Bradley Bozeman on Shift to Center: 'Just Excited to Be Back'
OWINGS MILLS, Md. —There have been some hiccups for Bradley Bozeman as he's made the transition from left guard to center.
Early in training camp, Bozeman had three errant snaps and he threw his glove in frustration after the last poor exchange.
However, Bozeman has gotten better each day and now he looks like a natural fit at the position.
"It’s great, it’s great," Bozeman said. "It’s been so much fun getting back into that center role, doing all the communication, going through the whole process, learning, critiquing, all the little stuff. Coach ‘D’ [offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris] has done an amazing job of helping me grow along that way.
"So, we’re just continuing to grow from there, make sure the snaps are right; I know you’ve all been watching that really critically. But just making sure everything is right, we’re on point and where we need to be.”
Quarterback Lamar Jackson has yet to practice because he has COVID-19. He and Bozeman have to work on their timing and become more familiar with each other.
However, Bozeman and Jackson have communicated throughout the first week of camp.
"We talk every now and then," Bozeman said. "We were talking during the break and all that good stuff. When he gets back, he’s going to be ready to play. [I] don’t have any doubt about that. The guy, I know he’s studying his butt off; he’s going through the practice film; he’s taking his drops probably in his living room or wherever he’s doing it.
"The guy is going to be ready to play. He’s a competitor, and [we’re] just excited to get him back in a couple of days and really get after it.”
Bozeman made 31 career starts at center for Alabama and it appears to be 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
"It was definitely some transition, [playing] two, three years at guard and now going back to center. Making sure my feet are squared – that is my biggest thing," Bozeman said. "My foot was offset just from being at the left-hand stance the whole time, but I’ve got that back squared now. Yes, it’s like I never left. Coach ‘D’ [offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris] kept me in the role of snapping, making sure I was ready in case something happened, so I’m just very lucky for that part and just excited to be back.”
