The Las Vegas Raiders are on the clock.
The 2026 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and Las Vegas is widely expected to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. The Raiders are entering Year 1 with new head coach Klint Kubiak at the helm, and the franchise is already making big moves in preparation for the 2026 season.
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NFL free agency officially began on Monday, and the Raiders wasted no time making an eye-opening move that could set Mendoza up for success from Day 1.
Raiders sign 3-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum to record-setting contract
On Monday, the Raiders signed star center Tyler Linderbaum to a 3-year, $81 million deal. The deal reportedly contains $60 million guaranteed, and makes Linderbaum the highest-paid center in the entire NFL. Furthermore, Linderbaum is now the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history.
The move is great for Mendoza, who is now expected to take snaps from one of the league's most-accomplished centers during his rookie season.
Raiders signing C Tyler Linderbaum to 3-year, $81M deal with $60M guaranteed. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/YqetNxQwg9
— NFL (@NFL) March 9, 2026
Hailing from the University of Iowa, Linderbaum was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens with the No. 25 overall pick in 2022. Since then, he has emerged into one of the best centers in the NFL.
Linderbaum heads to Vegas coming off three straight Pro Bowl appearances, and ranked 5th among all centers with a PFF offensive grade of 80.3 last season. He is an exceptional run blocker, as he paved the way for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry to have plenty of success in Baltimore. He's also been durable throughout his NFL career, missing just two games over the course of four seasons.
The move to bring in Linderbaum is just the latest of several impactful moves the Raiders have made over the last few days. Last week, the Raiders announced plans to release veteran QB Geno Smith, which paves the way for Mendoza to be drafted 1st overall.
The Raiders also made a stunning trade over the weekend by sending 5-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby to the Ravens for a pair of first round draft picks. One of those picks comes in the form of the No. 14 overall pick in April's draft. The Las Vegas offensive line was arguably the worst in the NFL this past season, so building up the trenches in front of Mendoza has to be a top priority for Kubiak and his staff in Year 1. Adding Linderbaum at center certainly helps with that effort.