Tyler Linderbaum, Raiders Reportedly Agree to Historic Free-Agent Contract, Updated Salary Cap

After four years with the Baltimore Ravens, Tyler Linderbaum is joining a new squad.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the center agreed to a three-year, $81 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. The deal includes $60 million guaranteed, and the average value is the most ever for an interior lineman.

The Raiders entered Monday with more cap space ($110.7 million) than any other team, and they intend to make full use of that.

The Ravens drafted Linderbaum with the 25th overall pick in 2022, and he quickly emerged as one of the best players at his position. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in just his second season in the league and was named a Pro Bowler again in 2024 and 2025.

In 2025, Linderbaum had an 80.2 PFF grade, ranking fifth among centers, and an 83.7 run-blocking grade, the fourth-best among centers.

While he played well on his rookie contract, Baltimore decided not to exercise his $23.4 million fifth-year option for the 2026 season. Still, the Ravens had plans to try to re-sign Linderbaum.

"While we will not apply the fifth-year option to Tyler Linderbaum, it is our intention for him to remain a Baltimore Raven long term," Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said last April.

Baltimore's decision not to exercise Linderbaum's fifth-year option made sense, considering the $23.4 million figure would have made him the highest-paid center in 2026.

His play caught the attention of more teams than just the Ravens, and the Raiders ultimately outbid Baltimore.

Las Vegas has faced years of struggles but is now looking to shift the tide. The Raiders needed to make some big moves this offseason, and adding one of the top free agents on the market is the kind of aggression that can help turn the franchise around.

Now that they've have added a star center, the next move is to find their franchise quarterback. All signs point to that person being the top signal-caller in this year's draft, Fernando Mendoza.