Ravens Center Danny Pinter Carted Off Field During Joint Practice With Vikings
The Baltimore Ravens received a potentially significant injury scare Wednesday afternoon when center Danny Pinter was carted off the field during the team’s joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings.
Pinter went down during an 11-on-11 portion of practice at the Vikings’ facility in Minnesota. According to reports from the scene, Pinter was injured amid a group of players during the play, and Ravens right tackle Roger Rosengarten immediately knelt beside him as teammates gathered around. A cart was eventually brought onto the field to take Pinter away.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Ravens have not announced the nature or severity of Pinter’s injury. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that Pinter was carted off but did not provide additional information regarding a diagnosis.
The sight of a player leaving practice on a cart is always concerning, particularly this close to the regular season, but it does not necessarily mean Pinter suffered a long-term injury. Further testing will likely determine how much time, if any, he could miss.
Pinter had emerged in Ravens’ center competition
The injury comes at a particularly important time for Baltimore because Pinter has been heavily involved in the competition to become the Ravens’ new starting center.
Baltimore signed Pinter to a one-year contract in March after losing longtime starter Tyler Linderbaum in free agency. The Ravens’ official website reported that Pinter’s contract has a maximum value of $2.75 million.
Pinter, 30, spent his first six NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts after they selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ball State. He appeared in 77 games and made 10 starts before joining Baltimore.
Throughout the offseason and training camp, Pinter has received significant work with Baltimore’s first-team offense.
Ravens offensive line coach and run game coordinator Dwayne Ledford previously praised Pinter’s experience and film, while Baltimore entered camp without naming a clear successor to Linderbaum.
Reports from Wednesday indicated that Pinter had been receiving nearly all of Baltimore’s first-team center repetitions recently, making the timing of the injury even more concerning.
Ethan Pocic could become even more important
Baltimore does have veteran depth at center.
The Ravens signed Ethan Pocic this summer to join the competition. Pocic has made 97 career NFL starts during stops with the Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns, giving Baltimore a much more experienced alternative if Pinter is forced to miss time.
Pocic’s situation comes with its own concern, however. He suffered a torn Achilles while playing for Cleveland last season before being medically cleared to return this summer. The Ravens have been careful not to rush him while evaluating the entire center group.
Jovaughn Gwyn has also remained part of the competition and recently earned praise from head coach Jesse Minter.
Following Baltimore’s preseason opener, Minter said Gwyn played well and would continue receiving opportunities during the joint practices. Minter characterized the week in Minnesota as an important one for the entire center competition.
That competition could look significantly different depending on the results of Pinter’s evaluation.
Another Ravens injury scare
Baltimore has already dealt with several injury concerns during training camp.
Cornerback Nate Wiggins was carted off the practice field on Aug. 11 after injuring his left leg during a one-on-one drill. The initial scene looked serious, but subsequent testing reportedly showed no structural damage.
That situation is a reminder that being carted off does not automatically indicate a season-ending injury.
Still, Pinter’s injury carries additional importance because the Ravens have been searching throughout the offseason for stability at one of the most important positions on the offensive line.
Center is responsible for much more than snapping the football. Communication with quarterback Lamar Jackson, identifying defensive fronts and helping coordinate protection adjustments are all critical responsibilities.
Baltimore spent the spring and summer determining which player could handle those responsibilities following Linderbaum’s departure.
Now the Ravens may have to adjust that plan.
MSB Take
Pinter being carted off is one of the more concerning developments of Ravens training camp so far simply because of where Baltimore stands at center.
The Ravens entered camp hoping competition would determine their best replacement for Tyler Linderbaum. Over the past several weeks, Pinter appeared to be making a legitimate case to win the job and was receiving significant work alongside the starting offensive line.
Losing him for any extended period would immediately put more pressure on Pocic and Gwyn.
The good news is Baltimore specifically built depth at center instead of relying on a single option. Signing Pocic looks even more important now, especially if Pinter is unavailable.
For now, there is no reason to speculate about a specific injury or timetable until additional information becomes available.
The biggest thing for Baltimore will be the results of Pinter’s testing.
If he avoided a significant injury, the center competition can continue. If he did not, what had been one of Baltimore’s biggest training-camp position battles could suddenly become one of its biggest concerns heading toward Week 1.
Maryland Sports Blog will update this story when additional information regarding Pinter’s injury becomes available.
