Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson isn’t worried about developing chemistry with rookie center Tyler Linderbaum.
He already knows the young player is watching his back … in more ways than one.
“I threw an interception,” Jackson said during mandatory minicamp. “Daelin [Hayes] was taking it back to the house, to the other way. I was kind of paused, talking to ‘[Devin Duvernay] during the play. And my center, Tyler, was getting after it. He was running him down. I just saw he’s fast. He’s fast as heck for a center. I have never seen a center run like that. He’s a football player.”
Jackson and Linderbaum will develop an even closerfea rapport once the Ravens put on the pads for training camp. The expectation is that Linderbaum, a first-round pick in the 2022 draft, will be the starting center for this season and years to come.
Linderbaum is getting ready to make the necessary adjustments to be a productive NFL player. He knows there is plenty of work ahead.
“At the end of the day, football is football,” Linderbaum said. “You’re running similar stuff, but it’s just a lot different verbiage. I think that’s something that I’m trying to get down right now, just understanding the verbiage and communication. I’ve thought it’s been good, but also, it’s … We’re only running 10% of the plays that we run during the season. So, there’s still a lot more I need to learn, but I think it’s a good start so far.”
One adjustment Linderbaum will have to make is snapping the ball in shotgun, as opposed to having the quarterback under center. However, Linderbaum is confident that he is a good fit for the Ravens offense.
“Especially a team that likes to run the ball, you have to be a tough, gritty team [that’s] physical at the point of attack, and that’s something that I think I do a good job at,” Linderbaum said. “So, once I get here, I’m excited to get around the guys. They have a great group of guys here. I’m ready to get around them and just show them what I can do to help out this team and to win football games.”
Linderbaum is the first offensive lineman the Ravens selected in the first round since 2016 when they took Ronnie Stanley, who has dealt with an ankle injury over the past two seasons. It could be a big adjustment for a young offensive lineman playing in front of a dynamic and unpredictable quarterback like Jackson.
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However, Linderbaum will go into training camp fully knowing his role.
“My job is to protect [Lamar Jackson],” Linderbaum said. “I’m excited to get that opportunity. Every snap, every down, I’m going to have to bring it, because obviously, it’s a tough league. Every guy across from me is going to be tough, but just the mentality I’m going to bring, just that gritty toughness, physical, I’m going to bring it just to protect him and keep him safe.”
Linderbaum, 6-foot-3, 291 pounds, was a two-time all-Big Ten first-team selection, a unanimous All-American, Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, and won the Rimington Trophy winner, which is awarded to the nation’s top center.
He began his career at defensive tackle but he made the transition to center by the end of his freshman season. Linderbaum is durable and played 908 of Iowa’s 934 snaps in 2021 and was only removed during blowout wins.
There are some concerns surrounding Linderbaum’s size and frame. However, the Ravens dismissed those concerns.
“Somebody said it on TV, I think; if he was an inch taller and his arms were a half-inch longer, he would’ve been a Top 5 pick, and I believe that,” Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz said. “He’s probably one of the better centers we’ve seen come out in a long time. So, it filled a huge need for us.
“He’ll block three guys in one play. He’s a lot of fun to watch. And like [executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta] mentioned, he’s kind of a consensus guy with all the scouts and coaches. Everyone saw him the same way. You just put the film on and it’s obvious he can play anywhere.”
The Ravens selected Linderbaum with the draft pick they acquired in the trade for wide receiver Marquise Brown.
They feel Linderbaum will be a staple of the offensive line for years to come.
He has the drive to become a great player.
“You’re going against the best of the best,” Linderbaum said. “So, every time you step out on that field, you have to bring it. That’s the kind of mentality you have to bring to it.”
