Late for Work: Ravens Get Favorable Grades From…

General Manager Eric DeCosta addressed the unreal level of attrition the Ravens have experienced at center by pulling off a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for two-time Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens on Wednesday.

The Ravens sent the Eagles a 2027 fifth-round pick and 2028 second-round pick in exchange for Jurgens and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

The Ravens made the move in an effort to improve the offensive line and restore stability to a position that has been in flux since three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum left for a market-shattering contract with the Las Vegas Raiders in March.

Following Linderbaum’s departure, the Ravens lost three centers (Danny Pinter, Jovaughn Gwyn, Ethan Pocic) to long-term injuries, which necessitated first-round right guard Vega Ioane moving to center for last week’s game against the Tennessee Titans.

Here’s a sampling of pundits’ assessments of the trade:

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra: “Grade: B+. We should start with the obvious: The two-time Pro Bowler was available for a reason, especially after the same offensive line saw a future Hall of Famer Lane Johnson retire the day prior. Jurgens is currently a Pro Bowler in name only. After battling through a back injury in 2024 to help the Eagles net a Super Bowl ring, Jurgens has not been the same player. He struggled through last season and has been a liability through four games this year. His pass blocking has never been otherworldly, but it’s particularly crumbled after he was asked to move to left guard the past three weeks. Blame the previous injuries or the ill fit in the Eagles’ new blocking scheme, but Jurgens has been borderline unplayable the past few weeks.

“Even acknowledging Jurgens’ significant struggles, the play makes sense for the Ravens. Instead of sticking with rookie Vega Ioane out of position at center, Baltimore will take a roll of the dice that Jurgens can get back to form. It’s not a terrible gamble, and it’s conceivable the 27-year-old can bounce back with a return to center in a different scheme.”

CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani: “Grade: B+. No underwhelming free-agent signing, no band-aid, the Ravens are going all-in for a Tyler Linderbaum replacement that will be in the lineup for years to come. I can appreciate that. Jurgens was forced to play left guard this season due to Landon Dickerson’s injury, and it was not going well. So, a contender in the opposing conference swung a trade to bring him back to his natural position, which also moves Ioane back to where he wants to be at right guard.

“Protecting Lamar Jackson is the only way the Ravens reach their ceiling. He missed four games last year due to a lingering hamstring injury, and Baltimore missed the playoffs. Now, the two-time NFL MVP is dealing with an ankle injury, for which we still don’t have clarity. A good offensive line means a protected Lamar, and a protected Lamar is likely a healthy Lamar, and a healthy Lamar gives the Ravens their best chance to win a Super Bowl. I view Jurgens as an upgrade over Pinter, Gwyn and Pocic.”

The Athletic’s Jeff Howe: “Grade: B. It’s a hefty price and not one without risk. But every team in the league is constantly trying to upgrade its offensive line, so good players don’t come cheap, if they’re available at all. If Jurgens becomes a long-term fit, the Ravens won’t worry about the price. At minimum, they get points for boosting the line while quarterback Lamar Jackson deals with yet another injury. If Jurgens’ back doesn’t hold up or his downward trajectory continues, the Ravens will second-guess this one. But again, it’s not hard to justify an attempt to improve the protection in front of Jackson, especially when, according to our Playoff Simulator, the Ravens still have the best odds to win the AFC North and the fifth-best odds of winning the Super Bowl.”

Yahoo! Sports’ Eric Edholm: “Grade: B. Giving up the 2028 second-rounder is the real eye-opener; this isn’t loose change we’re talking about. What the Ravens gave up was a little more than what the Cowboys traded for Joey Porter Jr., and even if it came with cost control, it’s a steeper cost for a lower-tier position. There’s a potential payoff here for the Ravens, and it’s always a good sign when talented teams make aggressive moves to get better, but this is no risk-free trade.”

Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geitheim: “Grade: B. After missing out on a center in the draft and seeing three players at the position land on IR, the Ravens being able to pivot and land a two-time Pro Bowler in Jurgens is certainly a short-term win. Since Jurgens has already been signed to a second contract, he could potentially solve the Ravens’ need at center for beyond this year as well. The downside of the trade is that the Ravens had to pay a steep price to acquire Jurgens, sacrificing as high as a second-rounder to get the deal done. Had they re-signed Linderbaum sooner — or picked up his fifth-year option (which was complicated because centers have fifth-year options and franchise tag numbers determined by higher-paid tackles) — or even landed one of the top centers in the draft, they could have avoided giving up high draft capital.”

