Giants stealing top Jets free-agent target would be nightmare fuel

The New York Jets are set to enter an offseason that promises to bring widespread changes to their roster, and on top of four top-50 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the team will also be armed with nearly $90 million in cap space.

After a quiet first offseason on the job, Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn figure to be a lot more aggressive on the open market this time around, especially with both already on the hot seat following a dismal 3-14 season.

There are several free agents the Jets are expected to target in the coming months, but they won’t be alone in that pursuit. If the rumors are true, their crosstown rivals, the New York Giants, could also make a push for one of the Jets’ top potential targets.

Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum is a pending free agent and could be the most high-profile name on the market this offseason if he isn't re-signed before mid-March. The Giants appear to be one of the early favorites to sign him.

Giants could steal Tyler Linderbaum away from the Jets in free agency

SNY's Connor Hughes reported on Tuesday that the Giants are expected to be "aggressive in targeting ex-Ravens in free agency," largely due to the connection to new head coach John Harbaugh.

According to Hughes, "Harbaugh wants people who know his way to carry out his message in [the] locker room," and Linderbaum is apparently the most notable name to "keep an eye on."

Linderbaum has been one of the NFL's best centers since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2022. He's been named to three consecutive Pro Bowls and has helped anchor one of the better offensive lines in football.

In his four NFL seasons, Tyler Linderbaum has never posted a single-season Pro Football Focus grade below 74.0 and has ranked among PFF’s top seven centers every year.

He's allowed just two sacks over the last three seasons and is coming off a 2025 season in which he finished with a career-best 80.2 PFF grade. At just 25 years old, Linderbaum would be one of the best free agents to hit the open market in years.

The Jets already re-signed center Josh Myers to a two-year, $11 million contract, but that shouldn't stop them from pursuing a player like Linderbaum, if he does ultimately reach free agency. Myers was serviceable for the Jets in 2025, but he remains a low-end starting option at best.

Pairing Linderbaum with the young trio of Armand Membou, Olu Fashanu, and Joe Tippmann would further build on the Jets’ biggest roster strength and give the team one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. That’s how you turn a strength into a true foundation of the roster.

Unfortunately, Linderbaum's familiarity with Harbaugh and the Giants' desperate need for offensive line help mean that the Jets might have to go above and beyond to land the Pro Bowl center.

The expectation is that Linderbaum will become the NFL's new highest-paid center this offseason, passing Kansas City Chiefs star Creed Humphrey, who signed a four-year, $72 million contract extension in August 2024. Linderbaum could command $20 million or more per year.

That price might be worth it for a Jets team that has money to burn and is desperate for high-level players, but it won't be easy to land him.

It's safe to say Woody Johnson wouldn't love the optics of the Giants landing Harbaugh and signing Linderbaum while the Jets commit to running it back with Aaron Glenn and Josh Myers. That might be the reality Jets fans should prepare for, however.