Ravens signing former Browns center Ethan Pocic to 1-year deal, adding potential starter

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The Ravens are signing free-agent center Ethan Pocic to a one-year deal, the team announced Friday, adding a former division rival and longtime starter to one of their least settled position battles ahead of training camp.

Pocic, 30, started 57 games over four years with the Cleveland Browns, but he tore his Achilles tendon in December. He’s reportedly been medically cleared for football activities.

Pocic’s deal, which is reportedly worth up to $4.5 million, makes him a strong favorite to replace Tyler Linderbaum. The three-time Pro Bowl center left the Ravens this offseason to sign a record-breaking three-year, $81 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, and general manager Eric DeCosta did not take a potential starter in the NFL draft.

The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Pocic was solid in 13 starts last season for Cleveland, whose line struggled. He allowed two sacks and 14 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. He also was used on a balanced mix of zone and gap concepts in the Browns’ running game.

Coach Jesse Minter called the Ravens’ center battle “pretty balanced” at mandatory minicamp in June, but Danny Pinter was set to enter training camp this month with the first-stringers. DeCosta said in an interview Thursday on 105.7 The Fan’s “Vinny & Haynie Show” that offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford has confidence in the 30-year-old, who has 10 career starts and played 138 offensive snaps last season for the Indianapolis Colts.

“Do I feel that Danny could play effectively for us?” DeCosta said. “I do, because Dwayne is really high on him, and I love that.”

But, if he’s healthy and in command of the playbook, Pocic will be in position to start in Week 1. He had a lower blown-block rate (2.2%) last season than Pinter (3.1%), according to Sports Info Solutions, faring better as a pass blocker (1.4% to 2.7%) and run blocker (3.4% to 3.8%).

Corey Bullock and Jovaughn Gwyn will also be in the mix at center, although neither has starting experience.

Pocic’s arrival is the latest on a remade interior line. After losing Linderbaum in free agency, the Ravens reunited with free agent John Simpson, who’s expected to start at left guard over 2025 starter Andrew Vorhees. First-round pick Vega Ioane, meanwhile, is set to replace right guard Daniel Faalele, who struggled along with Vorhees and left in free agency.

After reuniting Gwyn with Ledford, his former Atlanta Falcons assistant coach, in March, the Ravens signed Pinter later in the month to a one-year deal worth up to $2.8 million. The team was expected to draft a center, but DeCosta’s top two targets, Iowa’s Logan Jones and Florida’s Jake Slaughter, went earlier than expected, snagged in the second round.

“As the Hall of Fame general manager [Ozzie Newsome] once said, ‘You don’t play games until September,’” DeCosta said after the draft. “And I think we’ll have a great offensive line at that point. We have a plan. It didn’t necessarily fall our way this weekend, but it’s still early, and I’m thrilled with what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

This article has been updated.