Andrew Buller-Russ
At the outset of the offseason, expectations were that the Baltimore Ravens would be able to retain Tyler Linderbaum, their starting center for the past four seasons. The Ravens opted against picking up his fifth-year contract option of $23.4 million in 2024, which made the three-time Pro Bowler a free agent in March.
Once Linderbaum, who’s widely regarded as one of the best centers in the NFL, hit the open market, the Las Vegas Raiders wasted no time making him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Linderbaum agreed to a three-year, $81 million contract, making him the highest-paid center in the NFL, and yes, that’s more on average than the Ravens would have been paying him for the upcoming campaign.
Meanwhile, the Ravens now need a new starting center. Many felt like Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta would have found a replacement in free agency or through the draft, but he did no such thing. Though, he did recently admit that the Ravens could end up trading for their new pivot. One local insider may have an idea of who Baltimore may be targeting.
Related: 2 Baltimore Ravens Trade Ideas For a New Center
Recently, ESPN’s Ravens insider Jamison Hensley took a look at three pressing questions remaining for Baltimore. One of them focused on who the team’s new starting center will be as offensive coordinator Declan Doyle takes over.
That’s when he suggested a potential trade candidate, Chicago’s Garrett Bradbury. Interestingly enough, Bradbury has already been traded once this offseason, getting sent from New England to Chicago in exchange for a fifth-round pick. That trade occurred after Chicago’s starting center retired. But the Bears have since selected a center in the second round, which could leave Bradbury in a reserve role.
“Now, with Jones being drafted in the second round by the Bears, it’s possible Chicago will be enticed to trade veteran center Garrett Bradbury. He’s a seven-year starter who was acquired from the New England Patriots in March for a 2027 fifth-round pick.”
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley on Garrett Bradbury trade
Bradbury, 30, was the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings before starting all 17 regular season games and the four playoff games with the Patriots last season.
While he never quite lived up to his full draft potential, Bradbury has started all 105 games he’s appeared in throughout his seven-year career, and he’d surely be an upgrade for Baltimore.
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