Eric DeCosta and the Baltimore Ravens made a big swing on Wednesday by trading for Philadelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens. A 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick is clearly a steep price for someone who is having a down season. Regardless, a center was a glaring need, and I think this is a worthy gamble for Baltimore.
Jurgens' presence will benefit multiple Ravens players, but rookie guard Vega Ioane is clearly the biggest winner. Following injuries to Jovaughn Gwyn and Ethan Pocic, Ioane was forced to shift over to center. He handled it well, posting one of the team's five best PFF grades while not allowing a single pressure. Undoubtedly, Ioane limiting Jeffery Simmons' presence was a massive reason why the Ravens pulled out a win.
Would playing him at center be a sustainable strategy, though? That much is unclear, but it certainly wouldn't have been ideal. Ioane was a blue-chip guard prospect. That's why the Ravens drafted him, and thus, it doesn't make sense to play him out of position long-term.
Cam Jurgens will make Vega Ioane's life much easier
Now, it's worth noting that Jurgens is in concussion protocol and unlikely to play in Week 6. However, once he suits up, Ioane will slide back to his natural position and benefit from playing alongside a genuine starter.
Ioane has shown flashes of brilliance at both guard and center, but he also showed some growing pains early on in the season. Moving him back to his natural position is ideal for his long-term development and ability to fulfill his immense upside. Furthermore, Ioane spent the first two and a half weeks of his career playing alongside Gwyn, who never started before this season, so playing alongside a two-time Pro Bowler should benefit the rookie.
As hinted at earlier, Jurgens has gotten off to a slow start this season, including posting a dreadful 38.7 PFF grade. Still, it's important to keep in mind that Jurgens has been playing out of position at guard for the past three weeks. He was also a Pro Bowler in the past two seasons, albeit a flawed one. From a pedigree and talent standpoint, though, Jurgens will provide a major boost at a position of need.
Without a doubt, a starting line of Ronnie Stanley, John Simpson, Jurgens, Ioane, and Roger Rosengarten is an upgrade from what the Ravens were previously working with. Having a proven starting center (even if he's not elite) will uplift everyone on the Ravens' line, with Ioane being the most closely affected.
Plus, bolstering the team's pass protection is vital to support Lamar Jackson once he returns to the field, and this can make the Ravens' offense all the more dangerous. Hopefully, Jurgens proves to be the final piece to an already elite offense.
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