With John Harbaugh now leading the New York Giants into a new era, everything is about to be overhauled, from the coaching staff to the front office to the players on the roster. Harbaugh has his own distinct vision of what the Giants will look like, and he will aggressively pursue the talent he needs to install his program.
SNY’s Connor Hughes reported that the Giants are expected to be “aggressive” in targeting former Ravens in free agency. Harbaugh wants culture carriers — players who already speak his language and can translate it to a locker room in desperate need of a spark.
At the top of that wish list could be the Ravens’ three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum, who could serve as the foundational piece for the Giants’ improving offensive line.
Giants Could “Aggressively” Pursue Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum in Free Agency
In Hughes’s report, he specifically circled Linderbaum as a player to “keep an eye on” in free agency this offseason, as Harbaugh is expected to target ex-Ravens in free agency.
“From what I’ve been told, expect the #Giants to be aggressive in targeting ex-#Ravens in free agency. Harbaugh wants people who know his way to carry out his message in locker room,” Hughes posted on X. “Tyler Linderbaum would be one I’d keep an eye on.”
Linderbaum, just 25 years old, is a physical, technically sound center who has quickly established himself as one of the best players in the NFL at his position.
After Baltimore declined his $23.4 million fifth-year option, Linderbaum is set to hit the open market as the premier offensive line prize of 2026. For a Giants team that has struggled to find consistency with John Michael Schmitz, Linderbaum represents a potentially massive upgrade.
Linderbaum finished last season with an elite 80.2 PFF grade. He is widely-regarded as one of the best run-blockers in the league.
“Linderbaum hangs his hat as one of the game’s premier run blockers, with his 89.5 PFF run blocking grade over the last two seasons ranking as the fourth-highest among centers,” PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote.
However, where Linderbaum does have some room for improvement is in pass protection. He surrendered two sacks and 27 pressures across 536 pass-block snaps in 2025. Throughout his career, he has graded out as an average pass-blocker in PFF’s system.
This flaw was largely hidden in a Ravens offense that ran the ball heavily, as Linderbaum’s 471 run-block snaps were the most of any center in the NFL. Thankfully for the Giants, in iteration of that same offensive scheme should be coming to New York as Ravens OC Todd Monken is expected to follow Harbaugh. This bodes well for Linderbaum’s prospects of signing with the Giants.
If the Giants want to add a mean, durable enforcer to the center of their offensive line, then Linderbaum is their guy. The 25-year-old is a three-time Pro Bowler and has missed just two games across the first four seasons of his career.
The John Michael Schmitz Conundrum
The biggest question in a Linderbaum pursuit is what happens to 2023 second-round pick John Michael Schmitz. While Schmitz showed flashes of growth in 2025, finishing with a career-high 64.5 PFF grade, his season was marred by inconsistency and an IR-stint due to a finger injury.
The Giants could try to move Schmitz to guard if they sign Linderbaum, though; that seems unlikely. Signing Linderbaum would likely push Schmitz down the depth chart, officially marking yet another top-50 draft pick down as a bust on Joe Schoen’s resume.
Schmitz is on the rise, though. His play has improved each season, and he is certainly the more cost-efficient option here. Linderbaum’s next contract will be sizable.
A Market-Resetting Investment
Securing Linderbaum won’t be cheap. Spotrac projects a $17.7M APY market value for him, with a contract that could be in the range of four years for $71M total. This deal would put him up there with the highest-paid centers in the sport, behind just Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs, who makes $18M per season. Linderbaum’s deal could potentially exceed that price tag, too, if teams create a bidding war for his services on the open market.
To afford this splash, the Giants would need to clear a ton of cap space. They have over $100 million in projected space in 2027, but they currently sit with just about $1 million in 2026 cap space. Freeing up enough space to afford a nearly-$20M center might be challenging and difficult to justify.
Linderbaum is an elite talent, though, and he could be a mainstay on the offensive line for years to come if the Giants do pursue and sign him in free agency. He will be among the 10-best and most-coveted free agents available if he does hit the open market this offseason.
Harbaugh is determined to instill a specific culture and identity as he reshapes the New York Giants in his image this offseason. Signing Linderbaum could help him achieve that goal while also massively upgrading the interior of the Giants’ offensive line for the next several seasons.
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