Who will the starting center be? That's probably the biggest question in Baltimore Ravens land ahead of training camp. As it stands, Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn are the two leading candidates for the gig. However, neither player is proven in any way, and thus Eric DeCosta may opt to make a late move to fortify the position.
Recently, Moe Moton of Bleacher Report pitched the idea of Baltimore trading for Houston Texans interior linemen Jarrett Patterson in his article about a trade each NFL team should consider.
"The Ravens have a major void to fill at center following the departure of three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum. Unproven veterans Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn are battling for the open position. The Ravens can acquire a known commodity in Patterson, who has started in 21 games at center and left guard for the Texans. The versatile interior offensive lineman could be on the trade block with the addition of Keylan Rutledge, Wyatt Teller, Evan Brown and Febechi Nwaiwu this offseason," Moton wrote.
Jarrett Patterson is a logical trade target for the Baltimore Ravens
Listen, Patterson isn't a high-end starting center; there's a reason he could be available. Regardless, he's a heck of a lot more proven than Pinter or Gwyn. Notably, Patterson has started in 21 games in three years, which is more than Pinter's 10 starts in five years and Gwyn's zero starts in three years. Furthermore, trading for him likely wouldn't be costly.
Patterson is also versatile, lining up as both a guard and center throughout his tenure with the Texans.
Amid hopes of a Super Bowl, the Ravens' center position is a glaring red flag. There remains significant risk in starting someone as unproven as Pinter or Gwyn.
If training camp doesn't offer significant hope that one of these players is ready for the challenge, DeCosta should hop on the phone and trade for someone the Ravens can more comfortably start, and Patterson could be that guy.
Patterson might not have a sky-high ceiling, but he's a solid starter with a known floor. Granted, his snaps (334) were fairly limited, but it's worth noting that Patterson allowed zero sacks or QB hits last season per PFF. Patterson has also played plenty of meaningful football with a Texans squad that has been in the playoffs in each of his NFL seasons.
As such, he could prove to be a worthwhile addition.
Interior offensive line play was a massive problem for the Ravens last season. The ill-fated guard duo of Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees constantly put Lamar Jackson at risk and certainly added to his injury problems. Thankfully, the Ravens upgraded their starting guards by signing John Simpson and drafting Vega Ioana.
Still, the drop-off from Tyler Linderbaum to Pinter or Gwyn is sizable, and this could negate the other interior offensive line upgrades. Patterson would still be a clear downgrade from Linderbaum, but he'd be less of a downgrade than Pinter and Gwyn.
Ultimately, if the Ravens opt to make a late-offseason center addition, Patterson seems like an ideal and realistic option.
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