2020 NFL Free Agency: 9 guards to watch for the Saints

The New Orleans Saints should consider free agents like Joe Thuney and Graham Glasgow when replacing Pro Bowl left guard Andrus Peat.

The New Orleans Saints must upgrade the left guard spot this offseason, with longtime starter Andrus Peat expected to walk away in free agency. They have a few options on the roster already — veteran Nick Easton, signed last year, has to be the favorite — but otherwise only a couple of inexperienced reserves are on hand, like Will Clapp and Cameron Tom (if he re-signs, being a restricted free agent).

Unfortunately, the 2020 free agent crop isn’t very deep, largely made up of backups looking for their big break. The Saints will probably need to make a big splash if they want to improve. We’ll break the group into tiers following the same general standards from an earlier post discussing free agent options at wide receiver.

Bank-Breakers ($8 million or more per year)

Brandon Scherff, Washington Redskins
Joe Thuney, New England Patriots
Graham Glasgow, Detroit Lions

Scherff is the brightest star in this group, and rightly so: when healthy, there aren’t many blockers who can match him in pass protection. But Scherff has missed 15 games in the last three years, and was limited to just 11 appearances last season while managing elbow and shoulder injuries. He would have to slide back to the left side, his college position, after playing right guard in the NFL.

Enter Thuney, the Patriots stalwart who hasn’t missed a game in four years. Thuney has started predominately at left guard, though he’s played right tackle in a pinch. He’s been graded highly in both pass protection and run blocking, and would be a terrific fit with the Saints. The only concern is that the Patriots rarely let great players like him walk away.

Glasgow is an interesting prospect with experience at both guard and center. He’s developed into a nice blocker who rarely blows his assignments or gets dinged with penalties. The question is whether the Saints would be willing to overpay him in what’s looking like a top-heavy market for guards.

Pages: 123

4 home-run hits the Saints could make to win free agency

The New Orleans Saints can win free agency by signing a home-run hit such as Patriots guard Joe Thuney or Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper.

We are going to attempt to figure out our four favorite free agent fits for the New Orleans Saints heading into the 2020 offseason. Some key holes on the offense are quite glaring (like guard and receiver), while other areas on the defense could use a shot in the arm (such as defensive end). Here are four options that we’d like to see the Saints target as home-run hits, which would help them win free agency.

Amari Cooper, wide receiver

Cooper’s value improved since his move to the Dallas Cowboys from the Oakland Raiders in 2018. In each of the last two seasons the wideout has averaged over 1,000 yards receiving, scoring 15 touchdowns during that time. Cooper is due for a payday, and many predict he will have earned a lucrative multi-year deal. However, should he get paid in the upper echelons of his position, or even be the highest-paid, as some have suggested?

Instead, Cooper could take a one-year deal with the Saints with a higher average annual value and then seek his multi-year deal the following season. Cooper would have the opportunity to play opposite of Michael Thomas in a much more explosive offense. Those factors alone could see his production skyrocket, which could then be used to justify a massive payday in 2021.

Joe Thuney, guard

A former third-round pick, Thuney has spent the last four seasons protecting quarterback Tom Brady with the New England Patriots. Thuney quickly became one of the best offensive guards in the league, and now he is set to test free agency this offseason.

Pro Football Focus has ranked Thuney in the top-10 at his position in each of the last three years, and should command top-tier money. It would likely take a four-year deal with at least $10-million per year to bring him into the fold. However, if Drew Brees continues to return season after season, the offensive line will have to be the best unit on the field in order to keep the aging quarterback upright. Incumbent left guard Andrus Peat is on his way out, and Thuney would be a huge upgrade.

Marcus Mariota, quarterback

Current backup Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater could feasibly leave the team in free agency this offseason, especially if he fields starting job offers and money. Even if Taysom Hill remains with the team should Bridgewater leave, another backup quarterback would be necessary if Sean Payton wants to continue using Hill in his current capacity as a receiver, runner, and blocker.

Enter Mariota. Mariota is on the outs with the Tennessee Titans, as Ryan Tannehill has a stranglehold on the starting job. We have already highlighted the similarities between Mariota and Bridgewater, and why he could be a great fit with New Orleans. Mariota could be a fantastic long-term option at the position, especially considering his pedigree. Playing with a new coordinator every year he’s been in the NFL did a lot to stunt his development.

Yannick Ngakoue, defensive end

Ngakoue has all but made it known that he will not be returning to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020 according to his Twitter. The 2017 Pro Bowler recorded eight sacks in 2019, despite playing in a bad situation. The addition he would make the Saints’ defensive line one of the most lethal and feared in the league.

However, he will come with a pretty large price tag. His deal would likely exceed $15 million a year, which would make him the highest paid lineman on the defense. That could cause some issues, considering Cameron Jordan recently inked a team-friendly long-term deal worth $14.9 million per year. Imagine the possibilities, though, with a line made up of Jordan, Ngakoue, and a healthy Sheldon Rankins and Marcus Davenport. That just might be worth the price.

