Baltimore Beatdown
The Baltimore Ravens wrapped up their two-day mandatory minicamp on Wednesday with a six-week break until training camp kicks off at the end of July. Let’s get into the top storylines!
Losing Tyler Linderbaum in free agency left a gaping hole in the middle of the Ravens’ offensive line. Head coach Jesse Minter has listed Danny Pinter, JoVaughn Gwyn, and Corey Bullock as the main competitors for the starting job, but noted that spring practices were more about setting up the battle than making any decisions.
Bullock was sidelined by a minor injury for mandatory minicamp, leaving Pinter and Gwyn to split reps. Minter pushed back on the notion that Pinter is the clubhouse leader to be the Week 1 center, calling it a “pretty balanced competition.” Based on the eye test alone, it’s hard to disagree. As Minter noted, offensive line battles do not sort themselves out until the pads come on during the summer.
Lamar Jackson similarly declined to offer a detailed assessment of his potential centers, saying only that they are “competing well.” He added that he is liking his choices – but what else is he going to say? He no doubt misses Linderbaum, but as with the rest of the offseason, he is focused on looking forward and developing chemistry with a new partner at the line of scrimmage.
Based on their respective resumes, Pinter would seem to be the frontrunner over Gwyn, though the latter played under Dwayne Ledford in Atlanta for the last three years. That alone won’t propel Gwyn to a starting job, but Ledford brought him in for a reason. The new Ravens offensive line coach has a big voice in The Castle, and he has been working closely with both centers all spring. Bullock will have to catch up quickly in training camp to stay in the race, but at the moment, the starting center battle seems to be wide open.
Spring practices offer the first real chance to see rookies in action against their veteran teammates. The rules of engagement limit physicality and contact, but there stilled was plenty to see. First-rounder Vega Ioane already looks like a starting NFL guard, which is more than the Ravens could say about their top options last year. He’s not allowed to blow defenders off the ball, but his first step, hand placement, and pass protection all look ready for the regular season.
Second-round pick Zion Young is already showing signs of development under outside linebackers coach Harland Bower. Though physicality is a core part of his game, its absence in mandatory minicamp may actually have been to his benefit. Even compared to the beginning of OTAs, he played with better anticipation in terms of his timing off the snap and ability to disengage from blocks, get his hands up, and bat down passes. The 6-foot-5, 267-pound edge rusher has also flashed some inside counter moves in the pass rush, a key area of...
