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The Baltimore Ravens are heading into a pivotal 2024 season as they are hoping to reach and win the Super Bowl after a disappointing end of 2023. One of the position groups that will play a key role in their success is along the offensive line and center Tyler Linderbaum will be the lynchpin piece.
Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler wrote an article on “1 NFL Player at Each Position Who Will Explode into Stardom in 2024,” and for the center position he named Linderbaum as his candidate.
Fowler wrote, “One of the NFL’s most athletic interior offensive linemen, Tyler Linderbaum is everything teams desire in a cornerstone at the pivot.”
The third-year player is going to be the shot-caller on the line for a team that could be even more run heavy then in previous seasons. The Ravens added superstar RB Derrick Henry this offseason and with the running ability of QB Lamar Jackson the Ravens are poised to be one of the most dangerous running attacks in the league.
Blocking for Jackson both helps and hurts lineman as they need to anticipate his scrambling and the center has performed exceptionally well.
“Tasked with identifying the “Mike” linebacker and relaying protections to either shoulder on each down, Linderbaum has been nothing short of sensational for Baltimore since entering the league as the No. 25 overall picks in 2022,” Fowler explained.
Tyler Linderbaum Living up to Pick Placement
The star center is entering only his third year, but his veteran ability and poise is a main reason he was drafted 25th overall in 2022.
He stepped into the starting role day 1 for Baltimore and in his first season was a 17-game starter and finished 7th in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
According to Pro Football Focus, Linderbaum finished with a 74.7 overall grade for his rookie season. Heading into the 2023 season the Iowa product was already the key piece of the o-line with so many questions across the board.
Linderbaum lived up to all expectations as he improved his already stellar play and took the next step in his development. While he missed two games early in the season due to injury, the center was an iron man for the team playing 15 regular season games and 2 playoff games.
He finished with an overall grade of 78.5, improving upon his grade in 2022. Fowler wrote, “Linderbaum, a fleet-footed pass protector with the unique ability to pull from the center spot in the run game, didn’t allow a single sack on 572 pass-protection snaps in 2023, per PFF.”
His play earned him a nomination to his first Pro Bowl team.
Ravens Offensive Line Situation Still in Transition
The Ravens offensive line has undergone a major transition this offseason and will look completely new heading into 2024.
While Linderbaum will be returning, and left tackle Ronnie Stanley will hopefully be able to play a majority of the season, much of the 2023 line are on new teams.
Both guard John Simpson and tackle Morgan Moses are members of the New York Jets now through free agency and trade. Guard Kevin Zeitler joined the Detroit Lions in free agency.
Three out of the five Ravens starters from the line will be new this season. The hope is OT Patrick Mekari and lineman Andrew Vorhees will step up in 2024 but Mekari is still inexperienced and Vorhees is untested.
The Ravens drafted Washington’s Roger Rosengarten as a hopeful future cornerstone, but it is unclear if he will be able to step in and contribute the same way Linderbaum did.
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