Jesse Minter's comments add a twist to Ravens' biggest position question

For much of the offseason, the biggest question around the Baltimore Ravens has been: How will they replace Tyler Linderbaum? The late offseason signing of veteran center Ethan Pocic seemingly offered a clear answer to this question. But not so fast: at training camp, Ravens head coach Jesse Minter made it clear there's no established starter or even frontrunner for the starting center job.

I suppose the starting center position question will continue to loom over the Ravens throughout training camp. While Pocic has the most experience, it makes sense for the Ravens to leave no stone unturned, particularly since Pocic is coming off an Achilles injury.

Jesse Minter's comments prove that the Baltimore Ravens' starting center battle is far from over

Danny Pinter is an unproven option, but a player who there was seemingly some internal optimism around. Before signing Pocic, he seemed to be in the lead for the starting role. Jovaughn Gwyn could be a dark-horse option as well.

Look, Pocic is clearly the most seasoned of the bunch, and I had to pick who's most likely to be the team's starting center; he'd be that guy. Regardless, there's a chance Pocic isn't fully healthy yet, and if Pinter or Gwyn look better than him, the Ravens should go in a different direction.

Even if Pocic wins the job, it's fair to have concerns about the center position for Baltimore from a pure injury perspective. If Pocic can return to form, then the Ravens will have a rock-solid starter. This, in tandem with the Ravens' much-improved guard room, should give Lamar Jackson some more dependable protection.

Still, Pocic is a 30-year-old coming off an Achilles injury, so the proof will be in the pudding. And if Pinter or Gwyn beats him out for the job, there will be understandable alarm bells around the Ravens' center position. Pinter has just 10 career starts in five years, while Gwyn has just 11 career offensive snaps.

For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, this could be a major problem. We saw how difficult interior pressure made Jackson's life last year. While the guard play should improve by leaps and bounds, it might not matter if Baltimore's center play falls off a cliff.

Outside of the center position, Baltimore has a nearly flawless roster. They revamped their pass rush by signing Trey Hendrickson and Calais Campbell, as well as drafting Zion Young. Nnamdi Madubuike is also set to return from his neck injury. Moreover, Lamar is one of the best QBs in the league, Derrick Henry is an elite RB, they have a great secondary, and a rock-solid O-Line besides the uncertainty at center.

Regardless of who wins the starting center job, though, this will be a crucial question that looms over the Ravens' season, and only on-field success can silence this concern.

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