Tyler Linderbaum rumor doesn't bode well for Ravens' hopes of keeping Pro Bowl center

One of the most sought-after free agents this offseason is going to be Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Linderbaum is one of the better centers in the NFL and will be one of the best players available in free agency this offseason. If the Ravens let him test the waters, there's going to be plenty of competition.

And that's something NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah confirmed on Thursday.

The draft guru said he's hearing that Linderbaum has a "robust" market this offseason. He also joked he would love to be Linderbaum's agent as a result.

"I mean look, there’s a lot of jobs that are great," Jeremiah said. "I love my job but if I could switch jobs for just the next couple months I’d want to be Tyler Linderbaum’s agent because everybody that I talk to seems to be in on Tyler Linderbaum. So it sounds like he’s going to have a robust market. Congratulations to him and his family."

Of course, that is not surprising at all. Top-flight offensive linemen don't often hit the open market, and when they do, teams line up around the block to sign them because of the premium put on the position group as a whole.

This is obviously terrible news for the Ravens, as the more teams get involved, the higher Linderbaum's price is likely to go, which could price Baltimore out entirely, especially if Linderbaum resets the market at center, which is very possible.

The Ravens could prevent Linderbaum from hitting the open market by slapping the franchise tag on him, but that would carry a staggering price tag of $27.9 million, all of which would be on the Ravens' books for 2026 if they don't eventually sign Linderbaum to an extension.

As important as Linderbaum is, the Ravens have to weigh investing a ton in the veteran center while the team has many other needs to address.

We'll see if the Ravens can make it all work, but as of right now, it isn't looking good for Linderbaum sticking around in Baltimore for the long haul.

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