The Ravens are picking up the fifth-year option for safety Kyle Hamilton, but not center Tyler Linderbaum.
General Manager Eric DeCosta announced the moves Wednesday, one day before the May 1 deadline for 2022 first-round picks.
"We are exercising the fifth-year option for Kyle Hamilton, with the goal of working toward a multi-year contract extension," DeCosta said in a statement. "While we will not apply the fifth-year option to Tyler Linderbaum, it is our intention for him to remain a Baltimore Raven long term."
There's no question that the Ravens want to keep their young two-time Pro Bowlers in Baltimore for a long time, as they are two of the best players in the league at their positions. However, the economics of the fifth-year options influenced Baltimore's decisions.
Hamilton's fifth-year option, which puts him under contract through the 2026 season, is worth $18.6 million, per OvertheCap.com. Linderbaum's would have cost $23.4 million since he's lumped in with all offensive linemen.
The Lions' Kerby Joseph recently signed the richest deal in NFL history for a safety, which averages $21.25 million per year. Hamilton's $18.6 million would currently be the eight-highest salary cap number at his position in 2026, per OvertheCap.com.
Linderbaum's $23.4 million would be far-and-away the highest salary cap figure among centers in 2026. The Chiefs' Creed Humphrey is scheduled to have an $18.1 million hit that season.
Humphrey still has the highest average salary per year at $18 million and the Eagles' Cameron Jurgens, who was in Linderbaum's same 2022 draft class, recently signed a four-year, $68 million deal averaging $17 million per year, which could help establish the framework for a Linderbaum extension.
Earlier this month, Hamilton and Linderbaum said they're more focused on football than contract extensions.
"I haven't had too many talks about it to be honest," Hamilton said. "If it happens this offseason, cool, but I'm not in a rush to get it done necessarily."
"I'll let my agent handle that," Linderbaum added. "I'm just focusing on becoming as good of a football player as I can be for this team. [I'm] coming in here every day and putting my best foot forward. Let all the other things take care of itself."
