NY Giants Projected as Ideal Landing Spot for Intriguing UFA Offensive Lineman

The 2025 NFL season still has one more important game left to be played before a bow is officially put on it. For the 30 teams not competing for the Lombardi Trophy on February 8th, including the New York Giants, all the talk has already shifted to what could happen in the offseason as the free agency frenzy looms.

Following the hiring of John Harbaugh as their new head coach, the Giants are expected to be very active in the open market as they look for difference-making players that will elevate their team back to immediate success in 2026.

The Giants do not boast the healthiest salary-cap situation in the lead-up to the spending spree. Still, they will do the in-house roster work necessary to be a competitive suitor for the league’s best free agents, some of whom could be breaking free from Harbaugh’s old stomping grounds in Baltimore.

A few names on the Ravens roster would make perfect sense for the Giants this offseason. Still, a new analysis by Bleacher Report has one intriguing Baltimore unrestricted free agent projected to land with New York, who would be an absolute big catch for the franchise if he were to be signed.

That is Ravens offensive lineman Tyler Linderbaum, whom the outlet describes as “one of the best overall free agents up for grabs” at both his position and the entire league.

“It wouldn't be a shock to see Linderbaum reunite with John Harbaugh after the former Ravens head coach landed in the Big Apple this offseason,” B/R analyst Alex Kay said.

“Big Blue needs to overhaul an offensive line that allowed 48 sacks and struggled to protect rookie signal-caller Jaxson Dart. Adding Linderbaum on a long-term deal would solidify the unit and give the franchise an anchor to build around in the offensive trenches for years to come.”

There have been reports about the Giants being “very aggressive" in trying to court some of Harbaugh’s ex-players as soon as the negotiating window opens in March. Still, they might have to be selective given how strong a cap situation they can muster up in that timeframe.

Still, bringing a player like Linderbaum to East Rutherford would undoubtedly be an instant upgrade to the offensive line, and at a position that isn’t really being talked about in the early days of the offseason.

The Giants’ Need a Proven Answer at Center

Oct 5, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz (61) lines up against the New Orleans Saints defense during the first half at Caesars Superdome. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

It has already been discussed that the Giants’ biggest concern along the offensive line is the right tackle spot, held down for the past two seasons by Jermaine Eluemunor, who is a free agent. He’ll certainly be one of the Giants’ top priorities as they look re-sign him to stabilize the bookends of the front.

However, who the Giants will have anchoring the middle of the entire offense at center is an issue that’s been quietly swept under the rug as the John Harbaugh era begins.

Since the 2023 season, New York has been running a steady development plan with John Michael Schmitz, the former second-round pick who was once regarded as one of the top two prospects at the position in his class.

Sadly, their hopes of Schmitz blossoming into the next long-term piece to hold down the offensive line for the long haul haven’t been realized. Schmitz has struggled to be a true enforcer who keeps pressure off the middle of the pocket and has been plagued by injuries that also ended his 2025 campaign after 13 games.

In three seasons with the Giants, he has played in 2,526 total offensive snaps but has allowed 12 sacks, 8 hits, an incredible 52 hurries, and 72 total pressures.

That leaves him with a 97.2 pass blocking efficiency in that span and 13 penalties, given that he has had to make up for getting beaten on a ton of his snaps with foolish errors.

When Schmitz was absent, the Giants turned to veteran Austin Schlottmann, who played in eight games (four starts) and performed very well. He finished the second-highest graded offensive lineman behind Andrew Thomas (70.8) and allowed just three pressures in 363 total snaps.

Schlottmann will be approaching 31 years old by the start of the 2026 season, though. He actually played in the most snaps of his NFL career with the Giants as well, so trusting him to be a full-time answer could be a risk if he does return in free agency this spring.

Thus, the Giants need to consider bringing in an elite addition to the center position, and what an immense grab it would be to reunite Harbaugh with his ex-guy in Tyler Linderbaum, who was the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 and a three-time Pro Bowler.

Linderbaum finished 13th in pass blocking grade among centers with at least 500 offensive snaps this season and has only given up two sacks in his last three years with the Ravens.

He did tie a career-high in total pressures with 26, but it was very hard to bring down his quarterback whenever he was in the action, which was all the time, as he has been injury-free

With that level of success as a pass blocker, Linderbaum would take over the starting role and possibly serve as a mentor to Schmitz as a critical year approaches for his future with the Giants.

The Giants can also solidify a third position on their offensive line and give Jaxson Dart a better chance to succeed in his second season under center, which is already carrying big expectations.

Of course, the Giants will have to figure out how to make the contract details work with an established veteran like Linderbaum, but maybe the prospect of pairing up with his former coach again adds a little extra to the mutual discussions.

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The Giants’ Need a Proven Answer at Center

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