Editor's note: This is the fourth of 11 stories previewing the start of NFL free agency on March 11.
In the middle of the centers market sits Tyler Linderbaum. After three Pro Bowl seasons in four years with the Baltimore Ravens, Linderbaum is set to hit, and dictate, free agency.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta knows Linderbaum’s value.
“First of all, Tyler is a guy that I have tremendous respect for,” DeCosta said at the NFL scouting combine. “Obviously, he's proven to be, in my opinion, the best center in the league. We've been having conversations.
“We've had conversations since the end of the season, and at this point in time, we've made him a market-setting offer, and hopefully we can get something done with him between now and the start of the new league year.”
That offer will have to stand the test of the free-agent market.
Bills offensive lineman O'Cyrus Torrence, left, and Connor McGovern protect quarterback Josh Allen during the
AFC wild card playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
The Buffalo Bills will be watching closely. They have a free-agent center in Connor McGovern. Left guard David Edwards also is set to hit free agency.
The Bills brought back their starting offensive line from 2024 this past season with marked success. Now, based off of the financial numbers, they are more than likely to see some turnover.
Creed Humphrey had previously set the record for biggest center deal in league history at $18 million per year. Linderbaum is likely to surpass that, and the trickle-down effect will impact what McGovern can net. Tie in Drew Dalman’s surprise retirement for the Chicago Bears this week, and center is a need around the NFL.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane believes in building at the trenches, and he is far from alone in that ideology. The markets for tackles and guards may not be as prominent as that for centers, but general managers around the league may be forced to shell out for the big boys.
In house: All eyes are on McGovern and Edwards. Both are ranked notably on lists of pending free agents by national media, and their work together helped Bills running back James Cook secure last season’s rushing title. The year before that? After McGovern moved to center and Edwards latched on to a starting role, it was Josh Allen’s MVP season. The offensive line led the league that year in fewest sacks allowed. Well liked by Allen and the locker room, the two have made a quiet impact during their time in Buffalo.
Top of the heap: Linderbaum, Rasheed Walker, Braden Smith. Walker and Smith played tackle for the Packers and Colts, respectively, and should see plenty of attention from teams. Walker (6-foot-6, 325 pounds) will be just 26 next season. Smith (6-6, 312), meanwhile, will be 30, and he has dealt with some injuries, but he has improved his pass blocking (a 7% increase per ESPN’s pass-block win rate metric) and is still a viable option.
Names to know: With a focus here on interior offensive linemen, we’ll go: Alijah Vera-Tucker, Isaac Seumalo and Zion Johnson. Vera-Tucker (6-5, 308) is good if he can stay healthy. That’s a big if, it seems, as he missed all of last season with a torn biceps and has had two other season-ending injuries in five years. Still, the former first-round pick would be worth a prove-it deal. Seumalo (6-4, 303) has played for Buffalo's new offensive line coach, Pat Meyer, in Pittsburgh. Seumalo, 32, has played both right and left guard, but he’s coming off three seasons of starting at left guard. Johnson (6-3, 316) will have to answer for a subpar performance in the playoffs to end his season, but the Chargers' guard took a step forward overall last season.
Under the radar: Wyatt Teller, Daniel Faalele. Too soon to mention Teller? He’s been a sore subject for Bills fans since he reached All-Pro status after the team traded him to Cleveland. He has already posted his goodbye to the Browns, and while 2025 was not his strongest season, he boasts more than 100 starts. Faalele’s giant presence (6-8, 370) made him a draft darling for many, but he still has some metaphorical growing to do.