Former Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman Danny Pinter is signing a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
For the first time in his football career, Danny Pinter is going to be playing for a team outside of the state of Indiana.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Pinter has agreed to a deal with the Baltimore Ravens, who need to find a replacement for the free-agent departure of center Tyler Linderbaum. Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, it's a one-year contract worth $2.25 million, with up to $2.75 million in incentives.
Pinter (6'4", 301, 29 years old), the South Bend, Ind. native, was a fifth-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2020 out of Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.
Versatility was his calling card early in his career, as he got to Ball State as a tight end before converting to offensive tackle as a sophomore and earning First-Team All-Mac honors as a senior in 2019.
The Colts made Pinter an interior lineman right away. He played sparingly as the extra tight end on heavy sets before getting a start at center in place of the injured Ryan Kelly in Week 12. In total, Pinter played 83 snaps at center as a rookie, with 19 as the extra tight end.
While this role continued the next season, he got a chance to shine when he caught a two-yard touchdown against the New York Jets during a home win on Thursday Night Football.
With the exception of 2022, when Pinter won (and quickly lost) the starting right guard role, he has been used as the primary backup center throughout his five years, and he's done it well. In total, he's started 10 of the 77 career games in which he's been active. He missed the 2023 season with a broken ankle.
While the Ravens now have another option to compete to be their starting center, the Colts need to make sure they have insurance behind their starter, Tanor Bortolini. In Bortolini's first year as the starter in 2025, he missed a pair of games in Weeks 16-17, in which Pinter played 116 snaps.
Currently on the roster, the Colts have backup interior linemen Dalton Tucker, Josh Sills, Bill Murray, and LaDarius Henderson. Jimmy Morrissey is the only natural center backing Bortolini up, but Morrissey hasn't played a snap in the NFL since 2023.
The Colts still have ample salary cap space available to find a free agent option, or they could look toward April 2026 NFL Draft, in which they currently hold seven picks.