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Ravens Center Position Undecided With One Week Left
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- Ravens Center Position Undecided With One Week Left
(Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images)
One of the glaring issues the Baltimore Ravens still have is the decision on who the starting center for the team will be.
Through OTAs and training camp, guard Jovaughn Gwyn had battled it out with center Danny Pinter, but Pinter suffered a season-ending tendon injury during joint practice. Now, it appears the battle has shifted to Gwyn and recent acquisition Ethan Pocic, but a decision has still not been made.
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Pocic has also been working his way back from a season-ending injury, as he tore his Achilles near the end of the 2025 season. With his ramp-up possibly taking longer than expected, it may be that head coach Jesse Minter does not have enough data to truly pick between the pair.
Additionally, rookie guard Vega Ioane was also tried out at center with the third team, which may give the Baltimore offense a true emergency option.
That said, Minter spoke to the media and stated that the decision has not yet been made.
"I think when we come back after this break, we'll probably be pretty close to that. So, uh, we'll look at things again over this break and talk it through with Led and Dec and the offensive guys, but I feel confident that we'll go into game week with that pecking order for Week 1," Minter said.
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The good news is that Minter did say that once the break is over, the team should have a clear answer on who will start at center. Whether that is Gwyn, Pocic, or another candidate like Ioane.
Having a strong center is integral to every team, but especially for the Ravens.
Losing Tyler Linderbaum may not have been at all what the team expected, so they began scrambling to find a replacement. The injury to Pinter also complicated things much more.
Linderbaum, like every center, is the first contact on the offensive line. The player also acts as the de facto leader, calling out schemes and getting everyone set.
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For Baltimore, the center must help move the pile in a way that can open running lanes for Derrick Henry and the rushing attack, while also protecting quarterback Lamar Jackson, which is paramount to the offense's success.
Gwyn has been an intriguing option, as he is a guard-turned-center and has no starts in the NFL at the position. Still, he has showcased some good skills through training camp and preseason, drawing praise from Minter and more.
Additionally, Pocic has 97 starts at center was presumed to be the player who would run away with the starting job. That may not be the case due to his injury.
Either way, the Ravens need to determine who will be the starter sooner rather than later so the offense can get set to take on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1. The silver lining is that whether Gwyn or Pocic gets the job, there will also be a solid backup right behind the starter.
