The Baltimore Ravens spent the offseason building around a roster that already looked dangerous. They added Trey Hendrickson, drafted Zion Young, and brought in Jaylinn Hawkins, while the new coaching staff led by Jesse Minter is being viewed as a meaningful upgrade. With Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in place, the offense still projects as a strength even without a major splash at wide receiver, and Elijah Sarratt, Ja'Kobi Lane, and Devontez Walker all sit in the mix with some upside.
But one issue keeps hanging over everything: center.
That concern sharpened after Tyler Linderbaum left in free agency for the Las Vegas Raiders, creating a hole Baltimore never really filled with a proven answer. Instead, the Ravens signed Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn, two unproven options who leave the team leaning on uncertainty at a position that matters plenty when the quarterback is Lamar Jackson.
ESPN’s Mike Clay pointed to interior offensive line as Baltimore’s biggest weakness, writing, "Interior offensive line. The coaching staff is new, but this is the same weakness the Ravens had in the previous two seasons.
Baltimore could have three new starters on the interior. Standout center Tyler Linderbaum signed with the Raiders, leaving journeyman Danny Pinter (264 snaps played over the past three seasons) as the projected replacement.
John Simpson was brought in as a slight upgrade over Andrew Vorhees at guard. There's some upside at the other guard spot after the team spent its first-round pick on Olaivavega Ioane," Clay wrote.
That last part matters. Ioane is expected to give the guard group a real boost, even if Simpson is only a modest upgrade over Vorhees.
The bigger worry is the middle, where Pinter looks like the favorite to start and Gwyn can’t be dismissed entirely. Still, banking on a player with 10 starts over five seasons is a dangerous bet for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Baltimore already lived through enough shaky protection last season, when Lamar Jackson was too often exposed behind the Vorhees-Daniel Faalele guard pairing. If Pinter or Gwyn struggles, the problem may simply shift spots rather than disappear. And offensive line inconsistency has been a familiar issue throughout the Lamar era.
That’s what makes the Ravens such a fascinating team. They look loaded almost everywhere else, but one weak link can change the whole picture.
If the player snapping the ball is not starting-caliber, the ceiling drops fast. For now, center remains the glaring flaw - and the question that could decide whether Baltimore’s promising season stays on track or gets knocked off course.
In Other News...
Jesse Minter Could Be Hiding The Ravens Next Secondary Surprise
Jesse Minters arrival in Baltimore has already shifted the conversation around the secondary, because his defensive background tends to put a premium on corners who can handle multiple jobs. One name drawing attention is Keyon Martin, whose fit in Minters system has made him a legitimate breakout candidate for 2026, according to ESPN analyst Ben Solak.
Martins path is especially interesting because the Ravens have veteran options in the mix, including Chidobe Awuzie, who logged a steady role in his first season with the team. If Martin keeps building on the promise he showed in limited work last year, Baltimore could soon have a tougher decision on its hands about how the cornerback rotation should be ordered. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Sees One Reason Ravens Gamble Could Actually Work
Declan Doyle arrives in Baltimore with the kind of background that naturally invites comparison, even if the Ravens are trying to avoid turning him into a carbon copy of Sean Payton. The 29-year-old rookie offensive coordinator comes from Paytons coaching tree, and that lineage has not exactly been a factory for polished play callers, but Payton pointed to one thing young assistants often get wrong: they chase the mentors personality instead of carrying over the habits that matter.
For the Ravens, the more relevant test is how Doyle fits in with a locker room that has already shown a willingness to respond to him. After working through Greg Roman and Todd Monken in recent years, Baltimore players have reportedly taken to Doyles leadership, and Lamar Jackson has already embraced him even after being pushed on the practice field. The bigger question now is whether Doyle can keep that early trust while making the offense his own. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Still Face One Big Lamar Jackson Question This Offseason
A new coaching staff usually brings a fresh offensive identity, and Baltimores version appears headed toward a more aggressive passing approach under coordinator Declan Doyle. That matters for Lamar Jackson, because the Ravens have long been at their best when the offense can create pressure in the air as well as on the ground, and the hope is that a more explosive passing game can help unlock another level for the quarterback and the unit around him.
The catch is that the supporting cast still looks unfinished in a few important spots, especially up front and at receiver, where the depth chart beyond Zay Flowers remains a real question. Baltimore can still do enough in the regular season to keep stacking wins, but the bigger issue is whether these unresolved offensive concerns will hold up when the games tighten and the stakes rise in January. [Read more 🡒]