The Baltimore Ravens have settled one of their most important remaining Week 1 questions: Jovaughn Gwyn will start at center Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
Head coach Jesse Minter announced the decision Monday, giving Gwyn his first NFL start and formally opening Baltimore’s post-Tyler Linderbaum era in the middle of the offensive line. The choice comes after months of uncertainty at the position, an injury to Danny Pinter and veteran Ethan Pocic continuing to work his way back.
For a Ravens offense built around Lamar Jackson, the center decision is more than a depth-chart note. The position touches every snap, helps set protections and has a direct role in the timing of Baltimore’s run game. Gwyn now gets the first opportunity to show he can stabilize a spot that had been one of the roster’s clearest offseason questions.
Why Jovaughn Gwyn won the Week 1 job
Baltimore entered camp with no automatic successor to Linderbaum, who left in free agency after developing into one of the league’s premier centers. Gwyn, Pinter and Pocic all figured into the competition at different points.
Pinter’s season-ending patellar tendon injury removed one option. Pocic brought the most established NFL experience, but he has been recovering from a major injury and was not yet the cleanest choice for a full Week 1 workload. That left Gwyn, a 2023 seventh-round pick, with a real opportunity to win the opening assignment.
Minter’s announcement does not necessarily guarantee Gwyn the position for the entire season, but it establishes the pecking order for the opener. Baltimore now has a starting five to prepare as a unit rather than carrying the competition into the final days before kickoff.
The center position is unusually important in Baltimore
Every NFL center handles communication, but the job can be particularly demanding in Baltimore because of the range of concepts the Ravens use with Jackson. The offense can move from traditional dropback protection to option elements, quarterback movement, gap schemes and perimeter stress without changing personnel.
That requires clean exchanges and fast recognition. A center who is late identifying interior pressure can disrupt an offense before Jackson has a chance to create. A center who consistently gets the front set correctly gives the Ravens more freedom to use motion and disguise without spending extra time solving protection problems at the line.
Gwyn does not need to become Linderbaum in Week 1. Baltimore needs him to be reliable, communicate clearly and avoid negative plays in a matchup where the Colts will look for ways to test an inexperienced starter.
How Indianapolis could attack the new starter
The Colts now have an obvious scouting point. When a team starts a center for the first time, defenses commonly challenge the interior with movement, mugged linebackers, late shifts and simulated pressure. The goal is to force the center and quarterback to declare protection rules and then change the picture.
Indianapolis does not have to blitz recklessly to stress Gwyn. Even four-man pressures can become difficult if the front changes late and forces Baltimore to pass off interior rushers.
The Ravens can counter in several ways. They can lean on the run game early, use play-action to slow aggressive linebackers and move the launch point for Jackson. They can also keep the protection menu relatively clean while Gwyn settles into his first regular-season start.
What this means for Lamar Jackson
Jackson has publicly expressed confidence in Baltimore’s in-house center options during the offseason. Now the practical part begins.
Quarterback-center chemistry is built through repetition. Cadence, snap placement and communication all have to become automatic, especially in road environments. Indianapolis will provide an immediate test because the Ravens are opening away from home rather than giving Gwyn a quieter first start in Baltimore.
Jackson’s mobility can erase some protection mistakes, but the Ravens do not want to make that the plan. The better outcome is for Gwyn to keep the interior clean enough that Jackson can operate on schedule and choose when to extend plays rather than being forced to escape.
Why the decision matters for Baltimore’s run game
Center play is equally important for the rushing attack. Baltimore’s offense asks interior linemen to reach, climb and work combinations depending on the front. The center often determines whether those double teams come off cleanly and whether linebackers are able to run free into the play.
With Derrick Henry and Jackson in the backfield, defenses already have to account for multiple threats. If Gwyn can avoid penetration and consistently reach his landmarks, Baltimore can preserve the physical identity that makes its rushing attack difficult to defend.
Is Gwyn the long-term answer?
Week 1 will not settle that question by itself. Pocic’s health remains relevant, and the Ravens could revisit the lineup later if the veteran returns to full strength or if Gwyn struggles.
But first starts matter because they create opportunity. If Gwyn handles the communication burden, protects Jackson and holds up physically, Baltimore may have little reason to change a successful combination.
What to watch against the Colts
The most revealing moments may come before the snap. Watch how often Indianapolis crowds the A-gaps, how Baltimore responds to late movement and whether Jackson appears comfortable with the protection calls.
Also watch short-yardage and third down. Those situations compress the field and reduce the space available to hide a communication mistake. If Gwyn can be steady there, it will be a strong sign that the Ravens’ offense can function normally with a new voice in the middle.
For more Week 1 roster and lineup developments, follow FSN’s NFL coverage.