Ravens Sign Two Interior Lineman Following Rash Of Injuries

The Baltimore Ravens added some additional depth in the wake of having their top two centers go down.

August 23, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers center Andre James (78) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As exhilarating as the Baltimore Ravens' first-ever business trip to Brazil for a game was that saw them return home victorious after triumphing over the Dallas Cowboys in the most-watched international NFL matchup ever, there's no denying that it didn't come at a cost.

Over the span of a handful of plays during the most crucial stretch of the game in the second, they had their top two centers get carted off to the locker room with lower-leg injuries. First-time starter and fourth-year pro, Jovaughn Gwyn, went out with an ankle injury, and not long after, 11th-year veteran Ethan Pocic joined him after going down with a knee injury.

Head coach Jesse Minter told reporters on Monday that both players are dealing with more "long-term" injuries that would keep them out for an extended period of time, and that the team was in the process of preparing to make moves to address the position.

On Tuesday, they hosted a trio of interior offensive linemen for workouts, which included Kingsley Eguakun, Kyle Hergel and most notably, Graham Glasgow, a 10-year veteran who has 136 career starts under his belt.

Before taking the practice field for the first time to begin their week of preparation to host the Tennessee Titans in Week 4, the Ravens announced the signings of Hergel and center Andre James to the practice squad, as well as signing veteran safety K'Von Wallace to the 53-man roster.

We have signed G Kyle Hergel and C Andre James to the Practice Squad.

We have also signed S K’Von Wallace to the 53-man roster. https://t.co/FYnSsBMfQ5

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 30, 2026

James wasn't among the players whom the Ravens brought in for a workout, but he is entering his eighth season in the league and comes with 61 career starts under his belt, all of which were accumulated across his time with two different AFC West teams. The first six years of his career were spent with the Las Vegas Raiders, including serving as their starter from 2021-24.

The former undrafted free agent out of UCLA spent last season with the Los Angeles Chargers and made a start in the regular-season finale, so he has some familiarity with Minter. He spent the summer with the Titans and was most recently with them, but was waived during the final-round cuts.

Hergel is a natural guard who spent last season on the Chicago Bears' practice squad, so he has familiarity with Ravens first-year offensive coordinator, Declan Doyle. He began this season on it again before being released on Sept. 22.

The Canadian native also entered the league as a former undrafted free agent in 2024 with the New Orleans Saints and bounced between their practice squad and 53-man roster, seeing action in eight games but has yet to make a start.

"We're always going to be looking to improve in all areas of the team, but especially when you're dealing with missing some guys," Minter said Wednesday. "What we're looking for there is the best for this week, right now and that's probably our in-house options.

"You're always looking for what's going to be the best next week and the week after, what's going to be the best for us in December. I think we'll continue to find that is, whatever that might be. It could be a lot of different things to make that become a strength."

Details of injury to starter revealed

Football - NFL - Baltimore Ravens v Dallas Cowboys - Estadio Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - September 27, 2026 Baltimore Ravens' Jovaughn Gwyn and John Simpson react REUTERS/Sergio Moraes | REUTERS

While the specific nature of Pocic's latest injury since returning from a torn Achilles has yet to be revealed, after it looked like he at least suffered a hyperextended knee, earlier on Wednesday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Gwyn suffered a fractured fibula that "will likely require surgery" and has a recovery time of two to three months.

Ravens starting center Jovaughn Gwyn suffered a fractured fibula that will likely require surgery, per source.

Injury could put Gwyn — who won the team’s center battle in camp — out for two-to-three months. pic.twitter.com/3IDjtrGVzL

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 30, 2026

According to this timeline, the earliest the Ravens could expect to have Gwyn back in the lineup is sometime in December. Minter didn't confirm or deny the report when addressing the media post-practice, but did reiterate that it's a long-term injury.

"Season-ending? I'm not 100% sure on that but they're definitely long-term, and those guys, we definitely won't have either one of them for a while, " Minter said.

As it currently stands, first-round rookie interior offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane
is their best option to start at center on Sunday against the Titans and for the foreseeable future, until James can get up to speed and learn the offense.

"You add pieces to create depth. Over time they learn what to do, and then when they learn what to do, maybe they're one of the best five," Minter said. "Vega, man, the flexibility that he gives us right now is rare, especially for a rookie; so we're lucky to have him and lucky that he's put himself in position to be able to really be a guy for at three different positions."