The Las Vegas Raiders were well-positioned to land Tyler Linderbaum ahead of free agency, considering they had the most salary cap space in the league, desperately needed reinforcements up front, and new head coach Klint Kubiak has stressed the importance of the center position.
But it wasn't going to be easy to land the crown jewel of this year's free agency class, as the 25-year-old center is a perennial Pro Bowler with endless suitors and a very high pricetag attached to his services. Plus, he had major connections to the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens.
Ultimately, though, none of that mattered. Linderbaum reached an agreement with the Raiders on Monday, just hours after the legal tampering period began. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Linderbaum is set to sign a market-shattering three-year deal worth $81 million. $27 million per year.
Raiders land ultimate prize in free agency with Tyler Linderbaum signing
Las Vegas was fairly quiet in the early portion of Monday's shenanigans, but it is now obvious why: They were working out details with the best free agent on the market and finalizing a deal that will change everything for the franchise. A successful and massive hunt for the Raiders' front office.
Linderbaum will be a pivotal piece of the Las Vegas offensive line going forward, as his presence will positively and directly affect both Ashton Jeanty and projected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, a young quarterback from Indiana who will need all the help that he can get.
Having an anchor in the middle of the offensive line is critical, as not only is Linderbaum set to be the physical centerpiece, but he will be in charge of diagnosing the defense and communicating what he finds to both the quarterback and his fellow offensive linemen.
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Although Linderbaum's deal resets the market by a wide margin (the highest-paid center before Monday was Creed Humphrey at $18 million per year), it is hard to argue with Spytek's decision to go pay top-dollar for a young player who is so critical to Kubiak's offensive operation.
If the Raiders play their cards right, Linderbaum could be around for the next decade or so, snapping the ball to Mendoza on every Sunday for the foreseeable future. It is difficult not to get excited about that, even at the exorbitant price he is being paid.
Las Vegas has only made three free agency moves -- signing Linderbaum and Jalen Nailor, as well as re-signing Eric Stokes -- and each of them has made the team better. None will impact the team as much as adding Linderbaum, however.