Ravens Name Jovaughn Gwyn No. 1 Center

There is a stark drop-off in experience (and likely performance) from Linderbaum to Gwyn. Arguably the best center in the NFL, Linderbaum started in all 66 appearances and made three Pro Bowls as a Raven. Linderbaum then priced himself out of Baltimore on a three-year, $81MM agreement with Las Vegas in free agency. For all intents and purposes, it’s a fully guaranteed contract – one the Ravens were not close to matching.

A day after the Raiders officially signed Linderbaum, the Ravens added Gwyn on a one-year, $1.2MM accord with no guaranteed money. The move reunited the former Falcon with Ravens offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford, who held the same role in Atlanta from 2021-25.

Gwyn, who entered the league as a seventh-rounder in 2023, has never played for any other O-line coach in the pros. But the 6-foot-2, 310-pounder saw almost no action in Atlanta, where he played zero offensive snaps in either of his first two seasons and 10 last year. He didn’t take any of those snaps at center, instead getting nine at right guard and one as an in-line tight end.

Gwyn had been in competition for the starting job in Baltimore for the past few months, but Danny Pinter may have won it if not for a camp injury. The former Colt, whom the Ravens signed for $2.75MM ($1.5MM guaranteed), suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon in a joint practice with the Vikings on Aug. 19. That left Gwyn and another free agent addition, Ethan Pocic, as the last men standing.

Pocic was the Ravens’ most expensive pickup at center, having inked a $3.25MM deal with $3MM guaranteed, and by far the most experienced. The former Seahawk and Brown has amassed 97 starts in 114 games during his nine-year career. The problem is that Pocic tore his Achilles last December and didn’t sign with the Ravens until mid-July. Nine months removed from the injury, he may not be fully up to speed.

“Obviously, we know what Ethan is capable of,” Minter said (via Zrebiec). “He’s still coming back from the injury, but we have a lot of confidence as a staff in Jovaughn and are excited to see him get this first opportunity.”

Minter left the door open for Pocic to eventually overtake Gwyn, calling this a “Week 1 decision, not necessarily a permanent decision.” Regardless of whether they chose Gwyn or Pocic, the Ravens would have gone into the season with a brand-new interior line. They let last year’s starting right guard, Daniel Faalele, leave in free agency, while LG Andrew Vorhees is now a backup. Baltimore took RG Vega Ioane in the first round of the draft and reunited with LG John Simpson on a three-year, $30MM contract in free agency.

The Ravens have boasted an elite rushing attack in all eight years of dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson’s career. They will expect that to continue this year with a remade interior. If the line as a whole holds up well, it would go a long way toward keeping Jackson healthy after an injury-marred 2025. It would also put the Ravens in better position to bounce back from last season’s disappointing 8-9 finish.