Ravens QBs Adjusting to Moving Parts at Center
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens are counting on rookie Tyler Linderbaum to be the starting center.
However, Linderbaum is sidelined with a foot injury, which created some moving parts at that position.
Pat Mekari started at center in the first preseason game against the Tennessee Titans. Ben Powers, who usually plays guard, has also taken some snaps there
The Ravens also have Jimmy Murray, a third-year player from Holy Cross, and Trystan Colon on the current roster.
It's been a challenge for the quarterbacks, but they have done a solid job making the adjustments.
"They all do a great job. We’re with them every single day. You guys see us with the quarterback-center exchanges," quarterbacks coach James Urban said. "We start every day that way. They’re doing a heck of a job. It is a challenge. We worked on some silent count, getting ready for an away game. So, that’s a whole other thing. They do a great job communicating.
"You’d love to have Tyler out here. He’s hurt right now, so we’re rotating a little bit. But, as soon as Tyler is ready to come back … That’s the important thing. Whoever the starter is with the starting quarterback, as much as you can.”
Both Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley have been more under center during this training camp. That has created a different set of challenges work-wise.
“I’m old school in the sense that I believe that you teach quarterbacks timing from dropping under center," Urban said. "I learned that from Andy Reid many, many years ago, that philosophy. I still believe in it. So, we do a good little bit of it during training camp. I think it’s very, very important to learn to drop. We did some in the game the other night.
"And then, as you evolve, or protection-wise it’s certainly easier sometimes to be in [shotgun]. But it’s easy to feel what that throw feels like when you have to separate from the line of scrimmage and do it – catch and drop. Now transition that same feeling, that same timing. That’s what we’re doing.”
