Ravens Center Trade Target That Should Be on the Radar as OTAs Approach

If the Ravens are going to be trading for a starting center, with OTAs ahead next week, it’s fair to wonder what they are waiting for.

We broke down depth chats a few weeks back and spoke to NFL execs and tried to discern who general manager Eric DeCosta might be targeting, given how little supply of quality centers there are and how few teams want to deal a decent one on the other side of the draft. Perhaps they still go after one of those targets, though the Bears don’t see to be interested in letting go of Garrett Bradbury after reworking his deal.

So we already unearthed some potential deep cuts. … But we don’t stop working, here or on “The Daily Flock” and we identified another potential value trade target for the Ravens who could perhaps start with Tyler Lingerbaum long gone on a monster free-agent deal. Centers are invaluable and getting Lamar Jackson his guy now would make a lot of sense, so what about a young center who head coach Jesse Minter would have saw plenty of in college and who has some physical similarities to Linderbaum and whose combine comp for some evaluators was … Bradbury?

Chances are you’ve never heard of Browns center Luke Wypler. And he hasn’t played outside of the preseason and he’s now boxed out by free-agent signing Elgton Jenkins and the Browns also drafted a player who has a similar build to him in Alabama center Parker Brailsford (who would have been a nice target for Baltimore, too).

So it wouldn’t take much to get him, and he’d have a far better chance to compete for a job with the Ravens and he just might be a steal. And he’d come dirt cheap on a no-frills rookie deal, which always helps with the Ravens are spending more money on payroll than ever before.

What’s The Allure?

First of all, Wypler was the starting center at Ohio State for two years before being selected by Cleveland in the sixth round in 2023. So he was helping that highly-prolific attack go when CJ Stroud was building a first-round resume at quarterback in 2022, and when Minter was running a Michigan defense obsessed with slowing it down. Wypler was expected to go in the mid rounds and fell, in large part due to lacking ideal size (6-3) and small arms, but his numbers in that regard are not that different from Linderbaum.

He has made six starts and appeared in 22 games witht he Browns. So, yeah, fairly nondescript, but far more accomplished than anything on Baltimoire's roster at center right now.

There is some clay to mold here. He enrolled at OSU early a legit high school prospect and plated a game his redshirt season. He had to assume the starting job early in 2021 when the regular starter left the team for mental health reasons and he ended up honorable mention All Big 10 after his sophomore season.

He obviously could have stayed in school, and some thought the Texans might bring him in with connection with Stroud. While he has some physical limitations he is athletic and gets to the second level, which the Ravens prize, with a quick first step. Hulking bull rushers are a problem, but that was the case with Linderbaum sometimes too.

The Browns gushed about his football IQ and mentality and ability to man multiple positions when they drafted him.

And, wait for it, Wypler gets high marks for his bend and leverage because, like Linderbaum, he was an accomplished high school wrestler, placing fifth in New Jersey state regionals. Maybe their old pal Todd Monken would ship him their way? Could be worth a look-see.

Did I mention OTAs are about to start?

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