The Baltimore Ravens’ offseason was thrown off course following their rug pull on the Maxx Crosby trade. They pulled off a tremendous backup plan by replacing Crosby with free agent Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson agreed to a four-year, $112 million contract.
The addition of Hendrickson puts the biggest question mark back on the vacancy left by center Tyler Linderbaum. Linderbaum agreed to an astonishing four-year, $81 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. An already bad interior offensive line in Baltimore will get worse.
On Wednesday, general manager Eric DeCosta addressed the media, mostly regarding the failure to complete the trade for Crosby. However, he also shared the plans for life after Linderbaum. He pretty much showed his hand. It sounds like Linderbaum’s replacement will come through the 2026 NFL Draft.
DeCosta on losing Linderbaum: “We have a pretty good history of drafting centers.”
— Grant Gordon (@TCNGrantGordon) March 11, 2026
Baltimore Ravens looking toward the NFL Draft to replace Tyler Linderbaum
Linderbaum is not really replaceable. At least not immediately. He was an elite center, and there aren’t many great centers available in free agency. If they look to the draft, as DeCosta mentioned, it’ll take some development. The operations up front are going to feel weird without the former Iowa Hawkeye, but Baltimore’s track record with centers in the draft suggests there’s reason to be optimistic.
Linderbaum and Bradley Bozeman are the most notable center draft picks in the Ravens’ recent history. Linderbaum was obviously a three-time Pro Bowler in Charm City, and Bozeman carved out a fine eight-year career for himself, despite the rough ending with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025. Jason Brown, a 2005 fourth-round pick, also turned out to be a very quality starter for three years with the Ravens, and another four years with the St. Louis Rams.
Even lower-tiered starters like Gino Gradkowski and John Urschel contributed sporadically at center as later-round picks.
Clearly, general manager Eric DeCosta and the rest of the front office have always thought of the center position as a draft priority. They’ve never invested in it highly in free agency. While fans were hoping Linderbaum would be a different case, and it sounded like it could’ve given Baltimore’s market-setting offer, the competition became too much. It’ll ultimately be the same song and dance at that spot.
The Ravens will more than likely draft a center with one of their first three or four picks. It may initially be a difficult post-Linderbaum life, but if they can hit on another center, that will become an afterthought.