Entering training camp, the Indianapolis Colts could have safely assumed that they would face former Indy player Danny Pinter as the center for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Pinter had been a solid backup for Indy since 2020 and was finally going to get his chance to be a starter.
He then tore the patellar tendon in his right knee during a joint practice in August and will miss the year. In his place will be Jovaughn Gwyn, a seventh-round choice in 2023 who saw his first action in a regular season game in 2025 with the Atlanta Falcons. He hasn't yet started a game or played more than six snaps in any game.
Gwyn playing would seemingly give the Colts a huge advantage in the middle of the trenches in Week 1, as DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart can surely outperform Gwyn. They may do that, but the task might not be easy.
Indianapolis Colts might have a tougher task against the Ravens' new center than expected
Ravens expert Connor Burke of FanSided's Ebony Bird said, "(Gwyn has) looked really good. Pass protection was really solid, and (he) brought that kind of nastiness you want from an offensive lineman in the run game."
It is also telling that Gwyn beat out long-term NFL starter Ethan Pocic to be able to replace Pinter. He obviously showed the Ravens coaching staff that he can do the job. While he has only played offense in five real games, during the 2026 preseason, he was excellent, allowing just one quarterback pressure in 50 pass-block reps.
Moreover, in the four preseasons he has participated in, he has only allowed two pressures in 287 pass-block snaps. Sure, preseason success doesn't necessarily translate into regular season goodness, as most of the time preseason football is just backups playing against backups, but Gwyn at least hasn't done anything to imply he will be awful in Week 1.
The center also appears to be just as good at run-blocking, which is a must in the Ravens' scheme as Baltimore has future Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Baltimore is going to run the ball a lot, and if Gwyn does his job well, the Ravens should be successful.
The flipside is that Gwyn will be going up against Indianapolis Colts starters who are excellent at what they do. Stewart remains one of the better run-stuffers in the league, and Buckner is one of the best defensive tackles overall in the NFL. Either can take advantage of the player across from them. Both might do that against Jovaughn Gwyn in Week 1.
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