The Las Vegas Raiders‘ offensive line is a disaster, and the low point was probably the Week 12 loss, where the unit gave up 10 sacks to the Cleveland Browns in the 24-10 defeat.
At 2-9, the Raiders and their fans are looking ahead to 2026 as they wait for the 2025 NFL season to finish. Nonetheless, this campaign has shown Las Vegas’ offensive line is a significant weakness and needs an overhaul.
Las Vegas drafted Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant in last year’s draft. However, they have yet to garner any significant playing time, so it will be interesting to see if the Raiders finally give them the runway to see what these two players can do.
Nonetheless, fixing the offensive line should be a priority, and The Athletic senior writer Ted Nguyen believes the Silver and Black should go the free-agent route to solve the problem, while also proposing a potential target from the Baltimore Ravens.
“When you look at free agency, I feel like they should probably address their offensive line through free agency,” Nguyen said on the November 23 edition of the “Just Win Podcast.”
“This tackle class is not as strong as the previous tackle classes we’ve seen, from what I’ve heard; I haven’t studied them. So I think the first step with fixing his line is you [have] got to throw the bag at Tyler Linderbaum, the center from the Ravens, who’s set to be a free agent.”
Ravens’ Tyler Linderbaum Will Be Available This Offseason
Linderbaum is in the final year of his rookie contract and will hit the market as he looks to become one of the best-paid players at his position. Moreover, Nguyen doesn’t believe the Ravens will franchise-tag the player, so the Raiders will have a shot at nabbing him in free agency.
“I don’t think they’ll franchise tag him because if you franchise tag him, you have to pay the top five average for it’s a high number for a center,” Nguyen added. “It would be a lot, it’ll be very high for a center.
“I think he’ll be entering free agency unless he works out a deal with the Ravens, but I would throw a bag at him just to get that center spot fixed and somebody that knows what they’re doing, especially if you’re thinking about bringing a young quarterback.”
Raiders Will Have to Fight for Tyler Linderbaum
In April 2025, the Ravens chose not to exercise Linderbaum’s fifth-year option. The move stemmed from the unusually steep cost rather than any concern about his play.
His option for 2026 carried a price of 23.4 million dollars, which would have put him more than five million above the league’s top center in yearly value. Even so, Baltimore still plans to keep the two-time Pro Bowl selection.
“It is our intention for him to remain a Raven long term,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement (h/t ESPN).
While his future is uncertain, Linderbaum noted that his focus isn’t on where he’ll be playing next season after the Ravens declined his option.
“Honestly, I’m really not even focused on that right now,” Linderbaum said on April 21 (h/t ESPN). “I’m giving my all to the team right now, and that’s my focus, and that’s how it should be.”
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