Tyler Linderbaum Update Following Ravens' Maxx Crosby Trade

Maxx Crosby is going to play for the Baltimore Ravens in 2026, and that should excite the entire fan base.

The Ravens executed a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, sending a 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick out west in exchange for Crosby. It's the first time in franchise history that the Ravens traded a first-round pick for a player, and now they have two first-round picks being sent for a five-time Pro Bowler.

This is such a significant move for the Ravens as they move forward with a guy who has racked up 69.5 sacks in seven seasons with no concerns at edge rusher anymore.

There is still a massive question with days before the 2026 new league year begins: what about center Tyler Linderbaum?

Will the Ravens be able to re-sign Tyler Linderbaum to a new deal?

Linderbaum is days away from being a free agent after the Ravens passed on picking up his fifth-year option on his rookie deal. Regardless of the outcome, it was a smart financial move: Baltimore would have been giving him over $20 million last year, and the highest-paid center in the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs' Creed Humphrey, is getting $18 million a year, so the move was understandable.

Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It leaves the Ravens in a situation where they may lose a guy who has made the Pro Bowl three years in a row, with a four-season career in Baltimore. All indications have been that the Ravens and Linderbaum have been working hard to find a new deal, to the point that Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta told the media at the NFL Combine that he offered a "market-setting" contract to Linderbaum.

This could mean a variety of things, but most likely it would be between $18 million and $ 20 million. The problem is Linderbaum is asking for $25 million per season, which could mean that if the Ravens can't get to or close to that number, he will walk and test the free agency market.

Where does Crosby come into all of this? Well, the Ravens have a $30 million cap hit for Crosby in 2026, so something will need to be worked out, whether that is a new contract extension or a restructuring of his current deal. Once that number is lowered, the Ravens can try to navigate the Linderbaum negotiation from there.

Many within the Ravens fan base have seen the Crosby trade as a sign that the team will not be re-signing Linderbaum because it would be too expensive to bring both back. Technically, if the Ravens can restructure Crosby and star quarterback Lamar Jackson's contracts, it's possible to make it happen. Jackson's $74.5 million 2026 cap hit will be gone in the next few days, whether he gets a new contract or just gets restructured.

There is a pathway that would allow the Ravens to pay over $20 million if needed. Is DeCosta willing to do that? That's another question that won't be answered for another few days.

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