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Baltimore Ravens: How to replace Ryan Jensen at center

By Joe Schiller

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 3: Center Ryan Jensen #66 of the Baltimore Ravens takes the field prior to the game against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 3: Center Ryan Jensen #66 of the Baltimore Ravens takes the field prior to the game against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images) /
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2. Trade/Work the waiver wire

Along with drafting offensive lineman, the Ravens LOVE to the work the waiver wire and trades to find potential starting talent. Before Jensen assumed the position last season, veterans Jeremy Zuttah and Matt Birk anchored the middle. Zuttah was acquired via trade with the Buccaneers and Birk was a free agent signing from the Vikings. Both provided valuable consistency up front in some of the Ravens’ most successful years as a franchise. The formula has worked before, who’s not to say the team won’t try it again?

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To be frank, the current center free agent market is garbage. There’s not one player available I would feel comfortable with starting Week 1 this season. The AFC North pass rushers only continue to get stronger and that’s a nightmare waiting to happen with the wrong player.

I still have this as the second best option because of the Ravens’ patience. We’re still over three months away from the start of training camp. From now until September, teams are forced to trim their rosters down to 53 players. This opens up the opportunity to trade or sign a cap casualty, without losing any compensatory leverage.

Who knows who that player could be but this route would be all too familiar for the Ravens this offseason.

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