[jwplayer HugIpyNL-ThvAeFxT]
Offensive linemen were a hot-ticket item during the NFL’s legal tampering period. The players considered the top offensive tackles like Jack Conklin and Bryan Bulaga were signed with expedience. The second tier of players like Hal Vaitai, Dennis Kelly and George Fant soon followed. The same is true of the interior offensive line with Graham Glasgow, Alex Lewis and Ereck Flowers landing deals.
With the top players no longer available, some teams will look to add some of the remaining veteran players in the free-agent pool. Others will wait for the draft, but there are no guarantees in the draft. This might make trades more appealing for some NFL teams.
For teams looking for help at guard, they should call the Kansas City Chiefs about 7-year veteran offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. Why would the Chiefs be looking to part with one of their longest-tenured offensive linemen? Well, they’re tight on cap space and could free up some with a trade of Duvernay-Tardif. The Chiefs have several replacement options for Duvernay-Tardif on the roster such as Andrew Wylie, Martinas Rankin, and Nick Allegretti. They’ve also done an incredible job of adding and developing offensive linemen late in the draft.
Why would teams value Duvernay-Tardif in trade? The 29-year-old is under contract through the 2022 season and his deal becomes very affordable when traded for. Were Duvernay-Tardif to be released, he’d instantly jump to the top of the class and receive a deal at market value. If a team trades for him, they’ll get him on a 3-year deal that below market value. In addition to the business side making sense, Duvernay-Tardif is a great leader and could be an anchor on developing offensive lines across the NFL.
Duvernay-Tardif has improved in each of his years since entering the league of McGill University. His best season came in 2017, but he didn’t exactly play poorly during 2019 either. He started 14 regular-season games during the Super Bowl-winning season. During those games he played a total of 899 offensive snaps, allowing just two sacks, which ranked No. 35 among guards per Pro Football Focus.
As far as what a trade might look like for Kansas City, it’s hard to tell. The league values offensive linemen highly, so if a bidding war were to ensue, the Chiefs could get more in return. A fourth-round selection wouldn’t be out of the question depending on which team you’re dealing with. A few teams with needs at the position include the Saints, Jets, Browns, Vikings and Panthers.
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