News & Notes: Danny Pinter to Miss Extended…

The Ravens’ center competition has taken a turn, as Danny Pinter is expected to miss extended time after an injury suffered during Wednesday’s joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that Pinter suffered a torn patella tendon.

“Not going to speak on details of it right now, but probably will miss an extended amount of time,” Head Coach Jesse Minter said following Thursday’s practice. “He’s still getting some different opinions and things like that. We’ll see how it shakes out.”

Center is one of Baltimore’s few starting positions that is undecided as the Ravens look to replace departed Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum, and Ethan Pocic and Jovaughn Gwyn will now compete for the starting job.

Gwyn had a strong preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, scoring the second-highest Pro Football Focus grade of any Ravens offensive player. Pocic has been working his way back from an Achilles injury suffered on Dec. 7, but the plan all along was to ramp up his workload this week.

The next two weeks will be key in deciding on the center competition, and Minter likes what he’s seeing from Gwyn and Pocic. Minter said both centers kept their poise calling protections against the blitz packages dialed up by Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores.

“I think Jo’s done a really nice job,” Minter said. “Looking at the tape yesterday (Wednesday), I thought he played really well, did some really nice stuff. They throw so many things at you. It’s really good work. It’s a really good learning experience for guys to go against that defense. I thought both of those guys acquitted themselves fairly well. It’s probably still a competition, and we’ll see how it shakes out over these next couple of weeks.”

Minter said Corey Bullock will also get reps at center during Saturday’s preseason game in Minnesota. Last year’s backup, Bullock began training camp on the Non-Football Illness list before he returned to practice on Aug. 5.

Marlon Humphrey Rises to Occasion vs. Justin Jefferson

Any receiver who tested Marlon Humphrey this week had a tough time getting open.

Humphrey didn’t allow many completions during two days of joint practices against the Vikings. It didn’t matter if he was defending Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, or Jauan Jennings. Humphrey was locked in and relished the challenge.

“When I think of guys who are extremely hard to guard, Justin Jefferson is definitely in that top four, to where it doesn’t matter how good you are at corner, you would like some help every once in a while,” Humphrey said. “It felt really good to win some battles with him. He got me on some. Going against Addison, those are both really good guys.”

Humphrey didn’t have one of his best seasons in 2025 while playing through injuries, but he’s healthy again and thriving in Minter’s system. There’s no doubt in Minter’s mind that Humphrey is trending toward a bounce-back season.

“I’m really pleased with the way he’s progressed, taking some of the things that we’re trying to do,” Minter said.

“I’m sure there’s plays that he’d like back (from last year), but I really just respect the way he competed and played through a couple of things. The type of competitor that he is, the physicality that he’s always brought to this Ravens defense, the playmaker ability, the hunting of the football that he’s always done, certainly meant a lot in the confidence we had in Marlon.”

Trey Hendrickson Shows He ‘Still Has It’

Outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson also thrived in the joint practice atmosphere, with two “sacks” on Thursday against talented Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw. The one low point for Hendrickson was a 15-yard penalty for lowering his head to make forcible contact, but his presence was a handful for Minnesota’s offense.

Signed during free agency, Hendrickson looks ready to be a difference-maker for Baltimore’s pass rush.

“Trey’s proven over the last few years that he’s as good as any pass rusher in the NFL with the numbers that he’s had,” Minter said. “He changes things for our defense. I really like where Trey’s at. He’s got a mentality that we want to have.”

Inside linebacker Roquan Smith said he was quickly impressed with Hendrickson, even with his track record of 81 career sacks.

“Trey’s been doing it for a very long time,” Smith said. “When he first got here, I was like, ‘Wow, this guy still has it.’ He’s special. I’m very glad to have him on our team.”

Ronnie Stanley Looks for Offensive Line to Tighten Up Against Blitz

The Ravens knew Minnesota would blitz a lot, but left tackle Ronnie Stanley wasn’t always pleased with the way Baltimore handled the pressure.

The Vikings’ pass rush got to Lamar Jackson on numerous occasions over the two practices, which will be a point of emphasis in Baltimore’s preparation for the regular season.

The Ravens may not see a blitz as heavy or exotic as the Vikings’ all season, but they will learn from going against it in the joint practices.

“There’s a lot of good to build on, but there’s also a lot of stuff that we need to fix,” Stanley said. “This was a great challenge for us, [Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores] defense bringing all the pressures. It was great for us to see a lot of stuff that we need to get better at if we want to be where we want. Things have to be a lot cleaner.”

Kevin O’Connell Wishes the Vikings Drafted Kyle Hamilton

Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell played a round of golf with Ravens star safety Kyle Hamilton during the offseason and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“I think the absolute world of him, both as a player and a person,” O’Connell said before Thursday’s joint practice.

Had the 2022 NFL Draft gone differently, O’Connell could have been Hamilton’s coach. The Vikings held the 12^th overall pick, but they traded back to No. 32 in a deal with the Detroit Lions. The Lions selected wide receiver Jameson Williams at No. 12, and the Ravens took Hamilton two picks later . The Vikings selected safety Lewis Cine, who played in just 10 games and made one tackle over two seasons in Minnesota before he was released.

Does O’Connell ever wonder “what if” with Hamilton?

“I have a time or two, yes,” O’Connell admitted. “He’s developed into a phenomenal, phenomenal player. The Ravens are really fortunate to have him.”

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