The Green Bay Packers don't have a 1st-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, so there's a decent chance we could see them be ultra-aggressive when it comes to addressing their biggest needs in NFL Free Agency.
A couple of moves can easily get the Packers into a place of not only salary cap compliance but free up enough space to make some big splashes. One area of the roster that absolutely cannot be compromised is the offensive line, where Elgton Jenkins has been discussed as one of the most obvious potential cut or trade candidates on the roster.
With the potential of over $19.5 million in savings and a minimal dead cap hit of $4.8 million, moving on from Jenkins would make sense this offseason, but how would the Packers replace him? Well, that decision could make them the ideal landing spot for the top center, and maybe the top offensive lineman on the entire free agent market.
Tyler Linderbaum could be the ideal solution to Packers' biggest offseason problem in 2026
Spotrac's contract projection for free agent center Tyler Linderbaum, a first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens back in 2022, is right around $70.8 million on a four-year deal, giving him a potential average annual salary of $17.72 million.
For the Green Bay Packers, this would not only be a no-brainer, but probably the ideal solution if they're losing someone as good as Elgton Jenkins.
We've seen the Packers be much more aggressive in pursuing free agents over the past couple of offseasons, going after Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney in 2024 before making a blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons in 2025. The Packers have been as measured as they have been opportunistic, but getting a player like Linderbaum would very much fit in with those types of moves.
Linderbaum is still just 25 years old and won't turn 26 until April. He's a rare type of free agent hitting the market with a 1st-round pedigree, three Pro Bowl selections, and likely a minimum of two big-money contracts left as an NFL player.
You don't always look too far past a current window when making moves in the NFL, but Linderbaum is the type of free agent who could end up spending nearly a decade at his next NFL destination, and that kind of longevity gives you the best possible bang for your buck when it comes to NFL free agency.
Paying the $70 million price tag now would give the Packers a solution for the foreseeable future at a critical position right in the middle of their offensive line. After making a substantial investment in Jordan Love, the offensive line needs to be a primary area of focus, and Linderbaum is the perfect fit.