Linderbaum’s Contract Situation Is Reminiscent of C.J. Mosley’s in 2019
Linderbaum has said he “absolutely” wants to return to the Ravens, and DeCosta has said the team has made the three-time Pro Bowler a “market-setting offer.” But with the NFL’s legal tampering period just four days away, the two sides have yet to agree to terms.
The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer said the situation is reminiscent of 2019, DeCosta’s first season as GM, when four-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker C.J. Mosley was a pending free agent.
“Under former General Manager Ozzie Newsome, DeCosta’s mentor, the Ravens’ roster-building approach had abided by a simple mantra: right player, right price,” Shaffer wrote. “Under DeCosta, the Ravens valued Mosley highly. The New York Jets just happened to value him more. Their five-year, $85 million deal was the richest ever for an off-ball linebacker, worth nearly $5 million more per year than perennial All-Pro Luke Kuechly’s contract.”
After Mosley’s exit, DeCosta said: “Unfortunately for us, the market is irrational at times and we can’t be held responsible for what other teams want to pay. All we can do is try to negotiate in good faith with agents and the players.”
Shaffer said that if Linderbaum hits the open market, “the ensuing bidding war will test DeCosta’s values as the Ravens’ personnel chief. How much irrationality will he tolerate to re-sign a player he once committed to keeping? How far off budget will he stray to fortify an offensive line he needs to upgrade?”
The Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey is the league’s highest-paid center, with an average annual salary of $18 million. Linderbaum’s management team is reportedly shooting for $25 million per year.
All is not lost if the Ravens are outbid for Linderbaum, Shaffer said, noting that the money saved on Mosley was put to good use.
“With the money the Ravens saved in 2019 by not retaining Mosley, they had the means to sign running back Mark Ingram and safety Earl Thomas in free agency,” Shaffer wrote. “Both became key pieces of a team that finished 14-2 that season, powered by the NFL’s best offense and a top-five defense.”
