OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens declined the fifth-year option on Tyler Linderbaum on Wednesday, but they intend to retain the two-time Pro Bowl center.
The decision to not pick up Linderbaum's option is based on the unusually high financial commitment and not performance. Linderbaum's fifth-year option would have been $23.4 million in 2026, which would have been $5.4 million more than the NFL's highest-paid center in terms of average per year.
Linderbaum, 25, has quickly become one of the NFL's best centers as well as one of Baltimore's top leaders. He is now entering the final year of his rookie contract and can become an unrestricted free agent in March if the Ravens don't sign him to a contract extension.
"It is our intention for him to remain a Raven long term," Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement.
The fifth-year options in the NFL are the same for all offensive linemen even though the compensation between the positions on the line are usually different. The highest-paid center is Kansas City's Creed Humphrey at $18 million, which is significantly less than the highest-paid left tackle (Tampa Bay's Tristan Wires at $28.1 million).
On the first day of the Ravens' offseason conditioning program, Linderbaum said he had not yet had any conversations with Baltimore about a contract extension.
"Honestly, I'm really not even focused on that right now," Linderbaum said on April 21. "I'm giving my all to the team right now, and that's my focus, and that's how it should be."
The Ravens also announced they are exercising the fifth-year option for Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton. He will make $18.6 million in 2026.
DeCosta said in the statement that the Ravens picked up Hamilton's option "with the goal of working toward a multi-year contract extension."
Baltimore selected Hamilton and Linderbaum in the first round in 2022. The Ravens drafted Hamilton at No. 14 and then chose Linderbaum with the No. 25 pick, which was acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for wide receiver Hollywood Brown.
