The Las Vegas Raiders had the kind of offseason spending power most teams can only dream about, and they used it on one of the biggest names available up front.
Their headline move was a three-year, $81 million deal for center Tyler Linderbaum, with $60 million guaranteed. That contract made him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history, a massive bet on a player who already owns three Pro Bowl nods.
Baltimore was never likely to meet that price. The Ravens have built around a different philosophy, one that leans on the draft and avoids paying top dollar to keep every homegrown piece in place. Las Vegas took advantage and landed one of the league’s best centers.
And that matters because the Raiders needed help in the middle of their offensive line, badly. Linderbaum gives them stability where they were missing it, and the move says plenty about how the team views its present and its future.
There’s been plenty of noise about whether a center is worth that kind of investment. But the job is bigger than people give it credit for. Centers are on the ball every snap, responsible for getting it cleanly to the quarterback and for handling protections and defensive looks before the play even starts.
That kind of intelligence and command is exactly what Las Vegas has been missing for years.
Linderbaum should be able to build chemistry with Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza, whether the Raiders open the season with one or the other. He has the kind of game that can settle in a rookie or sync quickly with a veteran.
The upgrade also comes at a critical time for the rest of the offense. Las Vegas had arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL last season, and injuries were only part of the problem. The players who were available simply didn’t perform at a level that was good enough.
Putting Linderbaum in the middle changes that equation immediately. It should make the entire unit better and give players like Ashton Jeanty more room to work after he was hit in the backfield at an absurd rate in his rookie season.
The Raiders wanted to get better, so they paid for a difference-maker in the trenches. If Linderbaum plays like he has throughout his career, the rest of the line should feel it too, and Las Vegas should feel it in the win column in 2026.
In Other News...
Raiders Suddenly Have A Real Question At Corner With Darien Porter
Darien Porter arrived in Las Vegas as one of the more intriguing developmental bets in the 2025 draft, a third-round corner with a receivers background and enough athletic upside to make the Raiders believe the transition could stick. He spent much of his rookie season behind Kyu Blu Kelly before carving out a bigger role, and the flashes were there even if the consistency was not.
Now the Raiders are asking a bigger question of him in training camp: whether that growth is enough to hold off younger competition and turn potential into a real starting job. Porter has shown enough to stay in the mix, but with the cornerback room still unsettled, he is going to have to clean up the rough edges quickly if he wants to make this a summer of separation instead of another battle for snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Maxx Crosby Trade Talk Just Took A Turn Raiders Fans Will Hate
Maxx Crosbys name is back in the rumor mill, and this time the Seahawks are the team worth watching. Seattle has been linked to the Raiders edge rusher as the market around him shifts, with John Schneiders reputation for bold roster swings making the possibility feel a little more real than a typical offseason whisper. The Seahawks pass rush depth has also changed after recent departures, which only adds to the appeal of a player who would instantly change the tone of that front.
For the Raiders, the wrinkle is that a deal with Seattle would not come out of nowhere. Las Vegas has brought in former Seahawks personnel, including Klint Kubiak, and that connection could help open the door if talks advance. The question now is whether the Raiders are willing to listen if the return starts centering on a first-round pick and a veteran piece from Seattle, or whether Crosbys value keeps the conversation from getting that far. [Read more 🡒]
Why Raiders Fans Should Feel Different About Ashton Jeanty Now
Ashton Jeantys first season in Las Vegas was productive enough to hint at what the Raiders might have, but not explosive enough to satisfy the expectations that followed him into the league. He finished with 1,321 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns, yet the run game never quite took off the way the Raiders hoped, leaving his rookie year feeling more like a preview than a payoff.
Now the conversation shifts to what comes next, and the fit matters as much as the talent. With Klint Kubiak in place as the new offensive coordinator, the Raiders are moving toward a zone-based rushing approach that leans on versatile backs, which could line up better with Jeantys game if the offensive line takes a step forward and the supporting cast holds up. [Read more 🡒]