Eric DeCosta on Tyler Linderbaum: 'We Strongly Hope to Have Him Back'
General Manager Eric DeCosta reiterated that the goal is to re-sign pending free agent Tyler Linderbaum, but he added that a deal for the three-time Pro Bowl center might not be imminent.
"We got some work to do on Tyler Linderbaum's contract," DeCosta said on "The Inner Circle Podcast." "We strongly hope to have him back. He's a great player for us and a great leader."
Linderbaum, who said last month that he "absolutely" would like to stay with the Ravens, is expected to be one of the league's most coveted players if he hits the open market when the legal free agency tampering period begins on March 9.
"I love my job, but if I could switch jobs for just the next couple of months, I would want to be Tyler Linderbaum's agent, because everybody that I've talked to seems to be in on Tyler Linderbaum," NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said during his pre-NFL Scouting Combine conference call with the media on Thursday. "It sounds like he's going to have a robust market, so congratulations to him and his family."
Linderbaum's next contract could reset the market for centers. The Kansas City Chiefs' Creed Humphrey, who signed a four-year deal worth $72 million ($18 million per year) in 2024, is the league's highest-paid player at the position.
Pro Football Focus’ contract projection for Linderbaum is four years, $80 million ($20 million per year) with $53 million guaranteed, while Spotrac’s projection is four years, $70.9 million ($17.7 million per year).
Regarding the offensive line as a whole, DeCosta praised tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten but said "we've got to augment the guard position, which is something that we can do."
"We've got some good young guys that we really believe in this year they're going to make a big, big jump this year for us," DeCosta said. "Emery Jones is a guy we drafted last year in the third round [that] we feel really strongly about as being a guy that's going to come in and win a spot for us at the guard spot."
As for the defense, DeCosta said: "We've got to do a better job of getting after the quarterback for sure. I think we've got some young guys who can do that. I think losing Nnamdi Madubuike was a big blow for us this year. Terrible that we lost him early in the season like we did. But I think we've got some other guys on defense we're excited about. Travis Jones. We've got some young outside linebackers we feel strongly about. We got Roquan [Smith]. And then our secondary has a lot of good players with Kyle Hamilton, Nate Wiggins, of course Marlon Humphrey's a great player for us, too.
"I think there's a strong nucleus coming back. I'm really, really excited to see [Head Coach] Jesse Minter's influence on our defense. That's his specialty, as a defensive coach. I think that'll make a big impact."
DeCosta added that having a nearly all-new coaching staff is a positive.
"I think sometimes change can be good," DeCosta said. "With change comes innovation and new ways of doing things, new ways of practicing, a new scheme, and all these different things. That's going to give us an advantage, I think, this year. When you do the same thing every year and you're playing the Bengals twice a year, Steelers twice a year, and the Browns, these guys know us like the back of their hands."
Isaiah Likely Wants to Be on a Team Where He Is 'Able to Blossom'
After Linderbaum, tight end Isaiah Likely is expected to receive the second-most interest among the Ravens' pending free agents if he hits the open market.
Likely recently addressed his future on former NFL head coach Jon Gruden's "Gruden Goes Long" podcast.
"I love Baltimore. They took a chance on me when all 31 didn't. Baltimore's home for me, but at the end of the day, business is business," Likely said.
With the Ravens signing veteran tight end Mark Andrews to a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $39.3 million in December, Likely's opportunity for a bigger role could be elsewhere.
"With my agent, what I told him was I just want to be able to blossom," Likely said. "I feel like the last couple years I've had a great vet in Mark Andrews to where he's taught me everything to be a star caliber tight end to the point where it's like now I feel like I just want to be on a team to where I can just get out there and help a quarterback, help a team put as much points on the board as possible.
"So just giving that information to my agent and letting him basically go to the teams and be an agent."
Kyle Van Noy Is 'Pumped' About What Minter Brings to Ravens
Veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, another of Baltimore's pending free agents, said last month that he "would love" to return to Baltimore. That was right before the Ravens hired Minter.
Van Noy spoke enthusiastically about Minter and his staff Thursday on ESPN's "The Rich Eisen Show."
"I like the direction they're going," Van Noy said. "I'm pumped for the Ravens organization because they're first class. They really are. Their fans are amazing. And I really, really believe that they'll be in contention for that Super Bowl next year."
Van Noy said he expects the Ravens to be more adept at making in-game adjustments under Minter, who will be the defensive play-caller.
"I really believe that's what separates him," Van Noy said. "Knowing what tree he's from and the
success he's had over the last two seasons as [the Los Angeles Chargers'] D-coordinator. … I really believe that he's going to have that in-game strategy that you need to have in order to beat these top offensive coordinators."
Ravens Named Best Fit for Trey Hendrickson, But Contract Projection Seems Unrealistic
The Ravens are expected to be in the market for an edge rusher, and Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson is a pending free agent. Therefore, it's unsurprising that Baltimore was named the best fit for Hendrickson by Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay.
"Trey Hendrickson's time with the Cincinnati Bengals has likely come to a rather acrimonious end," Kay wrote. "After holding out much of the 2025 offseason for a new deal, the 2024 All-Pro went down with a core muscle injury after just seven games. While his campaign was a bust, he's only a year removed from the latest of his back-to-back 17.5 sack seasons. The four-time Pro Bowler has long been considered one of the NFL's best pass-rushers and shouldn't have much trouble regaining that status with a new team in 2026.
"Landing with one of Cincy's fierce AFC North rivals could be exactly what Hendrickson needs to rejuvenate his career. The Baltimore Ravens make perfect sense for the 31-year-old to sign with and could help him quickly return to superstar form."
Kay's projected contract for Hendrickson is two years, $40 million. Considering what top edge rushers earn, it's unlikely Hendrickson would sign for that amount.
Hendrickson's 2025 salary was $29 million, per Over the Cap. Fifteen other edge rushers earned $20 million or more per year, led by Green Bay Packers' Micah Parsons at four years, $186 million ($46.5 million per year).
