Kirk Cousins
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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 31: Injured quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings is seen on the sideline prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The Las Vegas Raiders and new quarterback Kirk Cousins are expecting big things out of center Tyler Linderbaum.
Las Vegas went out and handed him a historic three-year, $81 million contract, which made Linderbaum the highest-paid center in NFL history at an insane $27 million average per year. The second-highest paid center, Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey, is only making $18 million per year.
Making a signing like that, Linderbaum is expected to be an All-Pro anchoring the middle of the offensive line, and Cousins already has a favor to ask of him.
Raiders QB Kirk Cousins Already Has Favor He Will Ask of Tyler Linderbaum
Tyler Linderbaum
GettyCenter Tyler Linderbaum #64 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on.
Speaking with the team, Kirk Cousins gave high praise to Tyler Linderbaum.
“Tyler at center is going to be a great fit. I think he’s a stud pass blocker, run blocker. I think he’s going to fit great in the [outside zone] scheme. So, I can’t wait to start taking snaps from him and kind of build it right there up the middle with Tyler and Ashton [Jeanty].”
But with that high praise, Cousins is also planning to ask Linderbaum to take on more than what a center typically handles.
“I think it’s rare to get a center of that caliber available in the free agent market. So, typically, you’re not going to find a guy that easily and so when you do, you want to take advantage. I just think his play strength, his athleticism, his toughness. He’s got a lot of years of tape showing that. …I plan to put a lot on him. I always told my centers, ‘The more you can handle and the more I can be thinking about the back end, the better. So we’ll try to start building that rapport early, and I think it’ll lead to some strong play.”
Calling out blitzes, getting the offensive line set, and helping the quarterback have an easier time scanning the field, it’s a lot of responsibility for one player, but it’s something Linderbaum is getting paid the big bucks to do.
Ted Nguyen
Why the Raiders made Tyler Linderbaum their number one target
Raiders GM John Spytek Also Shared Thoughts on Linderbaum
Tyler Linderbaum is going to play a crucial role in Klint Kubiak’s offense, and the Raiders made sure to do whatever it takes to sign him.
“We’re going to put a lot on the center,” Raiders GM John Spytek said. “At a position where some teams don’t have as much value or want to put as much of a premium on it, that’s not us. We value that position a lot, and he fits us perfectly from that standpoint. And so we were gonna make our best offer.”
The Raiders needed help on the offensive line. Last season, Las Vegas ranked 22nd in both run block (70.4%) and pass block win rate (60.7%). Geno Smith was also sacked a league-high 55 times last year.
The cherry on top (in a bad way)? The Raiders ranked last in nearly every rushing metric, with a notable one being yards per game (77.5).
The hope is that it will change with Linderbaum now in the mix.
“And the O-line play, it’s a mindset; it’s having the right attitude of determination of what we’re trying to do to the defense, and it takes all five guys being on the same page,” Linderbaum said. “So, super excited to get with the guys in the building and kind of work towards our goals.”
And who knows, the Raiders could still be looking to add to the offensive line during the 2026 NFL Draft.