Key Takeaways:
- Tyler Linderbaum’s 3-year, $81 million deal is essentially fully guaranteed
- Contract breakdown: $20M signing bonus, $10M in 2026, $30M in 2027, $21M in 2028
- The third year becomes fully guaranteed by March 2027, making it practically impossible to cut early
- Linderbaum missed most of 2024 training camp with a neck injury
The most stunning contract of the first day of 2026 free agency went to Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum. While initially reported as a three-year, $81 million deal with $60 million guaranteed, it’s actually even better than that.
Based on the preliminary terms, every penny is, as a practical matter, guaranteed. Here are the full details:
- Signing bonus: $20 million
- 2026 base salary: $10 million, fully guaranteed
- 2027 base salary: $30 million, fully guaranteed
- 2028 base salary: $21 million, guaranteed for injury at signing and fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2027 league year
The 2027 vesting date makes the $81 million fully guaranteed as a practical matter. The only way to avoid the third year would be to cut Linderbaum before next March — and to owe him $60 million for one season. No team would do that.
While Linderbaum has missed only two of 68 regular-season games, he missed nearly all of 2024 training camp with a neck injury. The Raiders are assuming $81 million in overall injury risk as to Linderbaum, as to his neck and any and every other body part.
He will make $27 million per year over the next three years, which increases the market for centers by $9 million per year, from $18 million.
Walk the Plank
Full guarantee. Let that sink in. The Raiders are not just paying Tyler Linderbaum — they are locking him in for the long haul. This is a statement contract that says we believe in this guy. The neck injury from 2024 is a concern, but you don’t hand out $81 million if you don’t believe the player can stay on the field. This contract resets the center market and shows the league that Las Vegas is serious about building a winner.
