There was little doubt the market was robust for Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum. What Linderbaum ended up with was a contrat that made NFL history.
Linderbaum agreed to a 3-year, $81 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday, making him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history.
“ESPN Sources: former Ravens free-agent center Tyler Linderbaum reached agreement today on a record deal with the Raiders, who are awarding him with a three-year, $81 million deal that includes $60 million guaranteed and makes him the highest paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account. “Before today, Cowboys guard Tyler Smith was the NFL’s highest-paid interior offensive lineman, with a deal that averaged $24 million per year. Tyler Linderbaum’s deal averages $27 million per year.”
Rare Miss for Ravens With Former 1st Round Pick
The Ravens made history on Friday night when they traded a 1st round pick for the 1st time in franchise history, sending their 2026 and 2027 1st round picks to the Raiders in exchange for NFL All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
They made franchise history again by losing Linderbaum to the Raiders.
“With center Tyler Linderbaum going to Raiders, this marks just the second time in the Ravens’ 31-year history that they have failed to keep a multiple Pro Bowl first-round pick past his rookie deal,” ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote on X on Monday. “The other time this occurred was 2019 with C.J. Mosley.”
Negotiations Tense Between Linderbaum & Ravens
The Ravens had already offered Linderbaum a chance to be the highest-paid center in NFL history — the sticking point was that would have been on a 2-year contract and not the 3-year contract he received from the Raiders, where he’ll be counted on as a steadying presence for quarterback and presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
“The best thing you can do for a young quarterback like that is to get them a steadying presence at center,” ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky said on Monday.
According to several reports, things hadn’t been going great between Linderbaum’s agent and the Ravens — to the point where communication wasn’t even happening.
“(The Ravens) have tried to negotiate with (Linderbaum),” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on February 24. “His agent is very difficult to negotiate with. Neil Cornrich is the agent and his method is basically not responding.”
Linderbaum just played the final season of his 4-year, $13.23 million rookie contract.
“Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said the team has made a ‘market setting’ offer to center Tyler Linderbaum, who will be a free agent next month,” Hensley wrote on X on February 25.
Rare Center Who Became 1st Round Pick
There aren’t many centers, ever, who have been first round picks in the NFL draft. Linderbaum is one of them, going No. 25 overall in 2022.
The 6-foot-2, 314-pound Iowa native dominated at the University of Iowa, where he was a 2-time All-Big Ten pick and was at his very best in his final season, winning the Rimington Trophy, earning All-American honors and being named Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Headed into the 2022 NFL draft, NFL draft analyst/guru/shaman/expert Lance Zierlein compared Linderbaum to future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Kelce.
“Teams with certain size standards might pass on him but his tenacity and talent make him a can’t-miss prospect if matched in the right scheme,” Zierlein wrote in 2022.
AFC Rival Steals Ravens Star Tyler Linderbaum With Record-Setting $81 Million Contract