Ravens won't offer 5th option on Lindy

[tsylvester]

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ravens-wont-exercise-tyler-linderbaums-fifth-year-option

If center Tyler Linderbaum remains with the Ravens for the 2026 season, it will have to be on a different contract than his current one.

The Ravens announced on Wednesday that they will not exercise their fifth-year option on Linderbaum’s rookie deal. Safety Kyle Hamilton’s option is going to be picked up.

General Manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement that the team is interested in signing Linderbaum to a new contract.

“While we will not apply the fifth-year option to Tyler Linderbaum, it is our intention for him to remain a Baltimore Raven long term,” DeCosta said.

Linderbaum would have been guaranteed $23.403 million under the terms of the option. That would make him the highest-paid center in the league by far, so a deal that puts him in the same $17-18 million average annual salary as Creed Humphrey and Cam Jurgens is likely the route the Ravens will try to go.

[oldno82]

Good for Hamilton, Linderbaum, and the team. Hamilton stays a year longer, actually 2 years from now, and Linderbaum will get a new contract. He won't receive the extension probably because that $23.4 million includes an average of all interior linemen, OT's who are traditionally paid much higher than Centers, included. I think they'll get a deal done but it may take a few months.

[papasmurfbell]

This is why I wanted to draft a center.  He will want top 3 center money and he isn’t as good as them,  some sucker team will do it though so I think this is his last yr.  I expect Hamilton to be signed to a long term deal before the season starts.

[tsylvester]

They brought in a couple of centers via undrafter free agency, we shall see how good one or both are. I do expect Lindy to be reasonable

[papasmurfbell]

Why?   In 26 we have 45 mil in space but only 27 players under contract.  We are tight on the cap next yr.  Unless Lamar redoes his deal I see cuts coming bc we can’t afford them.  

[tsylvester]

Oh he will redo his deal, as will Smith, that will give the team close to $80-90 mil in cap space next year

[papasmurfbell]

Or he bets on himself again and  takes the 74 mil.  

[oldno82]

What are the possible outlines of a new deal Lamar would take?

[papasmurfbell]

Depends.  I would expect a jump over the dak or Allen deals.  But again if he sits tight he will get paid more than that over the next 2 yrs and then can do a whole new deal at that times going rate.  If I were his agent I would say sit tight.  It’s not like the last deal was smooth sailing.  

[tsylvester]

6 hours ago, oldno82 said:

What are the possible outlines of a new deal Lamar would take?

Likey just as with Allen who sign a six year deal worth $55 mil per year. Lamar will get, based on Harbs and Eric's own words, a higher or the highest deal. So at least $56 mil per year, six year deal, the last 2 maybe void years.

[papasmurfbell]

Why not go for passing dak at $60 mil per?

[tsylvester]

Dak is a Cowboy, like the Browns, different rules

[oldno82]

Given how difficult the negotiations were last time, and the fact that Lamar is currently not a Super Bowl winner, this would be a good time to get started on negotiations now before the price goes up even higher.

If Lamar gets us a Super Bowl, I'm not sure whether we could afford him.

[papasmurfbell]

20 hours ago, tsylvester said:

Dak is a Cowboy, like the Browns, different rules

Lamar can demand that number.  
 

19 hours ago, oldno82 said:

Given how difficult the negotiations were last time, and the fact that Lamar is currently not a Super Bowl winner, this would be a good time to get started on negotiations now before the price goes up even higher.

If Lamar gets us a Super Bowl, I'm not sure whether we could afford him.

 

19 hours ago, oldno82 said:

Given how difficult the negotiations were last time, and the fact that Lamar is currently not a Super Bowl winner, this would be a good time to get started on negotiations now before the price goes up even higher.

If Lamar gets us a Super Bowl, I'm not sure whether we could afford him.

im very confident we are safe there.

[tsylvester]

I have to believe that Lamar knows his worth to this team, that he now realizes how tasty a championship can be and perhaps more importantly, what it takes ro get one. He is smart, sees how these high salaries are hurting a team's chance to win it all.

So yes, I am sure he wants the money, shoot he has enough now for a generation or two even if he stopped playing now. He will get his, and make sure so do the teammates needed to get him what he really wants, a ring.

[papasmurfbell]

He could have taken a pay cut any time over the last 3 yrs.  He never did.  I can see his ego tell him that he like mahomes can have 15% of the cap and win a ring.  He is not Pat.  He will want his bag again.  Really Eric is the joker. 

[tsylvester]

If you look at the strides of improvement from Lamar's passing over the past few years yes, you can see a vast improvement. Sure, he still struggles with those deep passes, but he is on par with most of the best and still getting better.

Look at Mahomes last year, bad line, no real threat at receivers nor true running game, he was not as good as year's past.

My point, it takes a lot to reveal a qbs true talent, and I think we are now seeing Lamar really coming into his own.

[papasmurfbell]

The issue is Lamar gives unforced errors when it counts.  Yes mahomes had issues with the talent around him.  But he did drag a pretty talent bare team to the sb.  Put mahomes on the ravens last yr and he wins the title and loses 2 games at most.  

[tsylvester]

Yes, I agree, the turn overs from Lamar in the playoffs are perhaps the biggest issue. Without them last year, I've no doubt the Ravens win the Super Bowl; none. They controlled the Bills right up to the point of his fumble, the Bills defense could not stop the Ravens offense and were getting gassed.

But, Mahomes had a defense that could make up for his failings last year, up until the Eagles came calling.

Lamar last year against Buffalo, did not have that, the pass rush disappeared, the picks were dropped, even though the defense forced numerous punts, the rest of the offense also dropped the ball, pun fully intended.

We shall see if Lamar grows from these set backs, wins a Super Bowl or two. Maybe he never does, ala Marino and other great qbs.

[papasmurfbell]

No.  That ol he had was poor.  The WRs were poor.  Kelce was just ok.