Ravens land Cam Jurgens as their center room runs dry and Lamar Jackson's ankle is tested
Baltimore acquired two-time Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens from the Eagles while its center group is depleted and Lamar Jackson is dealing with a left ankle sprain.
Per ESPN, the Ravens acquired two-time Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens from the Eagles for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. It addresses a Baltimore center group left thin by injuries and departures.
How the deal came together
Eagles GM Howie Roseman said Philadelphia was not looking to move Jurgens, but talks intensified over 24 hours until the terms became a “win-win,” and he said the Eagles were “getting four players for one,” per ESPN. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta gave the Baltimore view: “Cam is a player we have long admired going all the way back to the draft process,” ESPN reports.
Jurgens is 27 and under contract through the 2029 season, per ESPN. That length matters for Baltimore beyond this autumn, since it gives the Ravens a two-time Pro Bowl center signed for three more seasons after this one. The Eagles had moved him to left guard in Week 2 after Landon Dickerson went on injured reserve with a knee injury, and he struggled there, ESPN reports.
The deal came a day after another change on that line: Yahoo Sports reports that Lane Johnson, the Eagles’ All-Pro right tackle, announced his retirement on 6 October after 14 seasons. Johnson had been inactive for Week 4 for personal reasons, per Yahoo Sports.
Baltimore’s center problem
ESPN reports that Tyler Linderbaum left the Ravens for the Raiders in March, and the position has thinned further since. ESPN reports that Baltimore’s top three centers were placed on injured reserve, including Jovaughn Gwyn (broken fibula) and Ethan Pocic (knee). That left rookie Olaivavega Ioane as the fourth center on the roster.
Trade terms, per ESPN:
| Team | Sends | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Eagles | Cam Jurgens, 2027 seventh-round pick | 2027 fifth-round pick, 2028 second-round pick |
| Ravens | 2027 fifth-round pick, 2028 second-round pick | Cam Jurgens, 2027 seventh-round pick |
Lamar Jackson’s ankle
The other half of Baltimore’s week is Jackson. Yahoo Sports reports he hurt his left ankle in the Ravens’ 24-18 Week 4 win over the Titans, when he was tackled from behind on the final play of the first half, and he did not return. Per Yahoo Sports, Tyler Huntley took over with Baltimore up 24-3 and went 8 of 9 for 63 yards in relief.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport called the sprain “neither low nor high,” and said Jackson has only an outside chance to play in Week 5 against the Falcons and could miss multiple games, per NBC Sports/Rotoworld. Coach Jesse Minter said he did not think the injury is “going to be crazy long-term,” NBC Sports/Rotoworld reports. Jackson was in a walking boot after the game and had an MRI scheduled for Monday, NBC Sports/Rotoworld reports, citing ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Minter added that Jackson does not need to practice “much” to play in a given week.
Injury watch, per Yahoo Sports (Jackson and Flowers, 7 October practice) and ESPN (Jurgens):
| Player | Injury | Status reported |
|---|---|---|
| Lamar Jackson | Left ankle sprain | Did not practice |
| Zay Flowers | Hamstring | Did not practice |
| Cam Jurgens | Concussion protocol after self-reporting symptoms following the Eagles’ Week 4 game against the Rams | In protocol; Minter expects him ready by next week |