Of all the decisions Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta has to make this offseason, picking up safety Kyle Hamilton’s fifth-year, $18.6 million option was one of the easiest.
Hamilton, 24, is already one of the best safeties in football. In the coming months, he’ll likely become the highest-paid safety, too. He’s a two-time All-Pro and one of the vocal leaders of the team. He’s active in the community and perennially one of the first Ravens to step forward to speak to reporters on all issues involving the team. On and off the field, Hamilton has been a face of the franchise-type performer.
By picking up his option, the Ravens have Hamilton under contract for at least two more years. But DeCosta said the goal remains to work toward a multi-year extension that will keep the star safety in Baltimore for far longer than 2026.
We are exercising the fifth-year option for safety Kyle Hamilton!
Statement from General Manager Eric DeCosta. pic.twitter.com/fTqK0ADx9c
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 30, 2025
The decision involving the fifth-year option of center Tyler Linderbaum, a fellow Baltimore 2022 first-round pick, was not as easy.
Like Hamilton, Linderbaum is one of the best players in the league at his position. He’s a two-time Pro Bowler. He’s become a leader on the team, and he’s one of the most accountable and available players in the locker room. Even with his option decision due, Linderbaum has been a fixture at the Under Armour Performance Center for workouts all offseason.
Advertisement
Yet, Linderbaum’s option for 2026 cost $23.4 million, well more than the average per year of the league’s highest-paid center. And primarily because of that, the Ravens announced Wednesday that they are declining the fifth-year option for Linderbaum, which technically makes him eligible to hit the free-agent market next March.
However, DeCosta made clear that the Ravens are hoping that it doesn’t come to that.
“It is our intention for him to remain a Baltimore Raven long term,” DeCosta said in a statement released by the team.
The Ravens announced the decisions Wednesday afternoon, 24 hours before the fifth-year option deadline. It, however, had become clear in recent weeks that this is the direction they’d go in, and that had nothing to do with Linderbaum’s performance on the field, where he’s been one of Baltimore’s most consistent players.
In many ways, the 25-year-old Linderbaum is a victim of his success since the fifth-year option values are impacted by Pro Bowl berths and playing time. Linderbaum has made two Pro Bowl teams on the original ballot, so the cost of his fifth-year option rises to the price of the franchise tag at his position from the previous year.
Centers, however, aren’t considered separate entities when it comes to franchise tag costs. They are grouped with both offensive tackles and offensive guards, the former being one of the league’s most lucrative positions. That means the cost of Linderbaum’s fifth-year option represents the 2025 average of the five top offensive line contracts over the previous five years. That leaves Linderbaum with the highest fifth-year option cost of any 2022 first-round pick.
To put the $23.4 million number into perspective, it is $5.4 million more than the $18 million made annually by the Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey, who is the NFL’s highest-paid center. Linderbaum certainly belongs in the highest-paid player at his position conversation. However, the option cost is well beyond Humphrey’s deal.
Advertisement
Another risk of picking up Linderbaum’s option: It would have become guaranteed the second the Ravens exercised it. So if Linderbaum sustained a significant injury during the 2025 season, his salary would have already been guaranteed for 2026. Linderbaum has been a durable player, having missed only two games over three NFL seasons.
However, Linderbaum did deal with a neck injury last summer that sidelined him for a chunk of training camp. Neither the Ravens nor Linderbaum have given any indication publicly that his neck is a long-term issue, but all factors are considered in decisions of this magnitude.
The Ravens’ decision to decline the option makes plenty of sense, but it does put the pressure on DeCosta to try and reach an agreement with Linderbaum over the next 10 months. The Ravens will presumably have the franchise tag available next season if they can’t come to an agreement. They don’t want Linderbaum hitting the open market.
It would cost the Ravens just under $25 million in 2026 to use the transition franchise tag on Linderbaum, which is only slightly more than the fifth-year option price. The tag, however, can be pulled at any time while the fifth-year option is guaranteed immediately when exercised.
For his part, Linderbaum said last week that he’s not concerned with his contract.
“I’m just focused on just becoming as good of a football player as I can be for this team, just coming in here every day and putting my best foot forward, and let all the other things take care of itself,” he said after the start of the team’s offseason workout program. “I’m really not even focused on that right now. That’s why we have agents. Neil Cornrich will handle that all for me, and like I said, I’m giving my all to the team right now, and that’s my focus, and that’s how it should be.”
Advertisement
Linderbaum also understands he’s not the only Raven who could be in line for a new contract. The team’s priority is signing two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson to a contract extension before his salary-cap number becomes prohibitive next offseason.
Their unrestricted free-agent class next offseason also could include running back Derrick Henry; tight ends Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar; fullback Patrick Ricard; wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins; right guard Daniel Faalele; and defensive contributors Kyle Van Noy, Ar’Darius Washington and Odafe Oweh.
