We Got Linderbaum

[Attyla]

bam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sold My Soul]

Linderbaum was ranked No. 5 among The Athletic’s top 150 free agents and was the top center — and offensive lineman — available.

How he fits

The Raiders desperately needed to improve an offensive line that finished last in the league in rushing success rate last season. New head coach Klint Kubiak wants to run the ball — the Seahawks had the league’s highest rush rate last year with him as offensive coordinator. Linderbaum is one of the best run blockers in the league at his position. The Raiders lured him out of Baltimore with a deal that reset the center market by nearly $10 million.

2026 roster impact

The center makes the protection calls and run game adjustments in Kubiak’s offense. The Raiders will presumably draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick, so pairing him with a young center (26 years old) who can take that mental load off of the rookie will be huge. Linderbaum will bolster the Raiders’ run game and provide a level of comfort for their quarterback of the future.

Cap update

The Raiders are flush with cap space after trading away Maxx Crosby and have a ways to go to reach the spending minimum. This deal completely resets the center market, but the Raiders get a player they desperately need and should still have over $90 million of cap space to work with. They can still look to add another piece to their offensive line through free agency.

Ted Nguyen’s takeaway

Although they paid a hefty price, this was a great move considering they have to spend and got one of the top young players on the market who will tremendously benefit a young quarterback.

[Goodtimes333]

Caleb Rogers is ideally suited to Kubiaks scheme. You also generally are not going to have 5 proven studs on the line. There's always gonna be someone starting who is upside, inexperienced etc. Very happy to have Linderbaum. He's not a hoodrat or a lazy ass. He's proven and he's still young. He stays healthy. So much to like with this move. Raiders got much better today!

[Sold My Soul]

Raiders land top center Tyler Linderbaum

Top 150 ranking: 5
Reported deal: 3 years, $81 million
Grade: A

The Raiders opened up the checkbook for the three-time Pro Bowl center and will charge him with the task of anchoring the line that’s expected to protect No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza and open lanes for second-year back Ashton Jeanty. Linderbaum is powerful, athletic and durable, having started all 17 games in three of his four seasons in Baltimore. His leadership will prove extremely valuable in coach Klint Kubiak’s system and will help ease pressure on a young quarterback. — Jones

[Sold My Soul]

For the Raiders, Linderbaum fits as an investment on multiple levels. He's one of the more athletic centers in the league, and that will be needed as new coach Klint Kubiak installs what is likely to be a play-action, zone-heavy scheme. As I covered in my Super Bowl preview, Kubiak's Seahawks offense installed more gap runs and a wider range of concepts than the classic stretch offense his father, Gary, learned and then operated along with the Shanahan family years ago. But having athletic interior linemen is essential if an offense wants to make a zone run game work.

Linderbaum can be physically overpowered by bigger defensive tackles at times, but he's one of the league's better one-on-one pass-blocking centers. He will be an essential set of eyes for presumptive first pick Fernando Mendoza, helping to set protections and sort out the many pressures the Raiders will see from their AFC West opponents. Is this an overpay? Probably, but if the Raiders were going to overpay for anybody, Linderbaum was the right guy to go over the top and add.

[WNYRAIDER]

So styles will be a perennial all pro and Vega will not work here.

.....can we agree to keep a lid on this until after the draft?.... (aka, if this information ever fell in to the wrong hands,...)

[rich72]

Our offense is going to look good this season. Pete Carrols hipster son and Chip Kelly were so awful that they made our offense worse than it should have been. With competent coaches and an upgraded roster the difference will be night and day this season.

[Opoponax50]

Our offense is going to look good this season. Pete Carrols hipster son and Chip Kelly were so awful that they made our offense worse than it should have been. With competent coaches and an upgraded roster the difference will be night and day this season.

Yep. We don't know WTF we have with any of our draft picks from last year because they barely saw the field. It could mean that we don't need to draft IOL or maybe it's an urgent need. We just don't know.

This season is going to require a lot of ongoing evaluation at O-line and WR. Maybe we have capable players at those positions, maybe we don't.

[WNYRAIDER]

Yep. We don't know WTF we have with any of our draft picks from last year because they barely saw the field. It could mean that we don't need to draft IOL or maybe it's an urgent need. We just don't know.

This season is going to require a lot of ongoing evaluation at O-line and WR. Maybe we have capable players at those positions, maybe we don't.

...I say, invest a high pick, and possibly the 14 pick, in a legit tackle and let him compete with what we have at the rt tackle spot, as regardless of what could happen there, Miller is likely to need someone to step in with him at some point, and we also have to look forward at the tackle position regardless,m and I really don'tr know what we could possibly need more at that pick, in this draft, and knowing what we can fill elsewhere shortly after and still have quality choices when doing so.

[BotesBoats]

Desperately waiting for this signing to be announced. But I can't get on social media because I haven't watched the Arsenal game yet and I don't want it spoiled. lol

[raider_kin]

Desperately waiting for this signing to be announced. But I can't get on social media because I haven't watched the Arsenal game yet and I don't want it spoiled. lol

It's just kickball, let it go.

PS all kidding aside, were you in the navy?

[BotesBoats]

It's just kickball, let it go.

PS all kidding aside, were you in the navy?

Nope. Good guess though

[raider_kin]

Nope. Good guess though

Thought maybe you were a boatswain's mate

[Cruisin with Tooz]

Shouldnt we have heard that the contract has been signed by now?

[KillerRaider30]

Sorry far the kicker Koonce and CB Taron Johnson have been made official.

[Attyla]

Shouldnt we have heard that the contract has been signed by now?

making sure we get that kicker signed first