The Ravens did what their fans had been begging for this offseason: they attacked the offensive line. The interior got the biggest overhaul, and on paper it now looks like a much sturdier group. But there’s still a real chance this thing needs time before it feels settled.
The tackles should be fine, or at least that’s the expectation. The bigger uncertainty sits inside, where Baltimore still has to figure out what kind of answers it really has at guard and center.
John Simpson is part of that picture, and the question with him is pretty straightforward: can he be steady? Vega Ioane is another key piece, and the rookie has to show that his preseason promise can carry into the regular season. Then there’s the biggest issue of all - who lines up at center, and what that spot looks like once the games start counting.
General manager Eric DeCosta isn’t pretending the Ravens have every answer right now. He made that clear in a recent press conference, while also signaling confidence that the group is moving in the right direction and could keep getting better as the year goes on.
“I don’t know what it’s gonna look like Week 1 because I haven’t seen what it’s gonna look like yet,” DeCosta said. “But I’m excited about it. And I think that we’ll probably build and build and build, and hopefully, in January and February we’re playing our best football.”
That’s the hope. The reality is that Baltimore may need some patience before the line becomes what it wants it to be.
The good news is simple: this should be a big upgrade. Ravens fans no longer have to brace for Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele starting again, and that alone changes the conversation. But clearing that bar doesn’t automatically mean the unit is ready to dominate.
Ioane may be the most dependable option in the middle right now, which says plenty about where things stand for a rookie. Coming out of the 2026 NFL Draft, he was described as a prospect with a high floor and an All-Pro level ceiling, and he backed that up in preseason action.
Still, the regular season is a different test. The learning curve can hit hard early, and there’s also the question of whether he can handle the grind once the season wears on.
Simpson brings experience, with 72 career starts, but the source of concern is obvious. He’s generally been an average player, and at times he’s been more of a problem than a solution.
Center is the spot everyone will be watching. Baltimore is set to replace Tyler Linderbaum with either Ethan Pocic or Jovaughn Gwyn, and that competition is still alive a week before the opener.
Pocic has the résumé, but he’s also coming off an Achilles tear from December. Gwyn, meanwhile, has been impressive through camp and preseason, but his NFL experience is tiny - just 11 offensive snaps in three seasons.
That’s not exactly a comforting setup.
So yes, the Ravens’ offensive line looks better. It probably looks a lot better.
But the middle of the unit is brand new, and brand-new lines rarely arrive fully polished. There’s room for early-season growing pains before this group finds its rhythm.
If Baltimore wants the line to become a real strength, it has to be above-average. That’s where everything begins. Those five players up front have to make life easier for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, especially when the season gets late and the Ravens are chasing a Lombardi Trophy.
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