That will make for a busy few months for DeCosta and company.
(Photo: Tommy Gilligan / Imagn Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Rockets avoid elimination with rout of Warriors in yet another chippy game
<!--> Fred VanVleet scored 26 points, Amen Thompson added 25 and the Houston Rockets avoided elimination with a 131-116 rout of the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of a first-round playoff series Wednesday night.Game 6 is Friday in San Francisco.Warriors coach Steve Kerr threw in the towel early in this one with the game out of hand. A layup by VanVleet midway through the third quarter made it 93-64, and Kerr called timeout and cleared his bench.Houston coach Ime Udoka followed suit with about a minute to go in the third and his team up 105-76. He put all his starters back in with about eight minutes left after Golden State cut the lead to 109-92.ADVERTISEMENT -->Dillon Brooks added 24 points on a night when all five Houston scored in double figures.A 9-5 run by the Warriors got them […]
JJ Redick walks out of news conference after reporter questions Lakers’ lack of Game 4 substitutions
Questions about how he handle the second half of Game 4 appear to be a sore spot for Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick.The first-year coach walked out of a news conference Wednesday ahead of Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves after a reporter questioned his team's lack of substitutions on Sunday, a 116-113 Lakers loss that pushed Redick's team to down 3-1.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRedick raised eyebrows in Game 4 when he played a single quintet of players — LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith — for the entire second half. Only one other player, Gabe Vincent, played more than seven minutes in the game. Los Angeles maintained a single-digit lead for most of the second half, but faltered down the stretch while Anthony Edwards pushed his scoring total to 43 points.The reporter at the news […]
Bucks offseason outlook: What does Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future hold?
The Bucks find themselves in the worst possible situation they've ever been in during Giannis Antetokounmpo's prime. The organization does not possess any high-value assets in the form of draft picks. Its cap situation — the 2025-26 salary cap is projected to be $154.6 million — while not quite a sea of flames yet, is extremely discouraging, and key members like Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. can leave the franchise this summer. It's why Milwaukee might have to consider trading its two-time MVP.Here's what to know about the Bucks heading into the offseason:2024-25 finishRecord: 48-34, 5th in the East, lost to Pacers in the first roundHighlight of the seasonNBA Cup champs, baby! Nothing can take that away from them, regardless of how the actual season ended. Outside of the trophy lifted in Vegas, there isn't much to brag about.Players […]
Vancouver Whitecaps eliminate Lionel Messi, Inter Miami from the Concacaf Champions Cup
Doug McIntyre Soccer Journalist <!--> Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are out of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.The white-hot Vancouver Whitecaps scored two second-half goals to overturn the Herons’ 1-0 lead in Wednesday’s semifinal second leg in South Florida, giving the Canadian club a 3-1 win and a stunning 5-1 triumph on aggregate in the two-game, total-goals-wins series that began north of the border last week.Jordi Alba cut Miami’s aggregate defeat to one when he opened the scoring in the ninth minute. It looked as though the hosts might pull level soon afterward, but Vancouver managed to get into the locker room at the halftime break before Inter could add another goal.But a pair of Whitecaps goals shortly after intermission — the first by U.S. men’s national team striker Brian White, the second two minutes later by Ecuadoran midfielder Pedro […]
NBA playoffs results and takeaways: Rockets dominate Warriors, force Game 6
The Houston Rockets staved off elimination Wednesday night in a 131-116 win over the Golden State Warriors at home.All five of Houston’s starters scored double-digit points in a dominant showing to force a Game 6. The series heads back to San Francisco on Friday night.Rockets 131, Warriors 116(Warriors lead series 3-2)Rockets dominate on both ends of the floorThe Rockets, who trailed 3-1 before Wednesday night, could have easily thrown in the towel against a veteran Warriors team. Instead, they buckled down, got back to the basics and dominated at both ends of the floor to earn a trip back to the Bay and give themselves a fighting chance in this series. The Rockets led by as many as 31 points in a game that was never truly threatened by the Warriors.AdvertisementHearing Fred VanVleet speak after a bitter Game 4 loss, […]
Panthers eliminate Lightning, advance to second round with Game 5 win: Takeaways
TAMPA, Fla. — Nikita Kucherov enjoyed quite a season while collecting his third Art Ross Trophy.He won’t be skating with the Stanley Cup for a third time this spring, and largely has himself to blame. Kucherov, held without a goal in this series, has now gone 15 postseason games without scoring, and his turnover led to Sam Bennett’s game-winner as the Panthers won the Battle of Florida convincingly, ending the Lightning in five games with a 6-3 victory on Tampa Bay ice.AdvertisementThe Lightning went 0-3 at home in this series.Kucherov, who did have four assists in the first four games of this series, was a disaster throughout the evening. He continually turned the puck over, forcing passes that simply weren’t there against the air-tight Florida defense. The Tampa Bay superstar never looked himself in this series and Florida’s physical punishment […]
