Getty
(Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
The Las Vegas Raiders have the second most salary cap space heading into free agency, per Over the Cap. Moreover, with the team projected to take former Indiana Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza first overall, the Silver and Black need to bolster their offensive line.
Money won’t be an issue for the Raiders, who will have minority owner Tom Brady and new head coach Klint Kubiak, who is coming off winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, as recruiters to sell their rebuilding plan to free agents.
One of the top offensive lines that could be hitting the open market in a few days is Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum. If he does make it to free agency, it would be wise for the Raiders to do all they can to land Linderbaum and have the center position set for the foreseeable future.
Nonetheless, Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr doesn’t see this happening.
“Much like Kyle Shanahan made getting Alex Mack a priority when he arrived in San Francisco, Klint Kubiak is going to want a heady center to buoy the operation in Las Vegas as he remakes the line to suit an outside-zone scheme,” Orr wrote in his bold predictions article published on Feb. 20.
“However, Linderbaum, one of the best offensive linemen to hit the market in years, will be swooned at the last moment by [the New York Giants].”
Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders Makes Sense
Despite Orr’s prediction, ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes believes Las Vegas is an ideal spot for Linderbaum, as he’d mesh well with Kubiak if the Raiders can land him.
“Can I throw out a crazy idea for Linderbaum? Why not the Raiders?” Kimes said in a Feb. 20 video from the latest edition of “The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny.”
“You have a rookie quarterback. You’re bringing in a head coach who’s going to implement this Kubiak zone‑blocking scheme, which we know he’s a really, really good zone‑blocking center. You need a center to set, to run the thing, and set protections. You have a good left tackle, but this offensive line was a disaster last year.”
Moreover, Kimes believes the Raiders shouldn’t experiment at center, since the position anchors the entire unit and would help bring in a proven player.
“You have a good left tackle, but this offensive line was a disaster last year,” Kimes added. “… Jackson Powers‑Johnson, they thought he would play center; he didn’t play center. He seems more like a guard, etc.
“If you’re the Raiders and you’re going to break the bank at one position, why not choose a position that can help your young quarterback and also your run game in a way that desperately needs fixing.”
Tyler Linderbaum Can Take Risk of Possibly Heading to Las Vegas
Furthermore, ESPN’s Field Yates also stated in the same video that Linderbaum could take the risk of joining a rebuilding Raiders team because of his age, and he’s likely to get a second big contract in his career.
“The counter from people will be something to the effect of, ‘The Raiders stink. They’re not going to be good for a while,’” Yates said. “Tyler Linderbaum is going to be good for a long time. Like, this is not a 31‑year‑old center that still has one good contract left in him.
“Like, this is not the Raiders signing Trey Hendrickson to try to further beef up their pass rush. This is a true blueshift not even in the middle of his prime center that could totally last. This could be a two‑contract player for whoever signs Tyler Linderbaum.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
More Heavy on Raiders
Loading more stories