Vega Ioane’s first start at center came with a tough assignment, and he handled it like a player who belonged there.
The Baltimore Ravens turned to Ioane in Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans, sliding him from guard to center, and the rookie responded with a solid showing in Sunday’s win. For a player with barely any experience at the position, it was a steep ask. Instead of looking overwhelmed, he looked prepared.
That fits the picture Baltimore had been building on him all offseason. Ioane drew praise from teammates and coaches during camp, with plenty of people saying he looked like a seasoned vet.
He also saw the warning signs early, working at center back in early September in case the team needed him there. When the moment arrived, he was ready.
And the matchup was no small thing. Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons is one of the toughest interior defenders around, the kind of player who can wreck a game for guards and centers. With Ioane making his first career start at center, there was every reason to expect some rough edges.
Instead, Ioane shut him down.
In nine matchups against Simmons, Ioane allowed zero pressures, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That’s no small feat against a four-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, and the third-highest-paid interior defensive lineman in the league - especially from a rookie in his first start at center.
The pass protection held up, and so did the snapping for the most part. The conditions got ugly late, but Ioane still managed a steady performance. Only two snaps really stood out as low and off target.
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter came away encouraged after the game.
“I thought he probably did some really good things,” Minter said. We’re always chasing improvement, but for [Ioane] to do what he did with a week’s worth of work, a major credit to him. And I bet you the film will probably look pretty good from his regard.”
Minter also made it clear the entire offensive line still needs to be more consistent. Baltimore’s struggles to open lanes for Derrick Henry up the middle and keep Lamar Jackson’s pocket clean were still there.
Even so, the overall direction was better. The line showed signs of progress, and the performance ended up being stronger than many would have expected given the state of the unit. Ioane had a lot to do with that.
After a rough first two weeks, the former Penn State Nittany Lion is starting to look like the player Baltimore was excited about coming into 2026. If this keeps up, the Ravens may have found a real difference-maker in the trenches.
In Other News...
Ravens Made A Desperate Fix That Still Leaves One Big Problem
The Ravens went into the week needing help in the middle, and they found a way to patch the problem by striking a deal with Philadelphia for center Cam Jurgens. Baltimore sent a future fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder to the Eagles, a price that underscores how urgent the need had become as injuries kept chipping away at the center spot.
Jurgens does give the Ravens a possible answer once he is cleared, but his status also keeps the situation from being fully solved. He is in the NFLs concussion protocol after a severe head injury, and he cannot practice or play until independent neurological doctors give him the green light, leaving Baltimore with an immediate fix that still comes with a very real wait attached. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Pass Rusher Ethan Burke Almost Took A Very Different Maryland Path
Ethan Burkes road to the Ravens nearly ran through a very different Maryland program. Before he was chasing quarterbacks, Burke was a highly regarded lacrosse recruit who committed early to the University of Maryland, and even then the path was already being shaped by football. Maryland coach John Tillman saw enough in Burkes athletic upside to advise him to delay signing his lacrosse letter of intent, sensing a football scholarship might be waiting if Burke kept progressing on the gridiron.
Burke ultimately listened to the pull of football, a choice helped along by the reality of limited lacrosse scholarships and his growing prospects on the other side of the ball. It is a reminder of how narrow the margins can be for multi-sport talents, and how a different college decision might have sent Burke somewhere else entirely. Instead, the pass rusher made his way to Baltimore after going undrafted, giving the Ravens a player whose athletic path could easily have unfolded in a completely different Maryland uniform. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens May Have Found A Pass Rush Option They Can't Ignore
Ethan Burke got his first meaningful taste of defensive work in Week 4 against the Titans, and the undrafted rookie made sure it stood out. With Trey Hendrickson sidelined, Burke stepped into the rotation for the first 16 snaps of his career on defense and finished with his first sack, the Ravens only one in the game.
For a Baltimore outside linebacker group that is already battling for snaps, that kind of production is hard to ignore. The Ravens have been searching for more consistent pressure off the edge, and Burkes debut gave them something they have not had enough of lately - a fresh option who turned limited opportunity into a real impact play. [Read more 🡒]