Ravens Prepare Vega Ioane at Center and Add Veteran Offensive-Line Depth

Vega Ioane lines up with Ravens teammates on the practice field.

The Ravens are preparing rookie Vega Ioane to play center against Tennessee while adding experienced options behind him. Baltimore announced September 30th that center Andre James and guard Kyle Hergel had joined the practice squad, giving the offensive line reinforcements after injuries disrupted the position.

Ioane moved from right guard to center during Sunday’s victory over Dallas after Jovaughn Gwyn and Ethan Pocic left the game. The immediate challenge now is turning that emergency assignment into a full week of preparation, with attention to the calls that connect all five offensive linemen.

In the team’s Wednesday update, Ioane described the switch as a learning process supported by meetings and coaching. He also credited Lamar Jackson’s calm response during the game. That detail matters: a new center must handle his own responsibilities while helping the rest of the line operate together.

Head coach Jesse Minter identified Andrew Vorhees and Emery Jones Jr. as possibilities at right guard if Ioane stays in the middle. Minter also left open the possibility of a longer stay at center for the rookie, while emphasizing the search for the best five-man combination.

According to Baltimore’s transaction announcement, James brings 61 career starts and was Las Vegas’ regular starting center from 2021 through 2024. Hergel has a connection to offensive coordinator Declan Doyle from Chicago’s practice squad. Those backgrounds give Baltimore different kinds of experience as the newcomers learn their assignments.

The signings do not by themselves put either player into Sunday’s starting lineup. Both additions were to the practice squad, while the team’s stated preparation centers on Ioane. Separately, Baltimore moved safety K’Von Wallace to the 53-man roster.

PowerPage’s recap of the win in Rio covers how Baltimore reached this point. The next question is practical: can a reshuffled line establish reliable communication before the Titans arrive? For now, Ioane’s preparation and the competition at right guard are the developments to follow.