When one door closes another opens, even if those doors are months away. That is exactly the lesson the LA Chargers might already be learning about the 2026 offseason and the upcoming free-agent class.
The Baltimore Ravens extended defensive tackle Travis Jones with a three-year deal on Thursday that effectively takes him off the market. This is a bummer for the Chargers, who would have been a great fit for Jones and certainly have the cap space to make it happen.
While Jones is off the table, Baltimore re-signing him may have created a new opportunity for the Bolts to be excited about. Tyler Linderbaum is a free agent after the 2025 season and is arguably the best free agent the Chargers can sign in the spring. And the more moves Baltimore makes without extending him, the more hope Chargers fans get.
Ravens' Travis Jones deal gives Chargers hope for Tyler Linderbaum
Baltimore does still have the space to bring back the Pro-Bowl center in the offseason, but it all depends what kind of market he demands. The fact Linderbaum hasn't signed a deal to this point indicates he wants to see what he can get on the open market.
If he were to sign with the Ravens know he would inherently be leaving money on the table. It behooves him to go to free agency and start a bidding war.
The Ravens have space to bring Linderbaum back, but they do not have space to get in a bidding war with the Chargers. The Chargers are projected to have $101 million in cap space, which is the third-most in the entire league. It's double the amount of space the Ravens have and that's before factoring in the Jones extension.
More importantly, the Ravens declined Linderbaum's fifth-year option before the 2024 season. While Baltimore undoubtedly wants to keep Linderbaum aronud, this proves they are not going to spend a premium for the 25-year-old center.
Los Angeles desperately needs to address the center position and Linderbaum would be worth backing the Brinks truck up for. A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Linderbaum has established himself as one of the best young centers in the league. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of the last two seasons and has continued with another strong year in 2025.
Linderbaum also has direct ties to the Chargers thanks to general manager Joe Hortiz and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, assuming he sticks around. Linderbaum wouldn't be the first former Raven to jump ship to Los Angeles, and he probably wouldn't be the last.
If the Chargers are ever going to reach their Super Bowl ceiling, they need to invest in the interior offensive line. And right before their very eyes, a dream target is ascending from the heavens to help turn this offensive line from one of the worst in the league to one of the best.
Yeah, it's a bummer the Chargers can't pursue Jones this offseason. But they can still pursue a far better alternative.