With the Las Vegas Raiders in the midst of the 2026 free agency period, the team has been making some big moves with first-year head coach Klint Kubiak. As there had been rumors surrounding the Raiders and who they would pursue, the latest is a huge get in signing offensive lineman Tyler Linderbaum.

Coming from the Baltimore Ravens, the center has signed a three-year, $81 million contract that has $60 million guaranteed, which makes him “the highest paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history.”

“ESPN Sources: former Ravens free-agent center Tyler Linderbaum reached [an] agreement today on a record deal with the Raiders, who are awarding him with a three-year, $81 million deal that includes $60 million guaranteed and makes him the highest paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history,” Schefter wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Linderbaum is considered a top center in the NFL and will be paid as such, getting paid roughly $27 million per year. The next highest paid player in the position is the Kansas City Chiefs' Creed Humphrey at $18 million.

The Raiders have been in pursuit of Tyler Linderbaum

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Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum (64) during warmups before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

There is no doubt that the deal is huge for an offensive lineman, but it seemed to be expected as the Raiders had been linked to Linderbaum and their pursuit of a star on the interior. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN in a column last Wednesday, he mentioned how Las Vegas would be looking for a top interior offensive lineman, with Linderbaum one of the names.

“Similar situation to Tennessee — a bad roster with a ton of cap space to improve it. Expect the Raiders to be in on some of the top interior offensive linemen, such as Tyler Linderbaum or Zion Johnson, as well as defensive reinforcements,” Fowler wrote in the column last Wednesday. “Whether edge rusher Maxx Crosby is traded or not will inform their direction, too.”

At any rate, with the likely foregone conclusion that the Raiders will be selecting Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, the team is looking to protect their potential face of the franchise.