to Harbaugh, there’s one veteran whose opinion could have a significant influence on the success of the hire.  And that’s linebacker Ray Lewis, who wields much more power and influence than any player ever should have over his team.  Sure, Lewis can still bring it on the field.  But if he’s not willing to defer to Harbaugh, it’s time for Ray to hit the road.

Lewis is entering the final year of his contract, at a salary of $6.5 million.  If the team would decide to cut him or trade him, there would be no salary-cap acceleration.