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.