Baltimore Ravens rookie Vega Ioane spent training camp preparing to protect Lamar Jackson and open running lanes for Derrick Henry at right guard. Now, the first-round pick is adding another responsibility before his first NFL regular-season game.
Ioane told reporters Thursday that he recently began taking practice snaps at center after assistant offensive line coach Shawn Flaherty encouraged him to expand his versatility.
“I’m just staying ready. Coach ‘Flats’ came up to me yesterday saying, ‘Get a couple in. You never know what can happen,’” Ioane said.
The additional work gives Baltimore another option along an offensive line that has changed heading into the regular season. Ioane has worked primarily at right guard since the Ravens selected him with the No. 14 overall pick out of Penn State, but his latest assignment could allow him to help at multiple spots if needed.
Vega Ioane Says He Is ‘Ready to Go’ Before Ravens’ Regular Season
Ioane acknowledged that he still has areas to improve as he prepares for his first NFL game, but the 22-year-old believes training camp has put him in position to contribute.
“I feel ready to go. For me, there are a lot of things I have to fix in my game, a lot of things to learn,” Ioane told reporters. “We still have a little over a week until we play, so using that time to my advantage to get ready for it as much as possible, but I feel pretty good.”
Ioane also credited veteran Danny Pinter with helping him learn the responsibilities that come with playing multiple interior offensive line positions before Pinter suffered an injury.
“He taught me a lot playing center and guard, things like that,” Ioane said.
The center snaps add another layer to what has already been a productive first NFL training camp for Ioane. The Ravens put him with the starting offensive line early, giving him an opportunity to work alongside right tackle Roger Rosengarten.
Rosengarten offered a strong assessment of the rookie during training camp in early August.
“Vega is a stud, man,” Rosengarten said. “Coming out here, you can see pretty early on who can move really well and who has the demeanor to be a professional. Vega is a pro. Being with him and working on our combos, inside zone, outside zone, pass pro, I feel like I have been playing with the guy for three to four years. It is crazy.”
Rosengarten specifically praised Ioane’s movement, balance and speed while explaining how quickly the two linemen developed chemistry.
“The way he moves, his balance, the way his contact balance is at the point of attack, his speed off the ball — I cannot speak highly enough of him,” Rosengarten said. “He has definitely made my job a lot better.”
Ravens Coaches Praise Vega Ioane’s Development After First-Round Selection
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter has said throughout the summer that Ioane has looked like the player Baltimore expected when it used the 14th overall selection on him.
Offensive line coach and run game coordinator Dwayne Ledford has also praised Ioane’s ability to learn quickly.
“He’s very smart,” Ledford said in August, via The Athletic. “He understands the game up front. He’s done a really good job as far as understanding what we’re asking of him, especially at that position. He has some really good feet that allow him to do a lot of things up front that, (at) his size, is pretty special.”
The Baltimore Ravens open their 2026 regular season on the road against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS.
Ravens Rookie Vega Ioane Preparing for Unexpected Role: ‘You Never Know What Can Happen’