2 Ravens first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2026 NFL season

The Baltimore Ravens’ frustrating eight-win season prompted a complete reset of the coaching staff. Now, they attacked the 2026 offseason with the urgency of a team determined to change its identity. The front office made an immediate splash by adding premier edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. They also secured a major extension for wide receiver Zay Flowers and created additional financial flexibility by restructuring Lamar Jackson’s contract. That aggressive approach has carried directly into training camp and preseason. The new coaching staff’s philosophy, though, has created an uncomfortable reality for several established players. Reputation no longer guarantees a starting job. As the Ravens prepare for Week 1, two players in particular are facing serious pressure from challengers who have taken advantage of every available rep.

LB Trenton Simpson

Trenton Simpson entered the summer needing to establish himself as the starting weakside linebacker alongside Roquan Smith. Instead, the competition has tightened considerably. Simpson has never lacked the physical tools. However, Baltimore’s defensive transition has placed a premium on something that cannot be measured by a forty-yard dash: processing speed.

In this multiple-front system, linebackers must constantly adjust to motion, formation shifts and route combinations. The weakside linebacker cannot simply run toward the football. He must identify blocking schemes immediately and understand where the quarterback is attempting to create space. That is where Simpson has struggled at times.

His hesitation against misdirection and occasional delays in zone drops have created windows that opposing offenses can exploit. Against an offense capable of manipulating linebackers with pre-snap motion and layered concepts, even a momentary false step can turn into a major gain.

That has opened the door for Teddye Buchanan. Buchanan’s emergence has been one of the more important developments of Baltimore’s defensive camp. He has consistently displayed the kind of decisive processing that coaches crave from an inside linebacker.

The Ravens do not need another linebacker who simply flies toward the football. They need someone who complements Smith’s instincts and allows their defensive leader to attack rather than constantly clean up mistakes behind him. Buchanan is increasingly making that case.

C Danny Pinter

The Ravens’ other major starting battle is taking place in the trenches. Danny Pinter’s hold on the center position is becoming increasingly tenuous. Pinter appeared to have an early advantage after taking first-team reps during the spring. His mobility and familiarity with zone-blocking concepts made him an attractive fit for this offense. Training camp, though, has changed the equation.

Baltimore’s new offensive philosophy relies on quick decisions, rhythm throws and manipulating defenders with formation and motion. Lamar Jackson needs a stable launch point. If interior pressure collapses the pocket immediately, the entire structure of a play can unravel before routes have time to develop. Pinter has shown mobility, but he has struggled at times to absorb heavy interior power during padded work.

Enter Ethan Pocic. The veteran center brings an entirely different profile. With 97 career starts, Pocic offers extensive experience and the physical mass necessary to absorb powerful interior rushers. His value is not necessarily measured by spectacular blocks. It is measured by how rarely the pocket moves backward.

Pocic’s return to full work and increasing involvement with the first-team unit has therefore put serious pressure on Pinter. For the latter, the answer has to come quickly. He still possesses the mobility that made him attractive to the coaching staff. But if Pocic continues to demonstrate superior anchor strength, experience and reliability could win the day.

Far from settled

The most important takeaway from these two battles is that neither Simpson nor Pinter has suddenly become a bad player. The thing is that Baltimore has raised the standard. The new coaching staff appears willing to reward consistency over reputation. Of course, that creates opportunities for players like Buchanan and Pocic to seize roles that once appeared firmly occupied. With the regular season approaching, every preseason snap now carries greater significance.

Simpson has the athletic ceiling to remain alongside Smith. Pinter still has the mobility to fit Baltimore’s offensive identity. Both players, though, must prove that their strengths outweigh their challengers’ advantages. The Ravens are searching for the right starters. With Week 1 approaching, two familiar names are running out of time to prove they belong at the top of the depth chart.

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