The Ravens are picking up the fifth-year option for safety Kyle Hamilton, but not center Tyler Linderbaum.<\/p>\n
General Manager Eric DeCosta announced the moves Wednesday, one day before the May 1 deadline for 2022 first-round picks.<\/p>\n
“We are exercising the fifth-year option for Kyle Hamilton, with the goal of working toward a multi-year contract extension,” DeCosta said in a statement. “While we will not apply the fifth-year option to Tyler Linderbaum, it is our intention for him to remain a Baltimore Raven long term.”<\/p>\n
There’s no question that the Ravens want to keep their young two-time Pro Bowlers in Baltimore for a long time, as they are two of the best players in the league at their positions. However, the economics of the fifth-year options influenced Baltimore’s decisions.<\/p>\n
Hamilton’s fifth-year option, which puts him under contract through the 2026 season, is worth $18.6 million, per OvertheCap.com. Linderbaum’s would have cost $23.4 million since he’s lumped in with all offensive linemen.<\/p>\n
The Lions’ Kerby Joseph recently signed the richest deal in NFL history for a safety, which averages $21.25 million per year<\/a>. Hamilton’s $18.6 million would currently be the eight-highest salary cap number at his position in 2026, per OvertheCap.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Linderbaum’s $23.4 million would be far-and-away the highest salary cap figure among centers in 2026. The Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey is scheduled to have an $18.1 million hit that season.<\/p>\n Humphrey still has the highest average salary per year at $18 million and the Eagles’ Cameron Jurgens, who was in Linderbaum’s same 2022 draft class, recently signed a four-year, $68 million deal averaging $17 million per year, which could help establish the framework for a Linderbaum extension.<\/p>\n