The Las Vegas Raiders have had an eventful week. Things began with the Maxx Crosby trade, as the fanbase bid adieu to the long-time face of the franchise, only to have the Baltimore Ravens pull out of the deal just four days later.
In that timeframe, John Spytek got to work, upgrading the roster on both sides of the ball. While most of the moves came on defense, the splash signing was former Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum, who agreed to a record-setting three-year, $81 million contract with $60 million in guaranteed money.
Las Vegas' offensive line was a massive issue last season, but Linderbaum should provide a major boost up front. The move should kickstart the rebuild in the same manner that signing Rodney Hudson did ahead of the 2015 season.
Let's party like it's 2016, then.
Tyler Linderbaum joining the Raiders should remind fans of the Rodney Hudson signing
The Raiders were in a similar place to begin the 2015 offseason. They finished just 3-13 the previous season, and had just hired head coach Jack Del Rio. The offensive line had some quality pieces, notably veteran tackle Donald Penn and young guard Gabe Jackson.
Similarly, they entered this offseason, which followed a 3-14 season, with veteran tackle Kolton Miller and young guard Jackson Powers-Johnson. They are also set to embark on a new era under head coach Klint Kubiak.
Their splash signing of that 2015 offseason? 25-year-old Rodney Hudson, who they made the highest-paid center in league history at the time, with a five-year, $44.5 million deal that included $20 million in guaranteed money.
The deal was a massive turning point for the franchise, as they went 7-9 in 2015 before a 12-4 finish the following year, recording both a winning record and reaching the postseason for the first time since 2002.
That offensive line group, which, coincidentally, added Baltimore guard Kelechi Osemele ahead of the 2016 NFL season, was dubbed "Carr Insurance," in honor of their protecting quarterback Derek Carr. The unit was a major reason for the quick turnaround.
Las Vegas once again chose to splash on a 25-year-old center in 2026; however, this time, they made Linderbaum the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history. The signing should once again catapult the offensive line from one of the league's weakest units to one of the strongest.
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Fans have already begun calling the unit "Fernando's Fortress" in anticipation of the selection of projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Of course, there is still plenty of work to be done in building both the offensive line and the rest of the roster.
However, Raider Nation would certainly be thrilled if the team could make a similar jump in Linderbaum's first year on the roster. ESPN's Adam Schefter appeared on Get Up on Tuesday, revealing that the deal caught the attention of the NFL world.
"The one contract that caught the attention of the entire National Football League, that's still being talked about today and will be talked about, is the contract given to Tyler Linderbaum, the center," Schefter said. "They gave him a three-year deal, which teams are loathed to do that. They don't want a player there for three, they want them there for four years, five years. So, Tyler Linderbaum gets this huge deal with the chance to become a free agent again at the age of 28, and that is the deal that I can tell you caught the attention of everybody across the league."
Kubiak's system relies on the center to set the protection, identify the "Mike" linebacker, and make adjustments at the line of scrimmage. Linderbaum has proven not only to be the best center on the market but also one of the best in the entire league, capable of everything Kubiak wants.
While there are plenty of similarities to Hudson, one way the two do differentiate is that Linderbaum comes to the Raiders with a decorated background. Hudson had never reached the Pro Bowl before joining the franchise. Meanwhile, the latter has earned three such nods in his first four seasons.
Of course, time will tell if bringing in Linderbaum has the same impact on the rebuild that the Hudson signing did over a decade ago. For now, fans should certainly be thrilled with Spytek's vision, as he landed a potential game-changer.
Hopefully, Raider Nation will soon enjoy the success that they did in 2016.