The Las Vegas Raiders just traded away their best player, Maxx Crosby, to the Baltimore Ravens, but they are also poaching a player from them. All offseason, Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum has been talked about as the biggest free agent target for the Raiders.
However, there have been many teams showing interest in him. Luckily for Las Vegas, no team had more money to play with. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Linderbaum has signed a three-year contract with the Raiders worth $81 million. He’ll also be getting $60 million of that guaranteed.
Not only does this make him the highest-paid center in NFL history, but it also makes him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman. It’s rare that players of Linderbaum’s caliber actually end up in free agency, but when they do, it can certainly pay off.
There was likely a huge bidding war behind the scenes. The Ravens were open about wanting to keep him and said they already offered him a market-resetting deal. In the end, it turns out that it was going to take a historic deal to get the star center to stay. The Raiders now have a long-term starting center to pair with likely quarterback Fernando Mendoza for the foreseeable future.
What This Signing Means for Raiders
The Raiders gave up more sacks than any team in the NFL last season. They tried out Jordan Meredith at center, but it quickly became apparent that he wasn’t the right fit. Many expected Jackson Powers-Johnson to be the center long-term, but the Raiders decided they liked him better at guard.
Now the team doesn’t have any questions about who the starting center will be. Linderbaum is a former first-round pick out of Iowa who has been named to the Pro Bowl three straight years. He’s cemented himself as one of the top centers in the NFL.
This is reminiscent of when the Raiders poached former Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson from the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015. The team built the offensive line around Hudson and ended up having one of the best groups in the NFL for a few seasons.
Linderbaum is only 25, so he can be the Raiders’ starting center for a long time. This is a huge move for a team that has needed stability on the offensive line.
Raiders OL Poised to Make Huge Leap
This was the move the Raiders needed to make. Not only does signing Linderbaum solve the center need, but it also quiets any questions about where Powers-Johnson is going to play. He’s going to be a guard and can solely focus on that.
With Powers-Johnson at guard, Linderbaum at center and Kolton Miller at left tackle, the Raiders have three important positions on the offensive line set. Now, they need to figure out what the plan is at right takcle and the other guard spot, but this is a great start. It should give the Raiders more flexibility in the draft so they do not have to reach for an offensive lineman.
The Raiders’ offense could be massively improved in 2026.
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