With only a few weeks left until free agency, rumors are starting to heat up about what the team can do once it gets underway. ESPN’s Dan Graziano heard at the combine last week that the Chargers were a “threat” to sign star center Tyler Linderbaum from the Ravens.
Reports from the Combine indicate that while the Ravens have made a “market-setting” offer, Lindbaum is expected to receive a contract worth more than $20 million per year, a price Baltimore may not be willing to match.
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The Chargers, meanwhile, outbid the Ravens because they have the fourth-most available cap space in the league ($84 million).
Bradley Bozeman announced his retirement last month, leaving a hole in the middle of an offensive line that struggled to protect Justin Herbert last season. Linderbaum will significantly improve this area, as he ranks second among all centers in pass interception success rate (97.2%).
General manager Joe Hortiz was a key member of Baltimore’s front office when Baltimore selected Lindbaum in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, so that familiarity may also help dissuade him from signing with another team.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers expected to aggressively try to sign top center