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Indianapolis Colts center Danny Pinter.

The Baltimore Ravens tried to answer their biggest questions on offense in the 2026 NFL draft, adding an elite, plug-and-play interior offensive lineman in the 1st round with Vega Ioane and adding depth at wide receiver in the 3rd and 4th rounds with Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt.

What’s still uncertain, however, is how in the world Baltimore can replace 3-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, who left in free agency for the biggest contract for an interior offensive lineman in NFL history via a 3-year, $81 million deal from the Las Vegas Raiders.

The answer to that may come from a player who is getting a 2nd chance at being a starter with the Ravens — and a possible surprise starter — in free-agent signee Danny Pinter.

According to Ravens reporter Cole Jackson, Pinter looks like the player who will replace Linderbaum in the starting lineup, calling him 1 of the roster’s “biggest risers” after a standout offseason.

In 2025, Pinter lost a position battle with the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent the 1st 6 seasons of his career. He signed a 1-year, $2.75 million contract with the Ravens on

‘Until they add someone, it looks like Danny Pinter’s job to lose to me,” Jackson said on The Baltimore Collective on June 18. “Going from losing that positional battle to Tanor Bortolini just over a year ago (with the Colts) to now, he’s the starting center for the Baltimore Ravens.”

Danny Pinter Represents Massive Savings for Ravens

Were Pinter to become a reliable starter for the Ravens in 2026, it would represent an incredible savings compared to what they were going to pay Linderbaum.

The guaranteed money in Pinter’s contract — just $1.5 million — is less than what Linderbaum will make in a single game in 2026.

The original thought signing Pinter was to be a “safety net” at center as the Ravens either waited for another free-agent chip to fall or possibly drafted a center to step in and compete to start.

In a draft where the Ravens ended up with a whopping 11 picks, they selected offensive linemen with their 1st pick (Ionae) and final pick in the 7th round (Evan Beernsten).

Neither of them plays center.

“Pinter, 29, isn’t the long-term answer for Linderbaum because he’s been a backup for most of his career,” ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote in March. “He does have some experience, making 10 starts in his five-year NFL career. So, if the Ravens take a center in the first couple rounds of the draft, Pinter could start until the rookie is ready.”

College Position Switch Led to NFL Career

Pinter started his college career as a lightly-recruited tight end at Ball State. After a position switch, he turned himself into an All-MAC center and solidified his draft status by running the 40-yard dash in 4.91 seconds at the 2020 NFL scouting combine.

While Pinter sat out the entire 2023 season with an injury, he’s been incredibly durable throughout his career and played in all but 3 regular-season games in his last 3 seasons, including all 17 games in 2025 for the Colts.

If the Ravens decide Pinter isn’t the right fit, there are still several free-agent centers available that might work. Most notably, former Detroit Lions center Graham Glasgow, who started 14 games in 2025, can play all 3 interior offensive line positions with ease.