One Decision the Ravens' Coaching Staff Already Got Right This Preseason

With so many questions surrounding Baltimore's offensive line, taking the proven veteran route wat center as the right choice.

Jul 29, 2026; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens center Ethan Pocic (77) during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Baltimore Ravens progress through training camp with their sights set on retaking the AFC North crown that had been theirs for two straight years before losing it last season on a missed field goal, the atmosphere feels a lot different than most years. 

Not only are the Ravens undergoing a deep makeover at the top coaching positions, but the team also lost several big name contributors on offense, and is facing a complete rebuilding of their interior offensive line. 

Fortunately for Baltimore, this rebuild now includes center Ethan Pocic -- a nine-year veteran who signed a couple of weeks ago -- instead of having to rely on the winner of a position battle between Danny Pinter or Corey Bullock to anchor the O-Line. 

Why adding Ethan Pocic was the right move for the Ravens

The Ravens raised a lot of eyebrows last April, when they came out of the event with 11 picks and no centers among them right after losing three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum in free agency. 

Incoming free agent Pinter played all of 136 snaps at center last year for the Colts while starting one game, while Bullock is coming back to the Ravens after playing seven snaps at center in 2025. Also in the mix was undrafted free agent rookie Nick Dawkins, out of Penn State. 

While at 31 years old, Pocic is by no means a long term answer for the Ravens, he doesn’t need to be. Baltimore will already have its hands full bringing along rookie first-rounder Olaivavega Ioane who’s expected to start at right guard, on the opposite side of John Simpson, who returns to Owings Mills after spending the last two seasons with the Jets. 

But to be honest, there’s no assurance Simpson will even even come out of training camp or the preseason as the starter, as he’s expected to face competition from last year’s starter Andrew Vorhees, as well as incoming free agent Jovaughn Gwyn, as well as seventh-round rookie Evan Beernsten and even Bullock, out of the running for the center spot. 

Even Ioane might need to survive some stiff competition from former third-rounder Emery Jones Jr. on the right side. 

So, with all that going on at the guard position, why would you risk opening your season without a proven veteran at center. Remember, he’s the guy mostly responsible for pointing out blitzers, sliding protection and overall adjustments on the offensive line. 

Pocic has all the mental aspects of the game under control. And though he did finish last season on the Browns' IR after tearing his Achilles’ tendon, the Ravens were seemingly satisfied enough with his rehab to jump at the chance of adding him, after being medically cleared mid-July to participate in an NFL training camp. 

Bringing rookie Ioane up to speed and figuring out who exactly will play left guard got a whole lot easier in Baltimore, as the Ravens checked off “finding a suitable center” from their offseason to-do list with the reliable Pocic.

The team can now turn its attention once again to the center position in one or two years, depending on how the obvious short-term move with Pocic turns out.