The New York Giants and Green Bay Packers both head into the 2026 offseason with offensive line questions looming-and potentially, a top-tier answer sitting on the open market.
Let’s start with the Giants. After years of being a punchline when it came to offensive line play, New York finally showed signs of life up front in 2025.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was progress. Still, that momentum could stall if they can’t retain key veterans.
Both Jermaine Eluemunor and Greg Van Roten are set to hit free agency, and that leaves a pair of starting spots potentially up for grabs. For a team trying to build stability around its quarterback and run game, that’s not a small concern.
Green Bay isn’t in crisis mode, but they’re not exactly sitting pretty either. Left tackle Rasheed Walker and center Sean Rhyan are both pending free agents, and while the Packers have a reputation for developing from within, they might not have all the answers in-house this time. If they decide to move Elgton Jenkins to tackle to cover for Walker’s departure, that opens up a hole at center-and that’s where things get interesting.
Enter Tyler Linderbaum.
The Baltimore Ravens center is expected to be one of the most coveted free agents on the market, and for good reason. Linderbaum has been as durable as he is dominant, starting 66 of a possible 68 games over the past four seasons and logging 99% of the offensive snaps in 2025.
He’s not just reliable-he’s elite. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the fifth-best center in the league last season, and he’s now earned three straight Pro Bowl nods.
That’s the kind of consistency and high-level play that teams pay top dollar for.
And speaking of dollars, Linderbaum is projected to command a deal in the neighborhood of four years, $76 million. That’s a serious investment, but for teams like the Giants and Packers-who could each use a stabilizing force in the middle of their line-it might be worth every penny.
For the Packers, Linderbaum would represent a significant upgrade over Rhyan, especially in the run game, where Green Bay has struggled to find push up the middle. Adding Linderbaum would also give them the flexibility to slide Jenkins out to tackle, effectively addressing two needs with one move. That kind of versatility is invaluable.
As for the Giants, the situation is a bit more layered. They already have a starting center in John Michael Schmitz, but after a rocky 2025 campaign and with just one year left on his rookie deal, his future is far from certain.
If New York were to land Linderbaum, he’d step in as the clear starter. That would give the Giants the option to either try Schmitz at guard-where his skill set might be a better fit-or explore trade options.
While Baltimore would surely love to keep Linderbaum in-house, his rising market value could make that a challenge. If he does hit free agency, expect a bidding war-and don’t be surprised if the Giants are at the front of the line. Given their need for a long-term anchor on the interior and the potential to reshape the entire offensive line, New York might just be the most logical landing spot for the three-time Pro Bowler.
Bottom line: Linderbaum is one of the rare offensive linemen who can change the identity of a unit. Whether it’s in Green Bay, New York, or back in Baltimore, wherever he ends up, he’s going to make an impact-and fast.