Related
Rockets avoid elimination with rout of Warriors in yet another chippy game
<!--> Fred VanVleet scored 26 points, Amen Thompson added 25 and the Houston Rockets avoided elimination with a 131-116 rout of the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of a first-round playoff series Wednesday night.Game 6 is Friday in San Francisco.Warriors coach Steve Kerr threw in the towel early in this one with the game out of hand. A layup by VanVleet midway through the third quarter made it 93-64, and Kerr called timeout and cleared his bench.Houston coach Ime Udoka followed suit with about a minute to go in the third and his team up 105-76. He put all his starters back in with about eight minutes left after Golden State cut the lead to 109-92.ADVERTISEMENT -->Dillon Brooks added 24 points on a night when all five Houston scored in double figures.A 9-5 run by the Warriors got them […]
JJ Redick walks out of news conference after reporter questions Lakers’ lack of Game 4 substitutions
Questions about how he handle the second half of Game 4 appear to be a sore spot for Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick.The first-year coach walked out of a news conference Wednesday ahead of Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves after a reporter questioned his team's lack of substitutions on Sunday, a 116-113 Lakers loss that pushed Redick's team to down 3-1.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRedick raised eyebrows in Game 4 when he played a single quintet of players — LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith — for the entire second half. Only one other player, Gabe Vincent, played more than seven minutes in the game. Los Angeles maintained a single-digit lead for most of the second half, but faltered down the stretch while Anthony Edwards pushed his scoring total to 43 points.The reporter at the news […]
Bucks offseason outlook: What does Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future hold?
The Bucks find themselves in the worst possible situation they've ever been in during Giannis Antetokounmpo's prime. The organization does not possess any high-value assets in the form of draft picks. Its cap situation — the 2025-26 salary cap is projected to be $154.6 million — while not quite a sea of flames yet, is extremely discouraging, and key members like Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. can leave the franchise this summer. It's why Milwaukee might have to consider trading its two-time MVP.Here's what to know about the Bucks heading into the offseason:2024-25 finishRecord: 48-34, 5th in the East, lost to Pacers in the first roundHighlight of the seasonNBA Cup champs, baby! Nothing can take that away from them, regardless of how the actual season ended. Outside of the trophy lifted in Vegas, there isn't much to brag about.Players […]
Vancouver Whitecaps eliminate Lionel Messi, Inter Miami from the Concacaf Champions Cup
Doug McIntyre Soccer Journalist <!--> Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are out of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.The white-hot Vancouver Whitecaps scored two second-half goals to overturn the Herons’ 1-0 lead in Wednesday’s semifinal second leg in South Florida, giving the Canadian club a 3-1 win and a stunning 5-1 triumph on aggregate in the two-game, total-goals-wins series that began north of the border last week.Jordi Alba cut Miami’s aggregate defeat to one when he opened the scoring in the ninth minute. It looked as though the hosts might pull level soon afterward, but Vancouver managed to get into the locker room at the halftime break before Inter could add another goal.But a pair of Whitecaps goals shortly after intermission — the first by U.S. men’s national team striker Brian White, the second two minutes later by Ecuadoran midfielder Pedro […]
NBA playoffs results and takeaways: Rockets dominate Warriors, force Game 6
The Houston Rockets staved off elimination Wednesday night in a 131-116 win over the Golden State Warriors at home.All five of Houston’s starters scored double-digit points in a dominant showing to force a Game 6. The series heads back to San Francisco on Friday night.Rockets 131, Warriors 116(Warriors lead series 3-2)Rockets dominate on both ends of the floorThe Rockets, who trailed 3-1 before Wednesday night, could have easily thrown in the towel against a veteran Warriors team. Instead, they buckled down, got back to the basics and dominated at both ends of the floor to earn a trip back to the Bay and give themselves a fighting chance in this series. The Rockets led by as many as 31 points in a game that was never truly threatened by the Warriors.AdvertisementHearing Fred VanVleet speak after a bitter Game 4 loss, […]
Panthers eliminate Lightning, advance to second round with Game 5 win: Takeaways
TAMPA, Fla. — Nikita Kucherov enjoyed quite a season while collecting his third Art Ross Trophy.He won’t be skating with the Stanley Cup for a third time this spring, and largely has himself to blame. Kucherov, held without a goal in this series, has now gone 15 postseason games without scoring, and his turnover led to Sam Bennett’s game-winner as the Panthers won the Battle of Florida convincingly, ending the Lightning in five games with a 6-3 victory on Tampa Bay ice.AdvertisementThe Lightning went 0-3 at home in this series.Kucherov, who did have four assists in the first four games of this series, was a disaster throughout the evening. He continually turned the puck over, forcing passes that simply weren’t there against the air-tight Florida defense. The Tampa Bay superstar never looked himself in this series and Florida’s physical punishment […]
Be the first to leave a comment