Baltimore Ravens Trade For Center A.Q. Shipley From Indianapolis Colts

According to the Baltimore Ravens website, BaltimoreRavens.com, they have just acquired center A.Q. Shipley from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a conditional 2014 draft pick. The deal becomes official once Shipley passes a team physical.

Allan Quay Shipley, age 26, is a second year veteran out of Penn State, and is listed at 6'1" and 306 pounds. He played in14 of the Colts' 16 regular season games and started five, including the final three of the regular season, but not the playoff loss to the Ravens in the Wild Card round.

He obviously already has more experience than Gino Gradkowski, who up until this point was largely considered the heir apparent to now-retired Matt Birk's job snapping the ball to QB Joe Flacco.

How this plays out will be decided in training camp but the fact that the Ravens traded a future draft pick for him, which will be based on his making the team and playing, certainly means that the team is not convinced Gradkowski, or perhaps even recently drafted rookie center, Ryan Jensen, are the answers for 2013 and beyond.

Post Publish Note: Below is the Ravens PR Department's official Press Release:

May 9, 2013

For Immediate Release

RAVENS ACQUIRE C A.Q. SHIPLEY

The Baltimore Ravens have acquired C A.Q. Shipley, pending passing a physical, from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a conditional 2014 draft pick, general manager and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome announced Thursday morning.

Shipley, a 6-1, 309-pounder, enters his second NFL season having seen action in 14 games (five starts) with the Colts in 2012. He also played on special teams in the Colts’ Wild Card contest at Baltimore last season.

Originally selected by the Steelers in the seventh round (226th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft, Shipley had been a practice squad member with Pittsburgh (2009) and Philadelphia (2010) before signing with Indianapolis in 2012.

A four-year letterman at Penn State, Shipley was an All-America selection, Rimington Trophy winner and Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior.

Shipley is a native of Moon Township, Pa., and attended Moon Area High School in Pittsburgh.