Ravens Hopeful To Keep Tyler Linderbaum Despite His Market Potentially Exceeding $22M Per Year

According to Jordan Schultz, Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum continues to be a hot commodity as the NFL Scouting Combine gets underway. Schultz says he’s heard the expectation for Linderbaum as a free agent could be over $22 million a year. 

“The center is the extension of the coach for most of these teams, and he’s 25, a 3-time Pro Bowler, and just getting started in his career,” one executive for a team told Schultz.

He adds the Ravens remain hopeful they can retain Linderbaum the same way they held on to LT Ronnie Stanley last year, who also had a hot market. 

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said Tuesday that they have a “market-setting” contract offer on the table for Linderbaum.

The Chargers and Giants have emerged as two teams expected to hotly pursue Linderbaum, and there will probably be others, as he’s one of the top free agents set to be available this year. 

Chiefs C Creed Humphrey currently paces all centers at $18 million a year. Linderbaum has been expected to exceed that easily as a free agent on the open market. 

Linderbaum, 25, was a three-year starter at Iowa and earned first-team All-American honors in 2021 and 2020, to go along with a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2021, second-team All-Big Ten in 2020, and an honorable mention in 2019.

The Ravens used the No. 25 overall pick on him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was entering the final year of a four-year, $13,238,286 contract that included a $6,807,844 signing bonus when the Ravens declined his fifth-year option, projected to be worth $23.4 million fully guaranteed for the 2026 season.

Linderbaum is slated to be an unrestricted free agent in 2026. 

In 2025, Linderbaum appeared in all 17 games for the Ravens and started all 17 games at center. Pro Football Focus had him graded as the No. 4 center out of 37 qualifying players. 

We have him included in our Top 100 2026 Free Agents list.