Why Tyler Linderbaum's Historic Raiders Contract Reportedly 'Caught Everybody's Attention' in NFL

Amid a flurry of agreed-upon deals by the Las Vegas Raiders on the first day of free agency, it was Tyler Linderbaum's contract that drew the strongest reactions.

On Tuesday's episode of Get Up, ESPN's Adam Schefter explained that Linderbaum's historic three-year, $81 million deal with the Raiders was the one move that "caught everybody's attention" in the NFL:

"The one contract that caught the attention of the entire National Football League, that's still being talked about today and will be talked about, is the contract given to Tyler Linderbaum, the center. Here's a player, who the Ravens didn't pick up his fifth-year option, didn't tag him. The tag would've cost $66 million, and he winds up getting $27 million a year average, the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history for a center. Centers have never been paid, but Klint Kubiak, the Raiders head coach, wanted not only a quarterback, which they'll get in the draft, but a quarterback for the offensive line, for the run scheme that he runs. And they identified Tyler Linderbaum, and not only did they make him the highest-paid center, the highest-paid interior offensive lineman, but they gave him a three-year deal, which teams are loathed to do that. They don't want a player there for three years, they want them there for four years, five years. So, Tyler Linderbaum gets this huge deal with the chance to become a free agent again at the age of 28, and that is the deal that I can tell you caught the attention of everybody across the league. There was an executive that called me last night like, 'You didn't mention it was going to be this high.' I said, 'I spoke to you over the weekend and there was a feeling that this is where it was going to go to.' It was never a question about whether he was going to become the highest-paid interior offensive lineman. The only question was whether he would become at center the highest-paid offensive lineman in history at center and he fell short of that mark by a little but it caught everybody's attention."

The $27 million average annual salary on Linderbaum's deal easily set a new benchmark for center contracts.

It represents a 50 percent increase on the previous high-water mark, which was Creed Humphrey's $18 million average annual salary on his four-year, $72 million extension with the Kansas City Chiefs signed in August 2024.

If you expand the list to include all offensive line contracts, Linderbaum has the fifth-highest average annual salary behind arguably the four best left tackles in the NFL. Rashawn Slater, Tristan Wirfs, Penei Sewell and Trent Williams are the only players ahead of him.

Linderbaum, a first-round pick in the 2022 draft by the Baltimore Ravens, made the Pro Bowl in each of the past three years. ESPN.com noted his pass-block win rate over the past four seasons ranks second among all centers, behind Humphrey.

Despite Linderbaum's success in Baltimore's offense, the club opted not to exercise the fifth-year option on his rookie deal last year in part because his projected salary of $23.4 million in 2026 would have been significantly higher than the top center deal.

The Raiders, on the other hand, went all-in on Linderbaum due to a combination of having the most cap space in the NFL when free agency opened and a dire offensive line situation last season that needed to be corrected with Fernando Mendoza widely believed to be their next quarterback when they make the No. 1 pick in the draft.

It's a huge investment that could alter the entire financial landscape of a position throughout the league, but the Raiders' job is only to worry about putting the best possible team on the field to improve after winning a total of seven games over the past two seasons.