Gino

Gradkowski

The younger brother of Bengals backup QB Bruce Gradkowski, Gino was all-conference the past two years while flipping between left and right guard. Gradkowski is quick off the snap, strong, tough and versatile. The Ravens may view him as Matt Birk’s successor at center.

The team has a left guard void after Ben Grubbs signed with New Orleans. Osemele played tackle in college and Reid projects as a tackle in the long-term, but the Ravens are set on the outside with Bryant McKinnie and Michael Oher. Marshal Yanda returns at right guard and Matt Birk will man center. Gradkowski, a fourth-rounder and Bruce’s younger brother, is a long shot to win the job.

Bruce’s younger brother will begin his career vying for the vacant left guard job with Jah Reid and Kelechi Osemele. Long term, Gradkowski projects as Matt Birk’s successor at center.

Clearly targeting Gradkowski himself, Baalke traded back again to select Joe Looney after the Ravens snagged Bruce’s brother. Labeling Gradkowski “athletic and nasty,” former Ravens and Eagles scout Daniel Jeremiah predicts the fourth-rounder will be the eventual starting center in Baltimore.

After Matt Birk retired, the Ravens were left with 2012 fourth-rounder Gino Gradkowski as their starting center. Shipley, who graded out positively on 476 snaps in front of Andrew Luck last year, will at least bring strong competition. It’s another cost-effective, low-risk move for dominant Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome.

Gradkowski learned for a year at the foot of Matt Birk. With Birk retired, it’s time for the pupil to step into the light. Rookie Ryan Jensen is not a real threat.

Both players are now cleared to play in the AFC Championship game. Allen is a third-string running back and special teamer. Gradkowski is the heir to Matt Birk’s center job.

Gradkowski was a fourth-round pick out of Delaware last year and is the younger brother of quarterback Bruce Gradkowski. He played guard in college, and has been labeled as “athletic and nasty” in the past.

“He’s definitely going to have every opportunity to be a starting center for us this year,” assistant GM Eric DeCosta said of Gradkowski. “He’s going to have some competition. He’s got the right mentality, the right makeup.” The Ravens aren’t going to hand the job to the 2012 fourth-rounder, but it would be a major surprise if he couldn’t beat out Jensen.

C Gino Gradkowski checks in at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds and figures to be the most likely interior line member to be replaced. LG Kelechi Osemele (6-foot-5, 330) was sidelined for much of the year with a back injury, and RG Marshal Yanda (6-foot-3, 305) is one of the better guards in the league. Gradkowski had a terrible season. Arkansas’ Travis Swanson (6-foot-4, 318) is widely considered the top center prospect in the 2014 draft and could be a first- or second-round pick.