Even deep into the NFL offseason, teams are finding key contributors for 2026. The Baltimore Ravens found one on Friday, signing Ethan Pocic, who will likely become their starting center. It’s a low-risk deal over one year with a maximum of $4.5 million.
The Pocic move was months in the making, too. After free agency threw a brutal twist their way with Tyler Linderbaum departing, and then striking out on center prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Ravens found themselves in dire need of a center. According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, though, Pocic has long been the apple of their eye.
Ravens have been on Pocic for a while. They brought him to Baltimore for a FA visit on May 5, the week after the draft. Recent positive health check on Pocic’s Achilles recovery was the final necessary step.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) July 17, 2026
After Pocic’s positive injury update, the organization had to zero in on the experienced starter. He may not have been Plan A (that would’ve been Linderbaum), but he’s a player that Baltimore has been monitoring for a while to complete their offensive line.
Baltimore Ravens ease fans’ worries by finalizing move they’ve had up their sleeve all along
Through the offseason program, it’s fair to say that Ravens fans were worried. Sure, the offensive guard duo improved significantly, but the hole at center was glaring. Danny Pinter posed an unproven option that wouldn’t exactly instill a ton of confidence in Charm City. Thankfully, it looks like it’ll be Pocic starting in front of Jackson.
Although Pocic isn’t a huge move, and it’s certainly a big step down from what the team had in Linderbaum, he’ll be a trustworthy guy to have calling the shots in the middle of the offensive line. Communication is key, especially at center, and when you have a guy with 97 career starts taking on that critical role, your offense should be in pretty decent hands.
And when you have Lamar Jackson playing quarterback and Derrick Henry running the football, you don’t really need a whole lot of star power at center. It’s usually one of the undervalued positions in football, and it makes sense that the Ravens didn’t want to reach the three-year, $81 million price point that the Las Vegas Raiders gave Linderbaum. In his place, Baltimore gets Pocic, who should be more than enough for Jackson and Henry to produce at a high level.
With the addition of Pocic, the Ravens have completed their offensive line reconstruction plan. He was the final piece. Sure, the 30-year-old returning from an Achilles tear will have to prove he remains the same guy who’s played nine seasons in the NFL, but in all likelihood, he’ll be a part of the five-man starting group that’ll be blocking for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry this upcoming season.
It took a while, but the Ravens finally have their guys.
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