The Ravens have added veteran center Ethan Pocic, and the move immediately changes the shape of Baltimore’s training camp battle in the middle of the offensive line. Pocic arrives with a long track record as a starter, and he could quickly become the leading candidate to replace Tyler Linderbaum.
For Baltimore, the appeal is obvious: Pocic brings 97 starts over nine NFL seasons, a number that towers over the rest of the competition. Ben Pinter has 10 starts in five seasons, while Jovaughn Gwyn and Corey Bullock have yet to start an NFL game. If Pocic is medically cleared and looks like himself, there’s a real path for him to open the season as the Week 1 center.
That’s the view from Nikhil Mehta, who said, “Once Pocic was medically cleared for training camp, I knew he would be a Raven. And considering his experience and his competition in Baltimore, he may very well be the team’s Week 1 starting center.”
Mehta also pointed to Pocic’s time in Cleveland, where the Browns’ offensive line was “consistently a solid unit…when healthy,” even if the team around it struggled. The concern, though, is durability.
Pocic is working back from last year’s torn Achilles, and Mehta noted the bigger question is whether he can avoid the injuries that have limited him throughout his career. Still, he called it “a smart move from Eric DeCosta that could pay dividends down the line.”
Kevin McNelis sees the signing as a reflection of how Baltimore approached the position from the start. “They weren’t dissatisfied with what they had, but it sounded like it would be an open competition that would go to the guy who performed the best,” he said.
McNelis added that none of the current options had shown enough to feel like a lock in front of Lamar. In his view, the healthiest version of Pocic would be the best center in the group, and even if he doesn’t win the job, the Ravens still get what they wanted: a real competition.
Not everyone is ready to breathe easier just yet. Dustin Cox said the move doesn’t do much to change his confidence in the position because Pocic “will soon be 31 and is coming off an Achilles injury.”
If Pocic gets back to his pre-injury form, Cox believes he’d be an upgrade over the other options on the roster. But he still sees this as a shaky area, especially with interior pressure lingering as a concern for the offense.
Zach Canter is a bit more relaxed about the situation, largely because the Ravens have more help around the center spot than they did before. He said the upgraded guard play should help whoever wins the job, and he also emphasized the amount of competition in the room.
Pocic’s injury history matters - he tore his Achilles in December - but Canter isn’t assuming anything. “I’m not penciling him in,” he said, adding that Pinter and Gwynne still have “a very real chance” to win the job, with Bullock also in the mix.
The one thing Pocic clearly brings, though, is veteran starting experience the Ravens didn’t already have.
If Pocic ends up starting in Week 1, the consensus from the roundtable is that he’ll have earned it.
In Other News...
Ryan Clark Just Said What Ravens Fans Feel About Lamar Disrespect
Lamar Jacksons place at No. 69 on the NFL Top 100 list has only added to the irritation around Baltimore, where fans have been quick to point out how little that number seems to match the way Jackson is viewed when hes healthy and driving the Ravens offense. The ranking has also reopened the familiar debate about how much weight voters put on availability versus the kind of impact Jackson brings when he is on the field.
Ryan Clark stepped into that conversation on First Take and said out loud what plenty of Ravens fans have been thinking, pushing back on the idea that Jackson should be slotted that low while quarterbacks like Joe Burrow are treated more generously. Clarks point leaned on the fact that Jackson played more games last season, even as the hamstring injury that cost him four games and some uneven play after his return clearly shaped how some around the league are judging him now. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Still Have One Roster Worry Recent Veteran Moves Didn't Solve
The Ravens have already dipped into the veteran market with Calais Campbell and Ethan Pocic, two additions that help steady a roster that still leans heavily on draft development. Even so, the front office does not appear finished looking for low-cost ways to patch over lingering holes, especially with the offense trying to find its footing under a first-time play caller after a busy offseason of turnover.
One spot still stands out as the kind of problem that can linger into the season if it is not addressed. Tight end remains a concern because Baltimore has long depended on Mark Andrews, and the team does not have much proven insurance behind him if durability or production becomes an issue. For a contender built to win now, that kind of uncertainty is the sort of thing that can keep veteran shopping lists open a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Urged To Make The Proven Lamar Move Fans Have Wanted
With a coaching change already reshaping the conversation in Baltimore, the focus has quickly turned to how the Ravens can better support Lamar Jackson and keep the offense from leaning too heavily on him. One obvious place to look is at receiver, where adding another proven target would help balance out the passing game and give the quarterback more room to work.
That is why one recent suggestion has drawn attention around the league, with Baltimore urged to chase a veteran wideout who just finished a productive run in New England. The fit makes sense on paper, especially with the Ravens having enough financial flexibility to at least stay in the conversation, but for now it remains one of those roster ideas that feels logical without being locked in. [Read more 🡒]