Ravens Shock Fans by Declining Fifth-Year Option on Star Center—What’s Next for the Pro Bowler?

Here’s a bit of winding Ravens business you might find curious — why would a team so evidently bullish on a twice-All-Pro center suddenly wave off the straightforward path of a fifth-year option? Baltimore’s latest gambit—declining Tyler Linderbaum’s fifth-year option while making clear they’re eager to lock him down long-term—feels like a high-stakes chess move rather than a slip-up. Sure, $23.4 million for 2026 was a pretty penny, especially when it outstrips the NFL’s top-paid center by a cool $5.4 million. But beyond the numbers lies a story about valuing flexibility, not just on the line but in the front office. As we watch this saga unfold, it begs the question — when does “declining an option” become the smarter play in a high-stakes game of football economics? Let’s unpack what’s really happening behind those gleaming Birds helmets on the field.

The Baltimore Ravens made some big, long-term decisions today.

They picked up the fifth-year option on CB Kyle Hamilton’s rookie deal.

However, as pointed out by Ari Meirov on X, they declined it on Tyler Linderbaum.

The #Ravens have declined the fifth-year option on 2x Pro Bowl C Tyler Linderbaum.

Context: The option was worth $23.4M and the highest-paid center in the NFL makes $18M per year. Didn't make sense to pick it up.

The goal is to work out a long-term extension, but this move now… pic.twitter.com/dtm74yZbQ0

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 30, 2025

Nevertheless, they still intend to keep him around for the long run.

He was slated to make a whopping $23.4 million in 2026, which would’ve given him $5.4 million more than the highest-paid center in the league in terms of yearly average.

The 25-year-old offensive lineman has established himself as a dominant force at the line of scrimmage, and Ravens GM Eric DeCosta claimed that the team fully intends to work out a long-term deal with him.

If they’re unable to strike a deal, he can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Linderbaum claimed that he has yet to talk to the Ravens about a contract extension, but he didn’t sound too worried, either.

The team will most definitely go to great lengths to make sure he doesn’t hit free agency, and it should be just a matter of time before the fans get some updates.

The Ravens took him with the No. 25 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft with the pick they got in the Hollywood Brown trade, and he’s made it to two Pro Bowls so far.

This team has one of the strongest offensive lines in the game, and that should continue to be a priority as they look to build their run-heavy offense around Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.

The post Ravens Decline Fifth-Year Option On 2-Time Pro Bowl Center appeared first on The Cold Wire.