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.
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