The Las Vegas Raiders desperately need to sort out the offensive line this season, as it has arguably been the worst position room in the entire NFL. After moving Jackson Powers-Johnson from center this offseason, the team has played Jordan Meredith, Will Putnam, and Alex Cappa at the position.
None of those three has exactly been inspiring, posting 57.8, 30.8, and 50.4 Pro Football Focus grades, respectively. If Powers-Johnson isn't going to play center, Las Vegas has a clear need to upgrade the position heading into 2026, as it has been a weak spot all season.
Las Vegas would be wise to target pending free agent Tyler Linderbaum, who is just 25 years old and already one of the league's best centers. A few recent extensions from the Baltimore Ravens, Linderbaum's team, may have cleared the Raiders' path a bit more to landing him.
The Raiders have an avenue to land a premier center this offseason
Linderbaum has been one of the league's best centers since the Ravens selected him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was the 2021 winner of the Rimington Trophy for being college football's best center, and he has earned two Pro Bowl nods thus far at the professional level.
Baltimore, however, was forced to decline his fifth-year option due to financial reasons, setting him up to be a free agent this offseason. They recently agreed to extensions with both tight end Mark Andrews and defensive tackle Travis Jones, making it less likely that they can afford Linderbaum.
Ravens fans were already worried about the team's ability to pay Linderbaum when they extended safety Kyle Hamilton, but the added long-term deals with both Andrews and Jones have left them with very little wiggle room.
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The Raiders, who have over $100 million in cap space this offseason, would be wise to outbid any organization for Linderbaum's services. As mentioned, the star center is just 25 years old, so he can be a clear part of the future, and he has been among the league's best at his position already.
His 76.6 PFF grade ranks eighth among 38 centers, while his 64.4 pass block grade and 79.6 run block grade rank 15th and ninth, respectively. Linderbaum would provide Las Vegas with a key upgrade to the offensive line and give them an anchor on the interior.
If the team can add the star center to an offensive line that features Kolton Miller, Powers-Johnson, and Caleb Rogers in 2026, the unit could transform from a weakness to a strength. Furthermore, his addition would strongly benefit any potential rookie quarterback and running back Ashton Jeanty.
While the Ravens should hope to bring Linderbaum back, their recent extensions make it less likely that they will be able to do so, financially speaking. The Raiders would be wise to take advantage of their cap situation by offering the pending free agent a deal that he cannot turn down.