As the Cleveland Browns look to rebuild their o-line, one insider believes Tyler Linderbaum could be in play
With the NFL's 'legal tampering' window scheduled to open at noon on Monday, the Cleveland Browns' offensive rebuild will officially get underway. According to one insider, one of the top offensive line free agents may very well be on the menu.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer listed the Browns as one of the teams he believes will be a "bidder" for Baltimore Ravens free agent center Tyler Linderbaum, who is expected to set the market for center salaries. Breer also noted that he didn't necessarily believe Linderbaum would get the exact figure he's looking for, despite having plenty of suitors.
"My understanding is Linderbaum’s camp is shooting for $25 million per year, which would be a whopping 38% increase on the $18 million per year that the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey got in 2024 to become the NFL’s highest-paid center," wrote Breer.
"I’m not sure if Linderbaum will get there. However, I’d expect the Commanders, Raiders and Browns all to be in the bidding, and the tenor of it would affect a bunch of other teams, as well."
Cleveland being linked to Linderbaum shouldn't be a total surprise. He thrived in each of the last three seasons with Todd Monken as the offensive coordinator in Baltimore. This past season in particular, the 25-year-old ranked 5th among 60 qualifying centers on PFF with an overall grade of 80.2. He has an 83.7 run blocking grade and a 63.4 pass blocking grade.
Despite being one of the top centers in the game, Baltimore opted not to pick up the 5th year option in Linderbaum's rookie contract. The fully guaranteed option year is calculated for each player based on a base figure, playing time and accolades, which would have left Linderbaum making upwards of what he's asking for on the open market.
The Ravens likely believed they could lock him up long-term for a lower AAV, hence letting him become a free agent. Right now, Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey has the highest AAV among centers at $18 million per year.
Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta said at the NFL Combine that they've already offered Linderbaum a "market-setting deal." Whether or not the Browns are will to go above and beyond to attempt to sign him will reveal itself in the coming day.
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