Ravens Backup Plan for Tyler Linderbaum Would Spell Disaster

Many Baltimore Ravens fans are going to be sweating it out over the next two weeks as the team works on their contract negotiations for three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has spoken about a "market-setting" offer to Linderbaum to stay on the team, but there is a chance a deal won't be agreed, and he ends up signing elsewhere. ESPN NFL analyst Aaron Schatz shared his one free agent signing projection on each team, with Buffalo Bills free agent center Connor McGovern getting the nod for the Ravens.

"The Ravens are going to need a replacement at center if Tyler Linderbaum leaves town," he wrote. "Why not the underrated 28-year-old McGovern, who quietly had one of the top seasons for a center in 2025? His 97.2% pass block win rate last season matched Linderbaum for second place behind Kansas City's Creed Humphrey. And McGovern's 72.6% run block win rate ranked third among all centers."

Why Connor McGovern's potential signing would be bad for many reasons for Ravens

First off, losing a player of Linderbaum's caliber would be awful for the Ravens, especially since he's just 25 years old. Last year, Pro Football Focus graded him at 80.3, the fifth-highest among 40 centers in the NFL who qualified. He also got a run block grade of 83.7, ranking fourth in the NFL among centers.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and center Tyler Linderbaum | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

This is a player who can be among the best centers in the NFL for a long time, as he probably has another 10 to 12 years left in his career and has made the Pro Bowl three years in a row in four years in the league. Those types of players don't just fall out of trees.

It should be noted that this isn't anything against McGovern, as he is a great center in his own right and has already been reported as the backup option for the Ravens if Linderbaum does not sign a new deal with them. He was the 15th-ranked center in the NFL with a PFF grade of 69.1 and has been a solid starter in the league for six years, with one Pro Bowl selection in 2024.

The problem is that this could set the wrong precedent for other Ravens players over the next five years who want to negotiate a contract extension. It's the same situation with the contract negotiations for quarterback Lamar Jackson, and how ugly that can get if Baltimore can't get a deal done. Players on the team have to feel that the Ravens will take care of them if they play well, so missed opportunities for Linderbaum and Jackson could be bad.

This team is all about doing what is best for Jackson, and Linderbaum has been stellar in his young career. Bringing him back would set the foundation for the Jesse Minter era as the new head coach in the right way.

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