6 Practice Squad Players the Ravens Could Target for the Center Position

The Baltimore Ravens are already scrambling to find solutions for their offensive line after losing two centers last Sunday in Rio de Janeiro against the Cowboys.

Veterans Jovaughn Gwyn and Ethan Pocic, both signed by Baltimore for this season, are now expected to miss multiple weeks after suffering injuries while playing Dallas. This unfortunate turn of events comes a little over a month after Baltimore lost Danny Pinter for the season during a joint practice with Minnesota during the preseason.

First-round draft pick Olaivavega Ioane was shifted from his right guard spot to center on Sunday against the Cowboys, and he should get the start at center this week after getting a full week of practice at the position, but he’s hardly a definitive solution for a team already struggling at the interior offensive line positions. And that’s without mentioning left tackle Ronnie Stanley missing the game due to a toe injury.

Here are six practice squad players that Baltimore could try to pry out of their respective teams in order to beef up the O-Line for the coming weeks.

Evan Beernsten, Seahawks

A well known player at Owings Mills, even after a very brief stay, Beernsten was the Ravens seventh-round draft pick in this year’s draft before being waived in late August and subsequently added to Seattle’s practice squad.

Although he played primarily at guard in college, he was projected as a fallback option at center by the Ravens."He has played some center, not a lot," said general manager Eric DeCosta at the time. His offseason experience with the team could lessen the learning curve for any newcomer.

Garrett Dellinger, Titans

Like Beernsten, Dellinger was a seventh round pick for Baltimore, in 2025, who got waived during final cuts of his rookie season. Dellinger eventually landed on Cleveland’s practice squad and actually debuted in the regular season back in December before getting cut.

Now on the Titans practice squad, Dellinger was LSU’s starting center at one point during his college career, before transitioning to guard. There’s a catch with Dellinger, though, as he can’t be signed by the Ravens this week, as Tennessee is the team’s next opponent.

Gavin Gerhart, Texans

One more seventh-rounder, Gerhart was selected by the Vikings this year after a stellar career at Cincinnati that saw him land on the Rimington Trophy watchlist in 2025.

He latched on Houston’s practice squad after getting waived during final cutdown.

Julian Good-Jones, Commanders

Good-Jones might only have two snaps worth of experience at the NFL level, but he has 23 games worth of experience at the pro level in the CFL. Before playing for the Stampeders, Good-Jones made honorable mention all-conference at center in 2017 at Iowa State, eventually becoming first-team all-conference at left tackle, so he’s got some versatility.

Good-Jones spent a portion of last summer working at center with the first team in Washington due to injuries to the starters.

Xavier Newman-Johnson, Patriots

Newman is the most experienced name on the list, with 25 games played including five starts over a four-year career split between Jets and Giants. He’s been on the Pats’ practice squad for less than two weeks.

Mostly a guard, Newman-Johnson has logged reps at center at the NFL level.

Chandler Zavala, Panthers

When the Ravens cut Corey Bullock -- who was also in the running for the starting center job during the summer -- Carolina jumped at the chance to add him to their active roster, leading to Zavala getting cut and eventually returning to the team’s practice squad.

A former fourth-rounder for the Panthers in 2023, he actually did well enough to start Week 1 as a rookie, playing both guard positions for the team before injuries started derailing his career. Zavala has started 14 out of the 34 games he’s appeared in the NFL. He’d still be a project at center in Baltimore, but this team is desperate.

What other options do the Ravens have at the center position?

Nick Dawkins, an undrafted free agent center out of Penn State spent the offseason in Baltimore before being waived among the final cuts. His upside, of course, is his experience playing alongside Ioane.

Among street free agents, options include veteran Daniel Brunskill and injury-stricken Ryan Bates and James Daniels, so there’s not much there, either.

Adding a proven guard to take Vega’s spot in the meantime should also be heavily considered.

However, it looks like the Ravens are once again banking on quarterback Lamar Jackson making it work, despite the suboptimal conditions of the O-Line.

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