Ravens Lose Pro Bowl Center Linderbaum to Raiders in Free Agency

Baltimore Beatdown staff react to the loss of the team's starting center to a record-setting contract with Las Vegas.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Baltimore Ravens have lost starting center Tyler Linderbaum to the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. Linderbaum, a three-time Pro Bowler, agreed to a three-year, $81 million contract with the Raiders, a record-setting deal for the center position. The Ravens Beatdown staff reacted to the news, acknowledging it as a tough loss but agreeing that the team could not justify matching the Raiders' offer.

Why it matters

Linderbaum was a key part of the Ravens' offensive line and had developed strong chemistry with quarterback Lamar Jackson. His departure leaves a significant void in the interior of Baltimore's offensive line, which was already considered the team's weakest position group. The Ravens will now have to find a replacement, either through the draft or free agency, to protect their star QB.

The details

Linderbaum's new contract with the Raiders averages $27 million per year, making him the highest-paid center in the NFL. The Ravens staff agreed that while Linderbaum is an excellent player, that price tag was simply too high to justify, especially with Jackson already being paid a top-tier quarterback salary. The team will now have to shift its focus to finding a new starting center, likely through the draft since most of the top free agent options have already signed elsewhere.

  • On March 9, 2026, Tyler Linderbaum agreed to a three-year, $81 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The players

Tyler Linderbaum

A three-time Pro Bowl center who has played for the Baltimore Ravens since being drafted in the first round in 2022.

Lamar Jackson

The starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, who had developed strong chemistry with Linderbaum on the offensive line.

Eric DeCosta

The general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, who will now have to find a replacement for Linderbaum on the offensive line.

Las Vegas Raiders

The NFL team that signed Linderbaum to a record-setting contract, luring him away from the Ravens.

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What they’re saying

“It's a tough pill to swallow seeing Linderbaum leave the Ravens, but for a whopping $27 million per year, there is no world in which I could justify Baltimore matching the Raiders offer.”

— Dustin Cox, Baltimore Beatdown Staff (Baltimore Beatdown)

“Paying that much for any center is malpractice, let alone one who is not great in pass protection.”

— Dustin Cox, Baltimore Beatdown Staff (Baltimore Beatdown)

“With most of the other notable free agent centers already poached, the Ravens will have to allocate a lot of draft ammo to address the guard and center positions.”

— Stephen Bopst, Baltimore Beatdown Staff (Baltimore Beatdown)

What’s next

The Ravens will need to find a new starting center, either through the draft or free agency, to replace the departed Tyler Linderbaum and shore up their offensive line.

The takeaway

While losing a talented player like Linderbaum is tough, the Ravens made the right decision not to match the Raiders' record-setting contract offer. Paying a center $27 million per year is simply not sustainable, even for a Pro Bowler like Linderbaum. The team will now have to get creative to find a suitable replacement and ensure their offensive line can continue to protect star quarterback Lamar Jackson.