The Baltimore Ravens’ offseason has been centered around two players: quarterback Lamar Jackson and center Tyler Linderbaum. The front office is working on a new deal with Jackson to shrink his $74.5 million cap hit, and all the while, they’re negotiating an extension with Linderbaum before free agency begins.
The Linderbaum situation is much more crucial. While there’s time to work out a contract with Jackson this offseason, the clock is ticking on the Linderbaum side of things. General manager Eric DeCosta has offered a market-setting extension to Linderbaum, but he and his agent have yet to budge.
On Tuesday, the franchise tag deadline passed, and the Ravens didn’t tag Linderbaum. It was an obvious decision, as it would’ve cost Baltimore an insane $27.9 million. However, it also backs them into a corner, as there’s less than a week before legal tampering on March 9.
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said that the Ravens probably wouldn't use a franchise/transition tag on C Tyler Linderbaum and they didn't.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) March 3, 2026
If they are determined to keep him, they have about 5 days to work that out. Hard to imagine Linderbaum stays if he gets to open market next wk.
It’s crunch time.
Ravens are almost out of time in Tyler Linderbaum negotiations
The Ravens have been in this situation before. They played it close to the deadline last offseason with offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, agreeing on a three-year, $60 million deal just two days before legal tampering began. Fans are hoping an agreement is reached in a similar fashion with Linderbaum.
Unfortunately, things aren’t looking great. There’s been some optimism that the two sides can still agree on a contract, but it’ll come at a very heavy price. Reports have suggested Linderbaum could get over $20 million per year, with some sources saying he’s looking for $25 million. DeCosta’s market-setting offer is likely close to that $20 million salary, but with the way things are going, Linderbaum and his agent, Neil Cornrich, may wait it out; the money will be there in the open market.
The suitors for Linderbaum are seemingly endless.
Teams with a ton of cap space like the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans would undoubtedly be in the running if Linderbaum isn’t retained, the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders have recent vacancies at center, and the Los Angeles Chargers and New York Giants not only need a center, but also have Baltimore connections in Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and Giants head coach John Harbaugh.
Of course, the Ravens could still figure something out with Linderbaum in free agency, but it won’t be easy. Other teams would amplify the intensity of those negotiations by 100 percent, and in that case, the writing would be on the wall for his departure.
Baltimore could avoid overpaying for Linderbaum and find a suitable replacement in a player like center Tyler Biadasz. However, if they want to keep him, it’d likely require an overpay. His rapidly increasing interest may all but confirm an overly expensive market, and DeCosta and company need to figure out soon if it’s worth keeping him for $20-plus million.