Should NY Giants Make Bold Push for Pending UFA OL Tyler Linderbaum?

The New York Giants are not expected to have enough cap space to be major players in free agency, even after planned cuts and restructures.

But that doesn’t mean they will be idle spectators, and in fact, if there is one bold move that many, including SI.com’s Conor Orr, expect Big Blue to make, it involves new head coach John Harbaugh bringing with him a key member of the Ravens offense.

That would be center Tyler Linderbaum, a pending unrestricted free agent who, according to Spotrac, projects to earn upwards of $17.7 million per year based on a four-year $70.893 million contract, which would make the soon-to-be 26-year-old center among the league’s highest-paid centers, if not the highest-paid.

“In the final stamp of a major offseason power grab, John Harbaugh will give (quarterback) Jaxson Dart the ultimate gift: a cerebral center who can stabilize a massively uncertain offensive line and help stem the leak of interior pressure,” Orr said.

“This would spell an end for former Joe Schoen second-round pick John Michael Schmitz.”

The appeal is not hard to see in terms of a Giants-Linderbaum marriage. Besides the three-time Pro Bowl center being a leader who can help Harbaugh instill the Ravens' way of doing things during the Giants' locker room transition, Linderbaum is a solid center who is right now at the top of his game.

Per Spotrac’s metrics, which cover percentage of games played, quarterback hurries allowed per game, sacks allowed per game, and overall rating, the only blemish on Linderbaum is that he’s slightly above the league average (1.0) quarterback hurries allowed per game; Linderbaum has averaged 1.06.

Then you have the pass-block win-rate (PBWR) stat from ESPN, which covers how well an interior offensive lineman does when holding a pass block for 2.5+ seconds. In that category, Linderbaum ranks fourth out of 20 interior offensive linemen, again a positive stat.

How does Linderbaum compare with John Michael Schmitz?

New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The obvious answer to this question is that there is no comparison, as Linderbaum has a more impressive resume than Schmitz, who is entering his fourth season.

According to TruMedia (via the Locked On Giants podcast), among centers with at least 300 snaps last season, Schmitz also performed respectably in key categories like QB pressure rate, total pressures, and sacks allowed.

QB Pressure Rating: Schmitz 1.01% (12th out of 39), Linderbaum 1.44 (24th out of 39).
QB Pressures (via PFF): Schmitz 14 (T-16th), Linderbaum 26 (36th).
Sacks: Schmitz allowed one, Linderbaum allowed 2.

To be fair, the stats don’t indicate how many of the pressures, sacks, etc. were on the quarterback, nor do they definitely define if the center on either team was truly at fault.

But what can be said is that Schmitz, while not an All-Pro, has been functional, having turned in his best season this past year, the only ongoing issue with him being that he has yet to play a full season due to injury, missing four games in 2023 and 2025 and two in 2024.

Tyler Linderbaum: A luxury or a must-have?

Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Cost aside, Linderbaum is probably more of a luxury right now than a critical missing piece, given the current roster construction and needs as they stand.

The biggest need on the Giants’ offensive line is at guard. Greg Van Roten, Joshua Azudu, Aaron Stinney, Evan Neal, and Austin Schlottmann have all played guard for the Giants. All of those linemen are pending unrestricted free agents.

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That leaves the Giants with Jon Runyan Jr (assuming he’s not cut) and Jake Kubas as those who can play guard who are under contract for 2026, making the need to address that position much higher as of right now than the center spot.

The Giants also need depth at tight end, linebacker, cornerback, and defensive line. All of these positions, in fact, are crying out for a talent infusion, which, if we’re ranking the most pressing needs of the team, we would put center toward the bottom.

While Linderbaum would be a significant upgrade at center and an ideal addition if cap space allowed, the Giants' more pressing need is at guard. Adding two solid guards next to Schmitz could keep him serviceable for the coming season.