The Cleveland Browns could have five new starters on the offensive line.
All five of Cleveland’s offensive linemen are free agents, and although the team is looking to bring back left guard Joel Bitonio, there will be an overhaul to the offensive line. Ahead of the offseason, the Browns appear interested in a star center from a rival.
Browns insider Jared Mueller of DawgsByNature reports that Cleveland is one of four teams interested in Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum.
“It is “at least” a four-team fight for free agent OL Tyler Linderbaum to see who gets to significantly overpay him,” Mueller wrote. “To be clear, that doesn’t mean Linderbaum isn’t worth a huge contract. But the lack of quality free agents, the amount of salary cap space available, and having three teams directly connected to him (Baltimore, Cleveland, New York Giants) sets up a scenario where his contract will be a huge jump from current norms at the position.
“The Browns are one of those four teams. The Ravens are reportedly willing to pay him very well but within limits. The Giants are expected to be a frontrunner to a point. I wasn’t able to ascertain the fourth (or more) team that was strongly in on Linderbaum, which means they might actually be the favorite.”
Linderbaum has been the Ravens’ starting center, so signing him would not only bolster the Browns’ roster but would hinder Baltimore’s offense.
The Ravens selected Linderbaum 25th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. But the team opted not to pick up his fifth-year option due to financial reasons.
Ravens Hoping to Retain Linderbaum
Although Baltimore didn’t pick up the fifth-year option on Linderbaum, the Ravens are looking to retain him.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said at the draft combine that the team is looking to re-sign Linderbaum.
“He’s proven to be, in my opinion, the best center in the league,” DeCosta said. “We’ve had conversations since the end of the season … and hopefully we can get something done with him between now and the start of the new league year.”
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter, meanwhile, is also hopeful that the team can bring back Linderbaum.
“I think he knows how we feel about him and that we’d love to have him back,” Minter said. “He’s a major piece of our offense. I think he fits really well into the direction our offense is headed.”
Browns Likely to Overhaul Offensive Line
Cleveland’s offensive line struggled last season, and the team will overhaul its unit.
The Browns are expected to let multiple of their free agents go. Including Wyatt Teller, who announced he won’t be back. Yet, Cleveland is hopeful the team will re-sign Joel Bitonio.
“He came up to the office a few weeks ago and we tried to talk him into it right then,” Monken said. “But he was not in that position yet to say he wanted to come back.
“I’m for really good football players and I’m for really good football players that are wired like Joel. There’s not many wired like Joel. What he says, how he carries himself, how he prepares. I mean, it’s unbelievable. He’s rare, 12 years and the pounding he’s taken and continued to play at such a high level.”
Even if Bitonio does return, the Browns will still be active in bringing in offensive line help.
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