OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Replacing three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum was never going to be easy for the Ravens, but no one could have predicted the attrition they’d experience before the end of September.
In Sunday’s 34-31 win over Dallas in Brazil, Baltimore lost starting center Jovaughn Gwyn (ankle) and veteran backup Ethan Pocic (knee) to injuries likely to land them on injured reserve, according to head coach Jesse Minter. It’s unclear whether either will be able to return later this season, and the Ravens already lost veteran Danny Pinter — the favorite to start at center during training camp — to a season-ending knee injury in August.
The injuries to Gwyn and Pocic led to rookie right guard Vega Ioane moving to center late in the fourth quarter, and the first-round pick appears likely to remain there for at least the Week 4 contest against Tennessee. In a decorated collegiate career at Penn State, Ioane showed plenty of versatility, but he saw just 17 snaps at center.
“I think he was up to speed enough to be able to do everything that we ask our centers to do, which was really cool,” said Minter about the eight snaps Ioane played at center against the Cowboys. “Now, he plays next to [the center], and I think those guys work really well together in making sure that we’re on the right calls and the right IDs and things like that. He handled it really well. Particularly, we’re on the plus side of the field trying to score a go-ahead touchdown as he has to go in there and play center, and we were able to operate.”
Given the talent and football intellect that made him a rare first-round pick at the guard position, the 6-foot-4, 326-pound Ioane thriving at center would hardly be a surprising development. But the question would then become who will play right guard as the Ravens used Andrew Vorhees there in the closing minutes of the Week 3 victory. Vorhees made 20 starts at left guard from 2024-25, but his struggles prompted the Ravens to sign John Simpson to a three-year, $30 million contract in March. Second-year offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr. would be another internal candidate to play right guard.
General manager Eric DeCosta appears very likely to look outside the organization for help at center or guard, and it’s worth noting former Pro Bowl right guard Kevin Zeitler neither signed with a team nor announced his retirement ahead of the 2026 season. The 36-year-old started 47 games for the Ravens from 2021-23 and played for Tennessee last season, making 16 starts.
While uncertainty will persist for the interior offensive line, the Ravens provided an encouraging update on veteran left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who was sidelined with a toe injury in Week 3. Though Minter was complimentary of second-year tackle Carson Vinson’s play in his first career start against Dallas, Stanley could be ready to return as soon as this Sunday against the Titans.
“I think it was a good opportunity to allow this to be something that he might not have to deal with just over and over again,” Minter said. “It gave it a chance to hopefully get right. I think he’ll be a lot closer this week to being able to push back.”
