One of the top free agents available this offseason was former Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum. Teams were set to be very interested in arguably the top offensive lineman on the market, and the Las Vegas Raiders have won the race.
Las Vegas Signs Center Tyler Linderbaum To Record-Setting Deal
With new HC Klint Kubiak taking over the Raiders after a horrible year, the offense will be a focus for early success. They have weapons like TE Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty, and a potential first overall pick in Fernando Mendoza, but the offensive line needs work. Well, the Raiders and Kubiak agreed, and they signed Linderbaum to a three-year, $81M contract, which makes him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in the NFL.
Linderbaum has been one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL during his time with the Ravens. In PFSN’s Player OL Impact Metric, he was ranked 3rd among all centers and 13th overall in 2025.
This is a massive move by Las Vegas, and here is how the NFL World reacted:
Cleveland Browns insider Daniel Oyefusi revealed the Browns were in the Linderbaum race, but not for that amount of money, “Browns weren’t resetting the market like that.”
Browns weren’t resetting the market like that. https://t.co/MaNKkRhdFE
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) March 9, 2026
Podcaster PFT Commenter jokes how Tom Brady’s role with the Raiders created some motivation behind this deal, “Tom Brady pays a premium to keep him away from the now Patriots, who also needed a center.”
Tom Brady pay’s a premium to keep him away from the now patriots who also needed a center https://t.co/5izqjSXJmO
— PFT Commenter (@PFTCommenter) March 9, 2026
NFL insider Dianna Russini spoke on other teams, such as the Ravens, the Browns, and the Washington Commanders. “The Ravens worked hard to try to retain Tyler Linderbaum. The Commanders and Browns also inquired. But the price was just too high.”
NFL analyst Field Yates offered a perspective on the deal’s money, Linderbaum’s fit with the Raiders, and how this sets up success for Mendoza.
There is setting the market for a position and then there is shattering the market for a position.
Tyler Linderbaum will make $27M per year, $9M more per year then Creed Humphrey, who was previously the highest-paid C in NFL history.
Given Linderbaum’s ability, fit within the… https://t.co/zHuJTRWRVf
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 9, 2026
This was a massive move by the Raiders, and now, this rebuild is starting to look pretty good for 2026. Las Vegas’ offense last season was ranked 31st overall in PFSN’s Offensive Impact Metric, and this next season, that is going to change.
With Kubiak leading the offense, and how good he is as a playcaller, the Raiders would already take a next step, but he also has Jeanty, Bowers, potentially Mendoza, and now Linderbaum.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
