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New head coach, new offensive line, and a new unified direction.
That’s the gist of Klint Kubiak earning the Las Vegas Raiders coaching gig and him tabbing longtime Kubiak-tree branch Rick Dennison as the boss of the trenches. Together, the duo is set to install and drill a zone blocking scheme influenced by Alex Gibbs, the “godfather” of the system. On the surface, there won’t be the ambiguity that was present in the head coach, offensive coordinator, offensive line coach dynamic in Las Vegas. The trio of Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, and Brennan Carroll was an unmitigated disaster.
Thus the Autumn Wind of change flowing through the halls of Raiders headquarters in Henderson — once more.
For Kubiak’s offense to go — he’s going to call the plays as head coach — it’s imperative Dennison’s offensive line is executing and in unison. And to get there, the Raiders would be wise to spend cap space on a premiere pivot that’s slated to hit the open market when free agency begins next Monday: Tyler Linderbaum.
The Baltimore Ravens’ center the the last four years since being taken by the team with the 25th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Iowa product is an elite player at his position that’s slated to be a focal point for offensive line-needy teams. Las Vegas won’t be alone in its pursuit of the Iowa product but Linderbaum is worth the chase and coin.
In The Zone
The 6-foot-2 and 305-pound Linderbaum excelled in the Ravens’ primarily gape-heavy power blocking scheme, yet the 25-year-old (26 April 7) pivot has the skillset to be even better in a zone scheme. This is due to Linderbaum’s combination of lateral movement, technical expertise, and the ability to climb to the second level with ease and determination.
That’s a rare combination amongst NFL centers and when you combine those traits with his background as a wrestler, it’s no surprise to hear Linderbaum is going to be a hot commodity on the open market. He’s showcased versatility to be in a power-based blocking scheme while having tailor made ability to be a dancing bear in zone systems.
The blocking scheme that Kubiak and Dennison prefer focuses on athleticism and footwork, alongside the core tenet of zone vs. man. The scheme uses smaller, more agile linemen who can execute in “reach” blocks and double teams at the point of attack before one linemen peels off to engage a linebacker. A reach block is where an offensive linemen gains outside position on a defender — especially on outside/wide zone running plays — to cut across their body and wall them off from the play’s direction.
Linderbaum showcases an impressive ability to do just that. He also is a sound communicator at center and adopted an over-communicating style with Baltimore to ensure his linemates are all on the same page. This is vital for Dennison’s scheme in Las Vegas as another core tenet to the Gibbs’ zone blocking scheme is unison movement — where the entire offensive line moves in the same direction to move the defense horizontally.
Being able to do it is one thing, getting the group of vie to do it as a group is a different beast and Linderbaum has tamed both.
But because of that, Linderbaum won’t come cheap. Expect a bidding war resulting in the him becoming the NFL’s highest paid center as expectations are Linderbaum’s annual average salary to eclipse the $20-million mark. The Raiders do have that kind of coin and a need up front that should have the team competing with the New York Giants, who know have former Ravens’ boss John Harbaugh as head coach.
For reference, the current highest-paid pivot in the NFL is the Kansas City Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey who has a total contract value of $72 million with an average annual salary of $18 million. Behind him is the Philadelphia Eagles’ Cam Jurgens who has a $68 million deal with an average of $17 million per season.
Another Free Agent Option
Lloyd Cushenberry III is another route for the Raiders to take in terms of offensive line help. The former Tennessee Titans pivot was recently released and has a prior connection to Kubiak as both were with the Denver Broncos: Cushenberry as starting center, Kubiak as quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator in 2022.
While starting caliber, Cushenberry isn’t on the same level as Linderbaum, but brings mobility, athleticism, and football intelligence to the table. Cushenberry displays quick feet and the ability to work into the second level and attach to linebackers smoothly.
The 6-foot-4 and 315-pounder is older at 28 (was the Broncos third-round pick (83rd overall) in the 2020 draft) but is slated to command less coin than the more heralded Linderbaum. He did ink a four-year, $50 million deal with Tennessee in 2024 with an annual average of $12.5 million. Perhaps a short-term prove-it deal is on the horizon for Cushenberry.
In-House Pivot
Las Vegas isn’t without centers on the current roster.
First and foremost, there’s 2024 second-round pick (44th overall) Jackson Powers-Johnson. The 6-foot-3 and 325-pound Oregon product has dabbled at both center and guard since being drafted and is just 23 years old. The previous coaching staff appeared both to put him in the doghouse and not knowing where exactly to put the mauler of an offensive lineman.
There’s also two in-house free agents that are likely to be back on the Raiders roster due to being restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, respectively: Jordan Meredith and Will Putnam. Granted, Meredith (28 years old) played better at guard during his Raiders’ tenure while Putnam (25) is a developmental-type backup.
With the coaching woes in 2025, it’ll be interesting to see how Kubiak’s coaching staff can shape up the offensive line. The early indication is his group of Raiders coaches believes it can get more out of the roster than its predecessors.