The Atlanta Falcons are preparing to face the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football in Week 5.
While those preparations are ongoing, the Ravens have pulled off a notable trade.
The Ravens needed a center, and so they traded with the Philadelphia Eagles for the Pro Bowler Cam Jurgens.
This is what The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones wrote on X on Wednesday afternoon:
“The Ravens are trading for Eagles Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens, source tell @TheAthletic. Baltimore sends a 2027 5th and 2028 2nd to Philly in exchange for Jurgens and a 2027 7th. Ravens look quickly to fix their interior OL issues after a rash of injuries.”
While a different center doesn’t necessarily change Atlanta’s gameplan a lot, it’s still notable news.
Clearly, the Ravens wanted to get this done, because trading a 2028 second-round pick is a notable cost.
“Cam is a player we have long admired going all the way back to the draft process,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said in a statement with the announcement of the trade. “He’s a young foundational piece along our offensive line — a great scheme and cultural fit who will contribute quickly in Baltimore. We are confident that Cam will significantly impact our team and community.”
Why Ravens Traded for Cam Jurgens
Jurgens had been playing left guard for the Eagles, and he’s also in concussion protocol, so this actually isn’t as straightforward as Baltimore would probably like.
But in the long haul, the Ravens hope this improves them at center.
ESPN wrote this in its story on the trade:
“The Ravens have been searching for an answer at center since All-Pro center Tyler Linderbaum departed the franchise to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. Jovaughn Gwyn won the starting center job out of training camp but is on injured reserve because of a fractured fibula. His backup, Ethan Pocic, is also on injured reserve because of a knee injury.”
The Ravens also apparently found an Eagles team willing to make a deal. Philadelphia had just lost right tackle Lane Johnson to retirement on Tuesday.
Baltimore will simply hope this improves their chances at center after all the injuries in the middle of the line.
How This Impacts Falcons
A good enough center can change how a defense schemes, particularly against the running game, but it’s not yet clear if Jurgens will be available since he’s in concussion protocol.
If anything, a center in his first game with a new team and quarterback could be at risk of making an odd mistake here or there.
Even weirder, the Ravens might not have Lamar Jackson for this Sunday night game due to injury, so even if Jurgens plays, it could be with backup QB Tyler Huntley.
The biggest plus for the Falcons out of this is just the amount of moving parts Baltimore has. It gives Atlanta a chance to win simply based on its current stability.
Falcons’ SNF Opponent Ravens Make Big Trade