Tyler Linderbaum’s departure from the Baltimore Ravens comes after the Las Vegas Raiders agreed a three-year deal worth $81 million with the 25-year-old center. The contract, which comes with an average annual value of $27 million, was actually not the highest offer Linderbaum had on the table.
This is because the Ravens offered a $88 million four-year deal which represented an annual average of $22 million, per a post on X by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. The Raiders sign Linderbaum after finishing 3-14 last season and have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft, signalling a major shakeup.
While the overall contract offered by the Ravens was competitive, the Raiders’ structure significantly outpaced Baltimore’s willingness to pay at the position. Las Vegas’ $27 million annual average exceeded the Ravens’ offer by roughly $5 million per year, and the shorter three-year structure also proved more appealing to Linderbaum, allowing him to re-enter free agency sooner.
Drafted 25th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Iowa, he immediately became a cornerstone of the Ravens’ offensive line and started from Day 1 as a rookie. He went on to earn three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2023 through 2025, becoming the first Ravens offensive lineman since Hall of Famer Marshal Yanda to reach three straight Pro Bowls.
Across his first four seasons, Linderbaum started 71 of a possible 73 games including the postseason. Since entering the league, he has recorded the second-best pass block win rate among centers at 96.2%, trailing only Kansas City’s Creed Humphrey.
In the run game, his 71.2% run block win rate ranks seventh among centers, reflecting his ability to anchor a physical rushing attack. During the 2025 season, Baltimore averaged 156.6 rushing yards per game, the second-highest mark in the NFL, and led the league with 5.3 yards per carry.
Baltimore’s decision not to exercise Linderbaum’s fifth-year option in 2025 played a pivotal role in how the situation unfolded. Under the league’s current structure, the fifth-year option salary for offensive linemen is calculated uniformly regardless of position, meaning centers are grouped with higher-paid tackles. As a result, Linderbaum’s projected $23.4 million option salary for 2026 would have made him the highest-paid center in the league by more than $5 million.
The post Ravens rumors: Baltimore offered Tyler Linderbaum $88 million before Raiders move appeared first on ClutchPoints.
