Ravens GM Gives Update on Tyler Linderbaum Contract Situation

The Baltimore Ravens' Pro Bowl center is still a long ways away from re-signing with the team.

Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum (64) on field prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens' week has been largely defined by their introducing head coach Jesse Minter's new platoon of coordinators to team media, but their offseason's lengthy remaining to-do list remains on the front office's mind.

Amidst an agenda list that still includes touching base with Lamar Jackson on the franchise's short- and long-term goals and rebuilding from last year's underperforming defense, arguably no recent contributor is expected to dominant the next few months of Ravens-related news quite like Tyler Linderbaum.

Despite racking up acclaim as one of the game's best young centers, he's set to headline Baltimore's outgoing free agents as the team that drafted him attempts to come up with an enticing contract agreement. Plenty of time remains before teams can technically court untethered options like Linderbaum, but as Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta revealed in a recent appearance with "The Inner Circle Podcast and Aaron Donald," he's working on a solution to bringing the sides together.

"We’ve got some work to do on Tyler Linderbaum’s contract,” DeCosta commented. “He’s a free agent. We strongly hope to have him back. He’s a great player for us and a great leader.”

Jan 29, 2026; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Eric DeCosta during press conference at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images | Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images

What's the Hold-Up?

If DeCosta sounds so eager to re-ink Linderbaum and save his already-flimsy offensive line from further falling apart, it's worth looking back at all of the chances he had to keep Linderbaum in the building when he could have over his first four seasons.

The center's affinity for end-of-season awards certainly drove his value up as seasons continued passing, as he now has three Pro Bowls to show for every campaign since his rookie trial. That didn't stop the Ravens from passing up on forking over Linderbaum's fifth-year option, a deal that would have paid $23.4 million to the rising star, with DeCosta standing by his preference for a long-term agreement in explaining his rationale.

Nov 16, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) warms-up with center Tyler Linderbaum (64) prior to a game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Now, he's favored to land more money than just about every other free agent in his summer class, meaning that if the Ravens don't completely flop in allowing the lead offensive lineman to walk, they'll have to sacrifice an obscene amount of their cap to keep him within their walls.

Jackson will certainly suffer more than anyone from Linderbaum's dramatic departure, as he found himself in enough trouble with the center actually in attendance, but as someone else who similarly went to war with the front office in campaigning for the money he believed he was worth, he can probably empathize with this saga. The player's already clarified his willingness to return to Baltimore if the money's right, but after he had to spend years waiting for the fitting extension that never arrived, he'll be sure to enjoy his turn with the leverage.

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