[vertical-gallery id=26750]

PFF names one free agent Rams should pursue this offseason

Joe Thuney would solve a lot of the Rams’ problems on the offensive line.

For the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Rams have some marquee players hitting free agency. Last offseason, it was Lamarcus Joyner, Rodger Saffold and Ndamukong Suh. This year, the “big three” consists of Dante Fowler Jr., Cory Littleton and Andrew Whitworth. As such, the Rams will have some extremely difficult decisions to make in free agency.

They’ll be in the market for outside players, too, but with limited cap space, they won’t be able to fetch any of the top free agents. Pro Football Focus doesn’t see the salary cap limiting Los Angeles too much, though, based on its pick for the one free agent the Rams should pursue.

According to PFF, the Rams should go after Patriots guard Joe Thuney. He’s been one of the best guards in the NFL the last few years, ranking in the top 10 at his position in PFF WAR each of the last three years.

Joe Thuney earned himself a massive contract as the last few seasons have evolved, and the Rams should do everything possible to bring him in. In each of the past three years, Thuney has ranked among the 10 most valuable guards in PFF WAR. He stepped it up in pass-protection, specifically, in his past two campaigns, ranking second in two-year PFF grade. Neither Austin Corbett nor Joseph Noteboom (the two to play the most at left guard for the Rams) qualify, but if they did, they would be around 28th and 35th, respectively, of 37 qualifiers.

Thuney has started all 64 games in his career since being a third-round pick in 2016, and he’s going to cash in this offseason. The Rams opted not to re-sign Rodger Saffold last offseason, but perhaps they’ll try to fix that mistake by going after Thuney.

If Whitworth retires or leaves in free agency, the Rams will likely try Joseph Noteboom at left tackle, which would open up a void at guard. Even if Whitworth returns, the Rams can’t bank on Noteboom being a great left guard in 2020, nor should it prevent them from signing Thuney if the money works out.

Could Patriots left tackle Isaiah Wynn be in for a position change?

Patriots tackle Isaiah Wynn could move positions to fill a hole potentially left by an impending free agent.

During the 2018 NFL draft, the New England Patriots were looking to upgrade their offensive line. They had just lost their longtime left tackle Nate Solder to the New York Giants in free agency, so it was clearly the biggest hole on the roster. With their first of two first-round picks, the Patriots drafted offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn out of Georgia.

The scouting report on Wynn was that he was undersized. He had played both guard and tackle in college, and while he was athletic, it was said he may be better suited for an interior position. Right guard Shaq Mason’s contract was up at the end of the season. Some suggested that Wynn could’ve been a longterm plan to replace him or that he could start over third-year left guard Joe Thuney. But, at the time, it was all but guaranteed that Wynn was going to play offensive tackle due to the obvious need.

Then, the very next day, the Patriots made a trade for San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Brown. It was set to be a training camp battle to decide who would stay as the starter. However, Wynn would suffer a torn Achilles in the 2018 preseason to end his rookie season, handing the job to Brown.

Less than two weeks after Wynn’s injury, Mason received a monstrous five-year, $50 million contract extension, effectively ending the guard future of Isaiah Wynn.

After a tremendous 2018, Trent Brown cashed in on the first day of free agency with the Oakland Raiders. With Wynn still recovering, the Patriots tried to bring in veteran free agent Jared Veldheer, but he retired prior to the season. After Week 1, the Patriots brought in journeyman offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse who needed to start more than half the season when Wynn suffered a toe injury that kept him out for nine weeks.

When he’s been on the field, Wynn’s been coming along. He’s hasn’t been great, and he hasn’t terrible. That’s pretty much what’s expected out of a young offensive lineman who essentially missed the first season-and-a-half of his career.

For reference, Wynn graded out at 69.9, according to Pro Football Focus, which put him 19th at the left tackle position. PFF grades aren’t everything, but they can help. What they’re not accounting for is the poor play of the rest of the Patriots’ offensive line (with the exception of Thuney who was named to the All-Pro Second-Team). It’s the one unit that really needs to be on the same page, and it was evident that that was not the case this season.

Now, Thuney is heading to the open market this off-season. He’ll likely get a huge deal because of his consistency and availability. It would be surprising to see Belichick pay top dollar to both of his guards. So, it looks like the Patriots would be in the market for a guard this off-season. Could Isaiah Wynn be that guy?

His smaller frame and experience playing left guard at Georgia could make him a great candidate. Moving him to guard could allow for more mobility and deception with pulls on the offensive line. Mason is already great on the move, so adding Wynn’s skill set could make that a dangerous combination.

If the Patriots want the prototypical 6-foot-5-and-above offensive tackle, Wynn’s versatility, allowing him to kick inside, would give them the freedom to go after their guy. Belichick may go out in the draft and take Louisville left tackle Mekhi Becton (6-foot-7) in the first round. He could sign Eagles tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai (6-foot-6) in free agency. Of course, this is all decided by Belichick, and maybe more important, offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia.

[vertical-gallery id=77728]

4 guards the Bengals should target in 2020 NFL free agency

The Bengals should target these players in free agency.

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.

Pages: 1234