Raiders agreeing to terms to sign center Tyler Linderbaum shows what Vegas’ plans are in two different ways
The Raiders plan to draft Fernando Mendoza and make Jackson Powers-Johnson the offensive guard.
The Las Vegas Raiders have made their big free agency splash. We predicted they would do this, only not as much money as the Raiders did. According to multiple reports, the Raiders have agreed to terms with Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum on a three-year deal worth $81 million, including $60 million in guarantees.
The Raiders’ signing of Tyler Linderbaum tells everyone two of their plans for 2026
These moves tell us two things about the Raiders that we can now pencil in as for sure things. Before, we weren’t 100% sure; now, we can be. First, this move means they are 100% drafting Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall. Sure, we always thought that, but now we know, because why else would you reset the market at the center position if you weren’t going to have a rookie quarterback in the backfield?
Secondly, we didn’t know before, and John Spytek wouldn’t say, but this means Jackson Powers-Johnson will be playing guard in 2026 instead of center. He’s very versatile, so this isn’t a bad thing. However, with the unknown of what Vegas would do in free agency, there were questions about where JPJ would play in 2026. Spytek mentioned he will play wherever it gives the Raiders their five best offensive lineman. Now, that means he’s a guard. Now, which side? Well, it will probably be the right side, but you never know.
But what does this signing do for the Raiders? Why was Linderbaum a free agent? A to Z Baltimore’s Kyle Crabbs gave us a little insight into all that:
“Linderbaum is the marquee name on the market for 2026. He’s an elite player who gets loose in free agency for two reasons. The first is a flaw in the CBA that puts all offensive line salaries into one bucket, meaning both his fifth-year option price and franchise tag were declined due to the influence of offensive tackle salaries. The second is that the Linderbaum camp wants to find out what they’re worth on the open market. In today’s NFL, they’re right to want it, as interior offensive linemen have become a premium that teams pay handsomely for.”
Vegas has its center of the future, and they should continue to build around Mendoza before he even gets to Vegas.
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