Former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Ethan Pocic has secured another opportunity to compete for an NFL starting job after a potentially career-altering injury.
Pocic is signing a one-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on July 17. The veteran center has been cleared medically after tearing his Achilles during the 2025 season and will enter Baltimore’s competition to replace departed Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum.
The contract carries a maximum value of $4.5 million, according to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport.
It is a meaningful development for a former Seahawks second-round pick whose immediate football future appeared uncertain when the injury ended his ninth NFL season in December.
Ethan Pocic Lands Opportunity to Replace Tyler Linderbaum
Baltimore represents more than another roster spot for Pocic. It offers a legitimate path to the field.
The Ravens entered the offseason needing to replace Linderbaum, who signed a three-year, $81 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. Linderbaum started all 66 of his appearances for Baltimore and earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections before leaving in free agency.
Before adding Pocic, the Ravens’ center options included Danny Pinter, Jovaughn Gwyn and Corey Bullock. That group entered training camp without a proven long-term NFL starter at the position. Pocic, meanwhile, has made 97 starts in 114 career appearances for Seattle and Cleveland.
His health remains the pivotal variable.
Pocic tore his Achilles during Cleveland’s December 2025 loss to the Tennessee Titans and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Schefter reported on July 15 that Pocic had been cleared to participate in training camp and was considered a “full go.” Two days later, Baltimore moved to sign him.
That timeline gives Pocic an opportunity to participate when the Ravens begin evaluating their offensive line, rather than joining after the starting unit has already been established.
It does not guarantee he will replace Linderbaum. A 30-year-old center returning from an Achilles tear must still prove that he can anchor, redirect and move effectively against NFL defensive linemen. But Pocic’s experience gives Baltimore a more established option than it previously had.
Pocic’s NFL Career Started With the Seahawks
Seattle selected Pocic out of LSU with the No. 58 overall pick in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. The Seahawks valued his versatility, using him at guard before he eventually settled into a more consistent role at center.
His strongest stretch in Seattle came during the 2020 season, when he started 14 games at center. The Seahawks re-signed him the following offseason, noting that he had played the best football of his young career after finding a home in the middle of the offensive line.
Pocic left Seattle following the 2021 season and signed with Cleveland. He initially joined the Browns on a one-year agreement, then played well enough to earn a three-year extension in March 2023. Cleveland said at the time that Pocic had stepped into a starting role and performed well across 13 starts during his first season with the organization.
His run with the Browns ended under difficult circumstances. Pocic started all 13 games he played in 2025 before suffering the Achilles injury, and his contract expired after the season.
The Ravens deal now gives him a chance to complete that comeback while competing for one of the NFL’s most consequential offensive-line vacancies. For Seahawks fans who remember Pocic as part of an extended search for stability up front, his move to Baltimore marks another notable turn in a career that has already lasted considerably longer than the typical NFL tenure.
Ex-Seattle Seahawks OL Ethan Pocic Gets Major Career News