The Cincinnati Bengals need help along the offensive line this offseason.
While the team has Jonah Williams coming back to man left tackle, the guard spots flanking Trey Hopkins aren’t overly encouraging. Replacement-level players, from Billy Price to John Miller, could be improved upon.
That’s not happening early in the 2020 draft, not at No. 1 and perhaps not in the second round either. The Bengals, then, could look to the following free agents.
Brandon Scherff
Brandon Scherff has been one of the NFL’s better guards since joining Washington via the fifth pick in 2015. He’s missed some time over the past two seasons with injuries but is still just 28 and posted a solid grade of 75.0 at Pro Football Focus last year.
Scherff would be a pricey add, but there isn’t too steep a cost when it comes to protecting a potential franchise passer like Joe Burrow. The Bengals might have some younger guys like Michael Jordan they like, but Scherff is a sure thing who ranked among the top five in run blocking at PFF before getting hurt. He’s elite and an immediate upgrade to most teams in the league.
Graham Glasgow
Graham Glasgow isn’t a household name in most places but it doesn’t change the fact he just had a breakout season and could provide the Bengals an instant upgrade.
Glasgow, 27, was a third-round pick in 2017 who just broke out with career numbers:
Mainly playing guard and taking some snaps at center for good measure, Glasgow profiles as a guy just hitting his stride right in time for a new contract. It could get expensive, but that’s the price a team like the Bengals needs to be willing to pay.
Joe Thuney
Joe Thuney isn’t a big name but he’s about to get paid.
Thuney, 27, has been a rock for New England since joining the team via the third round in 2016, posting a 77.4 grade at PFF last year. He’s been a rock consistently too:
Thuney can work in the running game but is downright elite as a pass-blocker which, again, is a big deal if the Bengals are drafting a Joe Burrow.
(Bonus): Andrew Whitworth
Can the relationship heal and create a return of one of the team’s most beloved players?
Whitworth spent the last few seasons in Los Angeles, went to a Super Bowl and noted several times the Bengals had low-balled him in negotiations.
Yet, this time the talks would center on his kicking inside to guard since he’s regressing. There, he’d figure to be an upgrade over any guard currently on the roster. And it seems quite in character for a guy like Whitworth to come back and finish what he started.
