Bradley Bozeman: 'If You Can Block Our Defense, You Can Block Any Defense'
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Bradley Bozeman is embracing the change from left guard to center for the Ravens.
He almost instant rapport with quarterback Lamar Jackson in his new position.
“I love the transition back to center," Bozeman said. "I played since high school, really. And I’ve always felt like that was my strong suit. I’ve always felt like that’s where I kind of dominate – in that tighter area. I’m a very intelligent person, I feel like – especially when it comes to football. But just continue to learn the playbook, progress, learn the protections, learn all the crazy different fronts that our defense gives us and try to block those."
Bozeman made 31 career starts at center for Alabama and it is a natural transition in the Ravens offense. Baltimore will have an anchor in the middle of the line — an area where the team struggled last season.
This past season, Baltimore had ongoing challenges at the center position. Matt Skura lost his starting job midway through the season because of deficient snaps, but his replacement, Patrick Mekari, also had some struggles.
In the divisional round of the AFC playoffs against the Buffalo Bills, Mekari sailed a snap over Jackson's head near the end of the third quarter. Jackson suffered a concussion trying to retrieve the ball near his own end zone.
Bozeman should be able to remedy those challenges.
He has seamlessly snapped the ball to quarterback Jackson during the recent voluntary workouts and mandatory minicamp.
"If you can block our defense, you can block any defense in the league," Bozeman said. "So, just excited to have that opportunity to continue to grow every single day, and just work through this minicamp, through OTAs [and] everything, and then when we get back to training camp.”
