Somehow, someway, the Baltimore Ravens still haven’t decided on their starting center for 2026. Through the past month of training camp and three preseason games, Ethan Pocic and Jovaughn Gwyn remain in the most important battle of the offseason.
It’s coming down to the wire.
The Ravens need to decide soon. Their season opener against the Indianapolis Colts is less than two weeks away. They need one of the two to start taking control of the first-team reps.
On Monday, head coach Jesse Minter provided an update on the competition. It remains undecided, but he did reveal that the coming practices will be very telling.
“We’re still evaluating [the center battle],” Minter said. “Over the next week or so, kind of figure that out, but I still think that’s a real competition.”
It must be decided in the coming week. They cannot enter Colts week without it finalized.
Baltimore Ravens must decide on starting center soon
Who will be snapping the ball to Lamar Jackson this year? Will it be Jovaughn Gwyn or Ethan Pocic? At this point, both have pretty strong cases.
Pocic’s case comes via his experience. After signing with the team back in July, many believed he was the shoo-in starter. He has made 86 starts at center throughout his career, and that experience could be critical for Declan Doyle’s offense, as he’s in his first year as a playcaller.
Unfortunately, his recovery from a December Achilles tear has slowed his pace in this race. The Ravens have been ramping him up over the last several weeks, and while he’s gotten on the field, there may be questions about whether he’s ready for four quarters of NFL action.
And if Gwyn has anything to say in this conversation—not so fast, my friend! The 27-year-old put together a stellar August.
Gwyn has become one of the players to watch ahead of the regular season. Ever since Danny Pinter suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon, Gwyn has seen first-team reps, and he’s run with them.
The fourth-year pro has just 11 career offensive snaps, but that hasn’t stopped him from looking like a legit option up front. He has demonstrated good technique, athleticism to meet Dwayne Ledford’s “speed off the ball” philosophy, and the power to be nasty in the trenches. He’s truly checking all the boxes right now.
He also has familiarity with Ledford. Before this offseason, Gwyn spent time with the offensive line coach on the Atlanta Falcons for the first three years of his NFL career. That, paired with his performance, may give him the edge over Pocic.
Regardless, it sounds like Gwyn and Pocic are neck and neck. There’s a real chance that whoever gives more in the next week will be Baltimore’s starting center. It’s getting heated, and one of them must rise to the occasion.
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