The Baltimore Ravens picked up S Kyle Hamilton’s fifth-year option, but not C Tyler Linderbaum’s in a justified decision. As seems so often the case, it’s actually the NFL that is to blame. For whatever reason, the fifth-year option value bunches all offensive linemen into a single group, despite varying pay scales. Put simply, Linderbaum’s fifth-year option amount was way out of proportion for center pay as it currently stands.
In other words, the Ravens’ decision on Linderbaum is perfectly reasonable, and says nothing about his future in Baltimore. In fact, to that end, the team attached some actual words to that effect. And in this case, words speak much louder than actions.
“It is our intention for him to remain a Raven long term”, GM Eric DeCosta said about Tyler Linderbaum. And there is no reason to think otherwise, just because the NFL shackled them with an untenable fifth-year option number.
The Ravens drafted Tyler Linderbaum 25th overall in 2022. He has started all but two games since then, making the Pro Bowl twice. Of course, Linderbaum’s success significantly raised his price, as well. The option amount has an ascending scale based on playing time and Pro Bowls made.
Linderbaum hit every one of those scales, leaving the Ravens at the absolute top of his market. While that may sound like sour grapes for landing a good player, understand that this is the same price any first-round left tackle who made two Pro Bowls would command.
So let’s put some hard numbers on this. The base value for a 2022 first-round offensive lineman is $16,685,000. They increases slightly with playing time, but the scale jumps with Pro Bowls. One Pro Bowl ascends to $21,272,000, and two or more to $23,403,000. The Ravens have the misfortune of Linderbaum being one of only three 2022 first-round picks to hit the top escalator.
The highest-paid center in the NFL is the Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey. Just last year, he signed a four-year extension averaging $18 million per season. The Ravens would have had to guarantee Linderbaum over $5 million more than the position ceiling by exercising his option. Of course they were never going to do that, and even the playing time escalator would have been tough, nearly matching Humphrey’s average annual salary.
For comparison, the highest-paid left tackle is Tristan Wirfs, making $28.1 million per season. That’s over $10 million more than the highest-paid center, Humphrey earning about 64 percent of Williams’ amount. If the fifth-year option were scaled to position, the Ravens would only have to pay Linderbaum about $15 million.
This probably isn’t what Steelers rookie DL Yahya Black wants to hear, but the Ravens are not letting Linderbaum go. Black spent two years powerless against Linderbaum ragdolling him in practice at Iowa. Here’s to hoping, after three years of maturing, he is now up for the challenge.
