Baltimore Ravens players went their separate ways at the conclusion of last week’s mandatory minicamp, knowing it will be roughly six weeks before the team is all together again.For the players, it’s the final opportunity to rest and get their bodies ready for the long grind of a football season. Many of the Ravens’ decision-makers will take vacations, too. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be decisions to ponder — and moves to potentially make — in the weeks before training camp gets underway in late July.Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta is fond of saying that improving the roster is a year-round pursuit, and there are plenty of free agents looking for work who may help solidify Baltimore’s roster. There are players on the roster who may want their contracts addressed and injury recoveries to monitor.This feels like a good time to look at five questions the Ravens will need to answer over the next six weeks.1. Do the Ravens truly believe they have a quality starting center on their roster?Following their final minicamp practice, Ravens coach Jesse Minter declined to name a front-runner for the starting center job, calling it a “balanced competition.” He proceeded to mention the three competitors for the job: Danny Pinter, Jovaughn Gwyn and Corey Bullock.If how the repetitions were divvied up throughout the offseason program is any indication, Pinter is the clear favorite. The 29-year-old is the only one of the three who has started an NFL game, although the former Indianapolis Colt has made only 10 starts over five seasons. Gwyn spent the last three years with the Atlanta Falcons, where he played under Ravens current offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford. He’s played only 11 offensive snaps in his career. Bullock made the Ravens last season as a second-year undrafted free agent, but he played only 13 offensive snaps, and he’s recently missed practice time with an undisclosed injury.After striking out on his top center targets during the draft, DeCosta made clear that the team would look at the trade market to potentially find a successor for Tyler Linderbaum. Few teams are dangling quality starting offensive linemen in trades this time of year, so the Ravens may have no choice but to overpay if they aren’t comfortable with their internal options. Maybe the Ravens saw enough from Pinter and/or Gwyn through the offseason that they don’t think a trade is necessary. That, however, is a big gamble after DeCosta labeled improving the offensive line as one of his top offseason priorities.2. Will Nnamdi Madubuike play in 2026?This question has lingered for months, and team officials have continually declined to answer it and been noncommittal whenever the topic of Madubuike’s playing status comes up. The 28-year-old, who missed all but two games last year, had neck surgery in April, and he’s been rehabbing ever since. Madubuike has spent a chunk of the offseason at the team facility.The surgery gives Madubuike a chance to play, but it doesn’t guarantee anything. The team’s medical staff will have to clear him before he’s able to return, and that shouldn’t be treated as a formality when you’re talking about neck-related injuries.“At some point, that’ll clear itself up,” Minter said last week when asked about Madubuike’s status. “Again, we feel good about where it’s at, and so I would just leave it at that right now.”As Minter indicated, there is still uncertainty with the situation, although it’s undeniable that there is more optimism about it than there was six months ago. At some point soon, though, a decision will have to be made on whether Madubuike starts training camp on one of the reserve lists or both sides finalize a plan and timeline for his return to play.3. Can the Ravens work out an extension with Lamar Jackson or anybody else?Pending contract decisions can be distractions to players, which is why plenty of deals typically get done before the regular season begins in early September. Jackson is certainly used to contract questions hovering over seasons and he truly doesn’t ever appear fazed by them. However, the Ravens will want Jackson — he is his own agent — to focus on learning Declan Doyle’s new offense, not meeting daily during training camp to hammer out an extension with DeCosta.In other words, if the Ravens and Jackson still want to get an extension done in 2026 — and Patrick Mahomes’ recent extension with the Kansas City Chiefs presumably provides clarity to the quarterback market — then both sides should want a deal completed over the next six weeks. The Ravens’ contract talks with Jackson are always shrouded in secrecy, so it’s unclear if any substantive talks are happening. Now, though, would be the time to make a final effort to get it done.Jackson is also not the only one in line for an extension. The Ravens picked up wide receiver Zay Flowers’ fifth-year option, so he’s under contract through 2027. Still, given the rising costs at the top of the wide receiver market and Flowers’ importance to the offense and his productivity, it would make sense for DeCosta and company to explore a deal sooner rather than later. Flowers has also made it clear that he’s interested in an extension.DeAndre Hopkins caught 22 passes on 39 targets last season with Baltimore. Could the Ravens bring him back? (Tommy Gilligan / Imagn Images)4. Are there areas where the Ravens really need an established veteran or two?We covered the center position above, but given what’s available, it seems more realistic that the Ravens would find an upgrade on the trade market. Still, there are other positions the team might benefit from bringing in an accomplished veteran.Are the Ravens comfortable with the idea of having some combination of third-year pro Devontez Walker, second-year player LaJohntay Wester and rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt as their third, fourth and fifth wide receiver options? If they are not, the wide receiver free-agent pool includes Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins, Keenan Allen, Deebo Samuel and quite a few others.Do the Ravens feel like they have enough talent at outside linebacker beyond Trey Hendrickson for their pass rush to morph from a weakness to a major strength? If there is trepidation about the inexperience of that group, which includes Mike Green, Tavius Robinson, Zion Young and Adisa Isaac, they could seek veteran help. Available free-agent outside linebackers include Joey Bosa, Von Miller, Kyle Van Noy, Jadeveon Clowney, Haason Reddick and Cam Jordan.Is there a benefit to adding a secondary veteran pass-catching tight end, or is there already a comfort level in rookie draft picks Josh Cuevas and Matt Hibner? Do the Ravens need another body at inside linebacker or in the secondary? The Ravens typically add a veteran or two right before training camp or during it. It will be interesting to see what positions they target.5. Does kicker Tyler Loop need competition?The Ravens, with both their words and actions, have shown that they have complete faith in their second-year kicker, whose 44-yard miss in Week 18 in Pittsburgh ended the team’s season. The Ravens haven’t added another kicker to their roster. Minter made sure that the Ravens kept kicking specialist and assistant special teams coach Randy Brown on staff to continue working with Loop. Baltimore replaced punter/holder Jordan Stout, who left in free agency, with Ryan Eckley, who they believed to be the best combination of punter/holder in the draft.Loop has rewarded them by having a strong offseason and by saying and doing all the right things. However, the Ravens also know that Loop’s ability to deliver in the clutch will be a major question mark until he makes good on the opportunity to make potential game-winning kicks late in games. And he’s surely going to have to come through more than a couple of times to erase the memories of the shaky miss in Pittsburgh.Teams with Super Bowl aspirations cannot afford to have trust issues with their kicker, so the Ravens are going to have to decide whether Loop is their guy — and they say he is — or if they need to bring in outside competition to put the young kicker under as much pressure as possible.“You play in September,” Minter said. “I think there are ongoing talks and conversations about every position, whether you have what you feel you need to be successful. We feel really good about where he’s at. He’ll continue to work over the summer. He’ll continue to work in camp. But again, we play in September, so I think that gives us a lot of time to be able to answer questions as they may come up.”