The focus on the failed Maxx Crosby trade muddied the waters of the Baltimore Ravens, taking most of the attention away from the fact that general manager Eric DeCosta still has plenty of other business to attend to in free agency.
The most obvious need right now is at center, as the Ravens lost center Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders. On Wednesday, DeCosta preached patience, confidence in offensive line/running game coordinator Dwayne Ledford and cited his history of picking up talent in the draft.
“I have a lot of confidence in Coach Ledford and our offensive line to develop guys,” DeCosta said via the team’s official website. “We’ve done it before. We have a pretty good history of drawing stations.”
According to NFL Research, since DeCosta became GM in 2019, the Ravens have drafted two players who have started at least one game at center: Linderbaum (25th in 2022) and Nic Samac (7th round in 2024; cut in 2025).
If we stretch the timeline to include DeCosta’s time as assistant GM under Ozzie Newsome, the pool gets a bit deeper. From 2012 to 2018, the Ravens fielded four players who started at least one game at center: Gino Gradkowski (4th round in 2012); Ryan Jensen (6th round in 2013); John Urschel (5th round in 2014); Bradley Bozeman (6th round in 2018).
Of that group, only two have ever made the Pro Bowl: Linderbaum (3) and Jensen (1; 2021 with Tampa Bay).
The market for centers is thin and there are questions about the starting depth in the draft. DeCosta indicated he would likely sign a free agent in the coming days and weeks to fill the hole at least until the draft. Regardless of who he signs, there will be a need in April. The teams that are drafting needs have a much lower strikeout rate than the ones that take the best player, especially in the early rounds.
The last time Baltimore lost their starting center (Bozeman in 2022), they used a first-round pick on Linderbaum.
The Ravens tried to keep Linderbaum, but after viewing the fifth-year option and franchise tag too out of step with the top of the market, Baltimore watched the cap-flush Raiders blow the market away, pushing the center to a $27 million-a-year deal (the next highest is Creed Humphry at $18 million).
DeCosta compared the pursuit of Linderbaum to the time he was trying to buy a house in Baltimore early in his scouting days. After he raised his original offer, the seller came back and asked for his “best offer.” DeCosta had already put it on the table.
“I was never going to get that house because the other people had more money to spend,” DeCosta said. “That’s how I felt.”
In this metaphor, DeCosta is now nearly homeless.
Currently, 2024 undrafted free agent Corey Bullock is penciled into the starting role. He appeared in 16 games in 2025, with no starts, and played just 13 offensive snaps (55 on special teams).