Ravens Would 'Make Sense' As Destination if Center With Ties to Jesse Minter Is on Trade Block
General Manager Eric DeCosta has said the Ravens could look at trade options for a starting center. A player with starting experience on the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks might be available.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson said the Ravens would be a logical trade partner if the Seahawks consider dealing Olu Oluwatimi.
"The 2023 fifth-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is slated to again back up Jalen Sundell, who beat him out for the job last summer," Henderson wrote. "The Seahawks don't seem determined to move Oluwatimi, who has obvious value to them as an experienced depth piece with 13 starts in three seasons. But if they believe Sundell is their long-term center, trading Oluwatimi would guarantee they get something for him -- someone to fill an immediate depth need this summer or a later draft pick, whereas they wouldn't be assured of getting a compensatory pick for him in 2028 if he leaves as a free agent next offseason.
"The Baltimore Ravens could make sense as a trade partner. They lost Tyler Linderbaum in free agency and did not add a center in the draft. Also, Oluwatimi is from Maryland, and new Ravens coach Jesse Minter was on Michigan's staff when he finished his college career with the Wolverines in 2022."
The three contenders for the starting center job currently on the roster are Danny Pinter, Jovaughn Gwyn, and Corey Bullock. Pinter got the first opportunity with the starters at OTAs last week and had a good showing. Nick Dawkins is a promising undrafted rookie who is also in the mix.
Pundit Says Ravens Should Trade for Dolphins All-Pro LB Jordyn Brooks if He's Available
The Ravens appear to be set at inside linebacker, but FanSided’s Lou Scataglia proposed a trade that would send Miami Dolphins All-Pro Jordyn Brooks to Baltimore.
"Even though this roster is rather loaded, you could argue that another addition at inside linebacker is needed," Scataglia wrote. "Adding Brooks to the middle of that Baltimore defense would be unfair, but it would be a massive step in the right direction for that club in 2026."
Brooks, 28, is in the final year of his contract. The former first-round pick led the league in combined tackles (183) and solo tackles (99) last season to earn All-Pro first team honors. The Dolphins drafted inside linebacker Jacob Rodriguez in the second round this year.
The Ravens have a talented trio at inside linebacker in five-time All-Pro Roquan Smith, Teddye Buchanan, and Trenton Simpson. Buchanan started 13 games as a rookie last year before suffering a torn ACL in December. Buchanan's timetable to return isn't known, but he recently said that "the rehab process is going great."
Three Ravens Who Could Be First-Time Pro Bowlers This Season
The Ravens are perennially among the teams with the most Pro Bowl selections. Ravens Wire’s Glenn Erby identified seven players who could earn their first Pro Bowl nod in 2026.
Here's a look at three:
G Vega Ioane
"Impact rookies aren't always a guarantee, but the former Nittany Lions road grade represents the closest thing to a sure future Pro Bowler at his position. A physical and athletic marvel who's already made a presence at the Under Armor Performance Center, Vega Ioane is a Day 1 starter at either right or left guard."
S Jaylinn Hawkins
"Last season, Hawkins had a breakout performance, recording 71 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a team-high four interceptions for the Patriots. The 28-year-old started all 15 games in which he played and logged 836 defensive snaps last season, marking the second-highest total of his career. In his second year with the Patriots, Hawkins proved to be a crucial part of the secondary, leading the team in interceptions and ranking fourth in passes defended."
CB Nate Wiggins
"Wiggins is the unquestioned No. 1 cornerback on the roster. In his second NFL season, Wiggins finished with 76 tackles (57 solo), three interceptions, and 14 passes defensed. His 27 PD over his first two years tie for second in franchise history and among his 2024 draft class."
Week 7 Ravens-Bengals Game Named One of Best QB Matchups of the Season
Several pundits have named the Week 17 primetime New Year's Eve clash between the Ravens and Bengals in Cincinnati as one of the must-see games of the season. However, NFL Network’s Marc Ross circled the Week 7 meeting between the two teams at M&T Bank Stadium.
Ross named the showdown between Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow as one of the best quarterback matchups of the season because both teams made significant changes this offseason.
"With Joe Burrow coming off an injury with a revamped defense – a lot of free-agent offseason signings there – will they be much better? And then for the Ravens … how much different will that offense look?" Ross said on "The Insiders." "Can Lamar take his game to another level under a new offensive coordinator [in Declan Doyle]? It's always a fascinating matchup between these two guys who are completely different stylistically, but both know how to put points on the board."
While the Week 17 game could potentially decide the AFC North, the Week 7 matchup will give one of the teams an early leg up in the division race.
Quick Hits
Yesterday's Most Read: Late for Work: Pundit Projects Lamar Jackson's Next Contract
- Quarterback Diego Pavia was named the Ravens' most exciting undrafted free agent by Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport.
