With Klint Kubiak at the helm and a seemingly bottomless pool of financial resources this offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders were always going to be big players in the Tyler Linderbaum market. And while signing him was a clear priority, Raider Nation is used to being left at the altar and striking out.
But John Spytek got it done, thanks to a record-breaking deal that gives the young center $27 million per year on average, and practically all of it is guaranteed. Las Vegas didn't just give him a huge wad of cash, though. As Spotrac pointed out, another player-friendly stipulation is in Linderbaum's deal.
"In addition to the $81M guaranteed for practical purposes, C Tyler Linderbaum's massive free agent contract with the #Raiders includes a no-tag provision for the 2029 season."
Raiders' Tyler Linderbaum contract has no-tag clause for 2029
That's right, after Linderbaum pockets $81 million from the Raiders over the next three years, he'll be an unrestricted free agent again, and Las Vegas won't be able to franchise or transition tag him. He will hit the open market for the second time in his career at age 28, which is still very young.
Now, that is about as player-friendly as a deal gets. Linderbaum's agent already deserved a raise for helping reset the center market by 150%, but landing a no-tag clause on top of that is masterful work. It's not like he "fleeced" the Raiders, per se, but whatever he's getting paid, it's not enough.
Linderbaum should be worth every penny for Las Vegas, fortunately, as he's an elite center, evidenced by his three Pro Bowl appearances, and he fills a massive hole on the Raiders' offensive line. He should make Fernando Mendoza and Ashton Jeanty's lives way easier.
However, unless Las Vegas can reach some sort of contract extension during his tenure with the team, this stipulation puts somewhat of a timeline on what the Raiders are building. Patience should be the priority, but if they don't figure things out by Year 2 or 3, Linderbaum could be out the door.
His internal clock will start ticking louder as he gets into his late 20s, and if he can just dart for a contender, then he may very well do that. Now, we are getting way ahead of ourselves here. Linderbaum hasn't even practiced with the Raiders yet, and he's under contract through 2028.
It should be noted, also, that none of the contracts that Las Vegas handed out this offseason exceeded a three-year deal, so it's not like Linderbaum is being treated any differently. But for the Raiders not to have the option to tag Linderbaum puts them in a more precarious position.
To me, it is simple: Las Vegas, at the very least, needs to be steadily trending in the right direction and perhaps a solid playoff team by the 2028 NFL season; otherwise, Linderbaum could be as good as gone the following offseason. Money always talks, but it's not the only thing that ultimately matters.
Building this the right way is what will keep Linderbaum happy in the long term. The payday was certainly nice and should set his family up for generations, but Kubiak and Spytek only targeted players who want to win and be a part of something special. It's time for the Raiders to deliver.