Tyler Linderbaum's future was undoubtedly one of the biggest stories of free agency for the Baltimore Ravens. I think all fans wanted to see the three-time Pro Bowler back in Baltimore. However, he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders to a three year-$88 million deal.
After seeing this deal, the pain of losing Linderbaum decreases. He's a great center, but he's not worth $27 million a year. Per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Baltimore's final offer for Linderbaum was $81 million over four years. This is undoubtedly a competitive, yet reasonable offer. For reference, Creed Humphrey was previously the highest-paid center, making $18 million a year.
Paying him $4 million more per year than Humphrey is one thing, but $9 million more is flat-out bad business. Don't get me wrong, interior offensive linemen are crucial, but tackles are inherently more valuable, and paying a center elite tackle money (only five tackles make more than Linderbaum) is foolish.
And even though Linderbaum is one of the best centers, he's notthe best. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranks him as the fifth-best center. This isn't a perfect measure, but it's also worth noting that Linderbaum wasn't recognized on the All-Pro teams. By all accounts, this isn't a good financial deal for the Raiders.
Baltimore Ravens have more flexibility after losing Tyler Linderbaum
The Ravens will need to pivot to find a quality center option, whether that be in free agency or the draft. Without committing a ton of money to Linderbaum, the Ravens will have more flexibility to fill out other roster holes. While the Ravens won't be as strong at the center position, they'll be a better team overall by avoiding an overpay for Linderbaum.
Furthermore, the Ravens already filled in their guard void by signing John Simpson. It remains to be seen how the Ravens will upgrade their center position to make up for the departure of Linderbaum. However, Ethan Pocic, Lloyd Cushenberry, and James Daniels are three quality options in free agency.
Signing a cheaper center or drafting one would open up cap space for the Ravens to sign a wide receiver. Zay Flowers is blossoming into a star, but he needs a dependable wide receiver next to him. Jauan Jennings is an option that makes a lot of sense on the free agency side, especially considering that the San Francisco 49ers signed Mike Evans.
Frankly, a high-end WR move likely wouldn't be possible if the Ravens had signed Linderbaum to such a large contract. Ultimately, while losing Linderbaum certainly stings, given the price, it's hard to complain, and Eric DeCosta clearly made the right call not to pay him $27 million a year.