{"id":50783,"date":"2025-05-24T03:59:56","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T03:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50783"},"modified":"2025-05-24T03:59:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-24T03:59:56","slug":"ravens-on-the-clock-to-extend-23-million-pro-bowl-starter-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50783","title":{"rendered":"Ravens \u2018on the Clock\u2019 to Extend $23 Million Pro Bowl Starter"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"c-content entry-content\">\n<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\" class=\"wp-caption \">\n<div class=\"h-responsive\">\n<figure class=\"h-responsive__inner\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2177108545.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2177108545.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2177108545.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2177108545.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"The Ravens are 'on the clock' to extend elite center Tyler Linderbaum, writes Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.\" width=\"780\" height=\"536\" data-img-load-time=\"1620\" data-dom-ready-time=\"1758\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption-credit\">Getty<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"c-post-image-caption-text\">Tyler Linderbaum #64 and Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens embrace before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Baltimore\u00a0crossed off the No. 1 item on their offseason checklist in March by bringing back Pro Bowl right tackle\u00a0Ronnie Stanley. Now, following\u00a0Derrick Henry\u2018s\u00a0record-setting deal\u00a0earlier this week, the Ravens\u2019 front office has earned the right to breathe a small sigh of relief. But, Ravens\u2019 GM Eric DeCosta still has some work to do, especially at the center position, according to\u00a0The Athletic\u2018s Jeff Zrebiec. Zrebiec highlighted seven Ravens who are extension candidates heading into the 2025 season, writing that they \u201care on the clock if they want to extend\u00a0[Tyler] Linderbaum.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Ravens \u2018on the Clock\u2019 to Make Decision on Linderbaum\u2019s Future<\/h2>\n<p>Zrebiec lays out the case for each extension candidate, arguing the reasons for and against an extension and clarifying the level of urgency to get a deal done. Linderbaum leads the way, in terms of urgency, with Zrebiec writing that they \u201care on the clock.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Star quarterback\u00a0Lamar Jackson\u00a0and top-level safety\u00a0Kyle Hamilton\u00a0slot in just ahead or behind Linderbaum, depending on the Ravens\u2019 preference. As Zrebiec writes, a new deal for Jackson \u201cis necessary in the next 10 months\u201d and \u201cneeds to become an organizational priority.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately for Linderbaum, he \u201cis a victim of his success,\u201d\u00a0writes Zrebiec in a separate piece, as Pro Bowl berths and playing time impact fifth-year option values.<\/p>\n<p>Linderbaum has earned two Pro Bowl berths in his first three seasons, sending the cost of his fifth-year option up to a record-setting $23.4 million. That would put him far above the NFL\u2019s current highest-paid center,\u00a0Creed Humphrey\u00a0of the\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs. Humphrey signed a 4-year, $72 million extension last August.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Ravens declined Linderbaum\u2019s option, but that was because centers are grouped with tackles and it would have cost them over $23 million,\u201d writes Zrebiec. \u201cStill, top-of-the-market center money, which Linderbaum deserves, is $18 million a year. That\u2019s a significant expenditure for a cash-strapped team.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Making the Case for Extending Linderbaum<\/h2>\n<p>In making the case for extending Linderbaum, the pros far outweigh the cons. The fourth-year center was already in the top five at his position last season, according to\u00a0PFF. He has not allowed a sack since his rookie year and has shown significant improvement in each of his three seasons.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith his toughness, consistency and work ethic, he exemplifies the qualities Ravens decision-makers look for,\u201d writes Zrebiec. \u201cIf they don\u2019t extend him before next offseason, they\u2019ll potentially have to use the franchise tag, and that will be costly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Zrebiec notes that the Ravens could opt to use the franchise tag to keep Linderbaum around for at least another year, \u201cbut that would be prohibitive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><b>\u201c<\/b>After not picking up his fifth-year option, the Ravens are on the clock if they want to extend Linderbaum, and they say they do,\u201d writes Zrebiec. \u201cThe price of top centers is clear. There shouldn\u2019t be ambiguity here.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Cam Jurgens\u2019 Extension With Eagles Could Help \u2018Set the Parameters\u2019 for Linderbaum\u2019s Next Deal<\/h2>\n<div class=\"d3-l-col__col-8\">\n<div class=\"nfl-c-article__container \">\n<div class=\"nfl-c-body-part nfl-c-body-part--text\">\n<p>Following the Ravens\u2019 first offseason workouts in late April, a reporter asked Linderbaum about\u00a0Eagles\u2018 center\u00a0Cam Jurgens\u00a0signing a\u00a0four-year, $68 million extension. The 25-year-old standout called Jurgens \u201cone of the best centers in the league\u201d and \u201ca really high-caliber player,\u201d during a\u00a0press conference\u00a0following the first day of offseason workouts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThough he is aware of Jurgens\u2019 new contract, Linderbaum is focused on continuing his career trajectory as one of the league\u2019s top centers who keeps getting better,\u201d writes\u00a0BaltimoreRavens.com\u00a0Staff Writer Clifton Brown.<\/p>\n<p>Linderbaum stressed that he would let his agent handle contract negotiations, while he focuses on \u201cbecoming as good of a football player as I can be for this team.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"d3-l-col__col-8\">\n<div class=\"nfl-c-article__container \">\n<div class=\"nfl-c-body-part nfl-c-body-part--text\">\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll let my agent handle that,\u201d said Linderbaum. \u201cI\u2019m just focusing on becoming as good of a football player as I can be for this team. . .I\u2019m giving my all to the team right now, that\u2019s my focus, and that\u2019s how it should be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With time running out to secure their top-rated center, the Ravens will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on the contracts of other linemen like Cam Jurgens. If Linderbaum continues to improve and delivers another elite-level season, the Ravens will need to make some tough decisions surrounding their salary cap. But, it\u2019s hard to put a price tag on protecting your franchise quarterback up the middle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getty Tyler Linderbaum #64 and Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens embrace before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on October 06, 2024&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Ravens \u2018on the Clock\u2019 to Extend $23 Million Pro Bowl Starter - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50783\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ravens \u2018on the Clock\u2019 to Extend $23 Million Pro Bowl Starter - 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