As the calendar hits July, training camp is closing in. It’ll be a huge time of year for the Baltimore Ravens. They have to get right ahead of what needs to be a bounce-back season, and with some major questions looming over the roster, camp is that first real test.
And who has the most to prove? The two players who are engulfed in the biggest competition of the summer. Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn are duking it out to be the main man snapping the football to Lamar Jackson in 2026; a battle that hasn’t yet seen either one to truly pull away.
However, ESPN’s Mike Clay recently projected every starting lineup ahead of training camp, and his prediction for Baltimore’s starting center this year is Pinter. The 30-year-old has gotten his fair share of praise this offseason, and it’s not really a surprise he’s the favorite.
Danny Pinter predicted to win Baltimore Ravens’ starting center job
Of course, a lot can change between now and the regular season. For offensive linemen, it’s been especially hard to evaluate their play up to this point since the pads haven’t gone on yet. There have been quiet rumblings about the play of Pinter and Gwyn, though, which include the green light from quarterback Lamar Jackson.
By the sounds of it, it’s Pinter’s job to lose. Reports have mentioned that he’s probably the in-house leader. Teammates have praised him, too, and not just Jackson.
John Simpson offered some very encouraging words for Pinter back in OTAs, highlighting his communication as the driving force that caught his attention. That trait is huge for a Baltimore offense that has struggled to line up on time, along with making countless bone-headed pre-snap penalties.
Pinter's leadership and communication could put and keep him at the top of the depth chart, but if that’s not enough, maybe his summer performance will. He’s got the edge over Gwyn in terms of experience—he has 77 games and 10 starts under his belt. If he can use that to hit the ground running in training camp and preseason, the center job should be his.
It’s not going to be easy for Pinter. Gwyn isn’t going to lie down and let Pinter take over and run away with it, and his relationship with offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford might help him sneak past Pinter in the battle. Still, it’s hard to ignore the murmurings about Pinter’s apparent advantage.
We haven’t even cracked the surface of the center competition. Snaps in training camp, and most importantly, the preseason, will matter more than anything we’ve seen up to this point. If Pinter can keep it rolling, though, it might be hard for Gwyn to find a gap and win the spot.
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