ESPN’s Seth Walder: “Grade: D+. I understand that the Ravens rightfully believe they are Super Bowl contenders, probably want Ioane to stay and develop at guard and thought they needed to fill their gap at center. Making a trade before the deadline to fix that issue makes sense. But almost certainly there would have been cheaper options out there than this. And the timing is odd, considering that Jurgens is currently in concussion protocol and not expected to play Sunday. So it seems like the Eagles sensed Baltimore’s desperation and squeezed an overpay out of the Ravens.”

The Baltimore Sun’s Sam Cohn: “It’s hard to blame the Ravens for feeling a bit desperate to trade for a center. Eric DeCosta has no doubt been working the phone lines to find someone after having lost three to injury over the past two months. Jurgens was a Pro Bowl selection each of the past two seasons, then the Eagles moved him to guard, where he’s graded 73rd out of 74 at the position, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s struggled mightily this season playing at an unfamiliar position. His 11 pressures allowed this season, per SumerSports, match a season-long total from 2025. The Ravens are hoping to get an older version of Jurgens. But even if he plugs a short-term need and lets Vega Ioane slide back to guard, trading a future second-round pick (plus a Day 3 pick) feels like an overpay.”

The Baltimore Banner’s Kyle Goon: “This is one deal in which pundits grading the trade matters little: DeCosta had to make a move to help Jackson and give the 2026 team as much of a window to contend as possible. Winning now matters most — especially with Jackson only signed through the 2027 season and his future beyond a mystery.”

Baltimore Beatdown’s Frank Platko: “At this juncture in the season, acquiring Cam Jurgens is a best-case scenario for the Ravens in terms of talent and upside. A future second-round pick is not an insignificant price and Jurgens has struggled thus far in 2026. However, he was an above-average starting center for multiple years before sliding over to left guard this season. Moving back to center in a new environment, playing back at his natural position, could see Jurgens thrive. On paper, he is a seamless scheme fit for the Ravens. He’s also only 27 and under contract until 2029, so he’s far from merely a one-year rental.”

Russell Street Report’s Darin McCann: “It’s hard to get really moved by the trade, as Jurgens has struggled with injuries and performance the past two seasons. But, at his best, he is a mobile lineman capable of filling multiple spots on the interior, and the Ravens desperately needed to add a body with some experience to the injury-riddled room.”

Jackson Is PFF’s MVP of Season’s First Quarter

There hasn’t been a better player in the NFL this season than Jackson.

That’s according to Pro Football Focus, which named Jackson the MVP of the season’s first quarter.

“Among quarterbacks with at least 60 dropbacks, Jackson leads the position with a 91.4 PFF grade through the first four weeks,” PFF’s Mark Chichester wrote. “His 20.6% positively graded play rate and 5.7% big-time throw rate both rank among the top five at the position, while his 6.3% negatively graded play rate ranks sixth.”

Joining Jackson on the First Quarter All-Pro first team is wide receiver Zay Flowers, who is on pace for the most productive season ever for a Ravens wide receiver.

Inside linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton made the second team.

Ioane Makes Draft Analyst’s Top 10 Rookies Rankings

NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein ranked the top 10 rookies through the first quarter of the season, and Ioane landed at No. 10.

“Ioane has been a better run blocker than pass protector so far, much like he was during his college career,” Zierlein wrote. “He hasn’t been as dominant at moving offensive linemen around against NFL competition just yet, but he flashes in that department. Athletic limitations have created some trouble for him against athletic pass rushers, but he’s been better protecting the pocket in recent weeks.

Zierlein noted Ioane’s versatility, as he played well when called upon to start at center last Sunday.

Quick Hits

Yesterday’s Most Read: Ravens Trade for Pro Bowl Center Cam Jurgens

🔎 Get better search results for Ravens content by adding BaltimoreRavens.com to your Google Source Preferences.