Cam Jurgens Is Traded to the Ravens and the Eagles Go to London With a Rebuilt Interior Line

The Philadelphia Eagles traded center Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens on Wednesday, one day after Lane Johnson's retirement, and the deal is official. Philadelphia sent Jurgens and a 2027 seventh-round pick to Baltimore in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick, terms first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter and confirmed by both teams.

The move lands in the middle of a chaotic week for both franchises. The Eagles (2-2, losers of two straight) fly to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday morning with their offensive line in pieces, while the Ravens prepare for a Sunday night trip to Atlanta with Lamar Jackson nursing a sprained ankle and Tyler Huntley taking first-team reps. Jurgens is in the concussion protocol and is not expected to play for either team this weekend.

The terms and why Philadelphia said yes

General manager Howie Roseman said Wednesday that Philadelphia was not shopping Jurgens, but that talks with Baltimore picked up over roughly 24 hours because the Ravens had lost three centers. Roseman framed the return as more than a pair of picks: the selections plus the cap room created by moving Jurgens' contract, which he described as getting four players for one, according to reports from the Philadelphia Inquirer and ESPN.

The football logic is that Jurgens' value in Philadelphia had already slipped. He opened the season at center, then moved to left guard in Week 2 when Landon Dickerson was hurt, and 2025 fifth-round pick Drew Kendall took over in the middle. The guard experiment did not go well; Pro Football Focus graded Jurgens 71st of 72 qualifying guards through four games, per Yahoo Sports. Kendall has now made three starts at center, and trading Jurgens removes the most experienced alternative and commits the Eagles to the younger player.

The contract matters too. Jurgens signed a four-year, $68 million extension in 2025 that runs through 2029, about $17 million per year, which puts him among the highest-paid centers in the league. Baltimore takes on all of it.

Baltimore's center crisis, and where Vega Ioane fits

The Ravens did not go looking for a center on a whim. Starter Jovaughn Gwyn fractured his fibula in the win over Dallas in Rio and is expected to miss two to three months, backup Ethan Pocic was hurt in the same game, and both went to injured reserve. Preseason favorite Danny Pinter tore a patellar tendon in the preseason. That chain pushed first-round rookie Vega Ioane from right guard to center for the Week 4 win over Tennessee.

Head coach Jesse Minter praised Jurgens as a high-caliber player and said he anticipates him being ready next week. Schefter reported that Jurgens is expected to debut in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns, pending clearance from the protocol. Until then, Ioane is set to make his second straight start at center against Atlanta. Once Jurgens is cleared, Ioane can slide back to his natural right guard spot, which should strengthen two positions at once.

Philadelphia's line for London

The Eagles' Wednesday injury report made the timing look even harsher. Kendall, the new center, did not practice because of a knee injury he had not been listed with before, even though he played every snap against the Rams. If he cannot go, Philadelphia will start its third different center in five games.

Swing lineman Fred Johnson was limited Wednesday and is the most likely fill-in if Kendall is out. Bell, a third-round rookie, allowed six pressures in his first start against the Rams. That is three projected starters with almost no NFL experience at their current spots, in a neutral-site game on a short body clock. Jalen Hurts struck a positive tone Wednesday, saying he believes the younger linemen are up to it, but nothing about this group has been proven.

Fantasy fallout: the Eagles

Running backs. The line is not even the biggest problem in the Philadelphia backfield. Saquon Barkley (hamstring) is week to week and did not practice Wednesday, and PhillyVoice reports he is unlikely to play in London. Tank Bigsby is on injured reserve after core muscle surgery. That leaves Will Shipley as the expected starter, with Dameon Pierce reportedly promoted from the practice squad. Shipley is a volume play only: a backup-caliber back behind a reshuffled interior line against a Jacksonville front that will see the same weaknesses the Rams exploited. Start him as an RB2/flex in deeper formats for the touches, but temper expectations for efficiency.

Jalen Hurts. A weaker interior means more A-gap pressure and fewer clean pockets, and Hurts is also likely without DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and Hollywood Brown (ankle), both of whom did not practice Wednesday. Dallas Goedert was limited. The case for Hurts is his rushing floor, which tends to rise when protection breaks down and the run game stalls. He stays in lineups in one-quarterback leagues, but his ceiling is lower than usual this week, and any receiver he leans on outside the top two is a speculative flex.

Fantasy fallout: the Ravens

The trade does nothing for Baltimore in Week 5. Ioane stays at center, left tackle Ronnie Stanley did not practice Wednesday, and the bigger issue is under center. Jackson did not practice Wednesday after spraining his ankle against Tennessee; NFL Network's Ian Rapoport described his chance to play as an outside one, while Minter declined to rule him out even if he misses practice all week. Huntley went 8 of 9 for 63 yards in relief and ran for 16 yards.

If Huntley starts, Derrick Henry is the safest Raven to play, since a backup quarterback usually means a heavier run script. Zay Flowers, who had 118 receiving yards and a touchdown against Tennessee, drops from WR1 territory toward a WR2 with Huntley, given the shorter passing game Huntley ran in relief. Baltimore's tight ends also lose touchdown upside with a backup throwing. Jackson managers should line up a backup quarterback now rather than wait on the Sunday night decision.

From Week 6 on, the trade is a quiet plus. A Pro Bowl-caliber center paired with Ioane back at guard is a meaningful upgrade for Henry's efficiency and for Jackson's pocket once he returns.

What to do in your league

Add Shipley if he is still available; he is the only clear volume back in Philadelphia this week. Downgrade Eagles pass catchers outside of whichever top receiver is active, and treat Hurts as a floor play rather than a ceiling one. In Baltimore, hold Jackson, start Henry with confidence and slide Flowers into the flex range if Huntley is confirmed. Huntley himself is a deep two-quarterback league option only.

For bettors, the read is directional rather than numerical: Philadelphia's offensive outlook in London depends on Kendall's knee and Barkley's absence, so watch Friday's final report before acting on any Eagles total. Verdexed's game-by-game call is on the NFL predictions page (/nfl/predictions), and the full slate is at /blog/nfl-week-5-picks-2026.

What's next

Watch three things. First, Kendall's practice status Thursday and Friday; a second straight missed day would likely put Fred Johnson in the lineup. Second, Jurgens' progress through the protocol, which determines whether he debuts against Cleveland in Week 6. Third, Jackson's practice participation; any limited session late in the week would change Baltimore's outlook entirely.

Longer term, Dickerson's injured reserve window opens after Week 5, and his return would let Philadelphia move Lampkin to a backup role. The Eagles banked a 2028 second-round pick for a player who had lost his job, but they will have to win now with an interior line that has almost no experience at its current spots.