Looks like Head Coach John Harbaugh won’t be able to poach a key offensive lineman from his former team. The New York Giants were reportedly eyeing center Tyler Linderbaum, whose market value climbed too high this offseason. With limited cap space and other priorities to manage, the Giants’ hope of pursuing the Ravens star has turned into a lesson in harsh market realities as free agency opens Monday.

“Price ‘too high’ on C Tyler Linderbaum, Kenneth Walker,” Underdog NFL wrote on X. 

With his $13.24 million rookie contract expired, Tyler Linderbaum will hit free agency on March 9, 2026. His four sterling seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, which included three Pro Bowl selections, place him among the top free agents. With the Giants, Raiders, and Titans showing interest, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler projected his market value to go as high as $20 million annually.

Meanwhile, John Harbaugh’s team currently has nearly $14.28 million in salary cap space. The situation could push the franchise out of the race. Even though the team has been linked to both players in recent rumors, their limited budget could prevent them from making a serious push. Since entering the NFL in 2022, he has been anchoring the team’s offensive line.

Trained under John Harbaugh, he quickly became one of the league’s top centers. In 2024, Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey set the league’s ceiling for the position at a four-year, $72 million contract. It also included over $50 million in guarantees. However, analysts have predicted that Linderbaum’s deal could reset the market. The update is a major blow to New York, who are in desperate need to stabilize its offensive line.

For a team needing an upgrade over center John Michael Schmitz, the list of suitable free agents runs short. Players such as Connor McGovern and Tyler Biadasz of the Los Angeles Chargers have already signed elsewhere. These developments leave fewer proven options on the market. With Linderbaum likely to become unaffordable, Dan Duggan of The Athletic suggested the Giants take a different approach.

“I advocated for the Giants to sign [Isaac] Seumalo the last time he was a free agent, when he signed a surprisingly economical three-year, $24 million contract with the Steelers in 2023,” he wrote. “After three solid seasons in Pittsburgh, the 32-year-old is back on the market. Signing Seumalo to the one-year, $8 million contract projected by PFF would be a cost-effective upgrade at right guard.”

At 32, Seumalo may not have Linderbaum’s youth or star power. But his experience could make him a stable option to support quarterback Jaxson Dart. Meanwhile, John Harbaugh’s team has identified four free agents they could seek.

John Harbaugh’s team identifies free-agent targets

The Giants finished the 2025 campaign with a terrible 4-13 record. The core issues that held the team back included injuries to key players and inconsistent defensive performances. Out of their thirteen losses, seven came down to a single possession while the team blew double-digit leads in the remaining contests. Keeping those issues in mind, the front office has released a short four-man list.

“Players the Giants are targeting in FA, via @Connor_J_Hughes: Isaiah Likely OL Alijah Vera-Tucker CB Jamel Dean LB Tremaine Edmunds,” Underdog NFL wrote on X. 

The presence of both offensive and defensive help signals that the team wants to address its problems on both sides of the ball. Tight end Isaiah Likely shares a connection with Harbaugh, who served as Baltimore’s head coach until the 2025 season. Under his leadership, Likely caught 135 receptions for 1,568 yards and 15 touchdowns during his four-year stint.

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Meanwhile, cornerback Jamel Dean is another experienced name linked to the Giants. Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019, he secured a four-year, $52 million extension with them in 2023. In the past season, he made fourteen appearances. He posted 46 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, three interceptions, and nine pass breakups. 

Then, there’s offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, who could offer stability up front: A former USC standout and first-round pick by the New York Jets in 2021. He took on the starting role in fifteen games at right guard in 2024 after the team exercised his fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Meanwhile, Tremaine Edmunds has started every one of the 119 regular-season games he has played.

Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 251 pounds, Edmunds totaled 900 tackles and 59 pass breakups in his career. He has also earned two Pro Bowl selections, placing him among an impressive group of players at this point in his career.