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EspañolDuring the 2025 NFL offseason, the Baltimore Ravens made a move that felt unconventional — but calculated. They declined Tyler Linderbaum's fifth-year option. The explanation of why they did so makes plenty of sense. The reasoning wasn't reckless. Fifth-year options for first-round picks are tiered based on performance, and Linderbaum's résumé pushed his price into elite territory.
His option would have checked in at roughly $23.4 million for one season, a hefty number for a center, even a very good one. Baltimore chose flexibility over sticker shock, betting they could negotiate a long-term deal rather than lock in a premium one-year salary.
The gamble? If no extension materializes, Linderbaum hits free agency in 2026. Now, let's shift the lens to Zay Flowers.
Maybe the Ravens will have better luck with Zay Flowers if they choose to decline his option.
What does all of this have to do with Zay Flowers? That's your question, right? That brings us to the second half of our story. Flowers, a first-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, is a two-time Pro Bowler. There's a fifth-year option baked into his deal that takes effect for the 2027 NFL season. You can see where this is headed, right?
His 2025 season strengthened his leverage for an extension down the road. 86 receptions, 1,211 yards, and six total touchdowns... All career marks or tying them. He's ascending at a premium position in a market that keeps exploding.
But before the negotiation comes an all-important decision. As it stands right now, Flowers' fifth-year option looks to be somewhere in the $27.3 million range.
Even in a league with an ever-increasing salary cap, that's a massive number. That's where the Linderbaum decision becomes more than a one-off. It may be a blueprint.
Recent NFL history has shown that waiting often means teams pay more, so here's a question. If you believe in the player, why not extend him early and smooth out the cap hits before the market inflates again? Declining the option creates urgency and leverage to get a deal done on your terms.
Time will tell if Linderbaum is a Raven moving forward. Here's the bottom line for GM Eric DeCosta as far as Flowers is concerned. He's 25 and trending upward.
If he's part of the long-term vision, don't let the price tag dictate the timing. Get out ahead, and get his extension done early. Just make sure you get Lamar Jackson's deal done first and get through the coming free-agency cycle and the NFL Draft.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Zay Flowers' fifth-year option is for $27.3 million