The Opening Drive, 8/11: Key Position Battles & Cole's Predictions
There aren't as many high profile position battles for starters, but there are some very important decisions that Jesse Minter must make in year 1 of his coaching tenure
(Photo: Courtesy of Shawn Hubbard, Baltimore Ravens, baltimoreravens.com)
Jesse Minter and his staff aren’t just figuring out who starts — they’re determining what the bottom third of this roster is going to look like and which players actually fit what they want to build in Baltimore. There are legitimate competitions at center and WILL linebacker, but there are also battles further down the depth chart that will ultimately determine special teams roles, defensive packages and who survives cutdown day. They might not generate massive headlines in August, but these five battles could quietly have a significant impact on Minter’s first season in Baltimore.
1) Starting Center — Who Fills Out the Reworked Interior OL?
Arguably the Ravens’ biggest remaining need after free agency was at center, and instead of using another premium draft pick on the offensive line, Baltimore opted for a veteran-heavy competition. Former Colt Danny Pinter, former Brown Ethan Pocic, former Falcon Jovaughn Gwyn and third-year UDFA Corey Bullock make up the four-man battle for the job.
This might also be the most consequential competition on the entire roster. Baltimore invested $30 million in John Simpson and used its first-round pick on Vega Ioane, completely rebuilding the interior of the offensive line around whoever emerges at center. With Dwayne Ledford taking over as offensive line coach and run game coordinator, the Ravens need someone who can handle the mental responsibilities of the position while also fitting the movement-heavy run game they want to establish.
Cole’s Prediction: Given Pocic’s missed time and the fact that he’s working back from a significant Achilles injury, I think Danny Pinter starts Week 1 against his former team. Pinter fits the mold of the outside-zone-heavy scheme Ledford wants to implement. The question is whether his lack of a consistent anchor in pass protection will hold up — particularly in the AFC North, where Baltimore will regularly see some extremely physical interior defensive linemen.
