Free Agency Preview: Why Terron Armstead Should Be the Bengals' Top Target

Here's why Cincinnati should go after the three-time Pro Bowler.

Author:
Mike Santagata
Publish date:
Feb 25, 2022 9:38 AM EST

Offensive tackles this good typically do not hit the open market, but with the rebuilding Saints dealing with cap issues, it’s possible that Terron Armstead could become a free agent next month.

The three-time Pro Bowler is a fantastic athlete and technician at the position. He is one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL. He's not an overly large player at 6-5, 305 pounds, but he is a dominant force in both the run and pass game.

If the Bengals want to show everyone that they are serious about this Super Bowl window, then they should make a run at Armstead.

What He Does Well

His pass protection as a whole is top notch. This is probably the main reason that the Bengals should try to go after him. He can be left alone on an island against the NFL’s best pass rushers. Last season he was still able to dominate top competition like Brian Burns, Shaq Barrett, and Preston Smith.

The best area of his pass protection is his hand usage. He uses his outside hand as bait for pass rushers and can quickly flip it and latch onto them. He is a true master at using his outside hand.

To go with his outside hand usage, he still has a nasty snatch trap as well. A snatch trap is a technique where an offensive linemen will punch down on a player’s arm when they are trying to use it to long arm or bullrush them. It knocks them off balance as that was their support for the pass rush. Watch as Armstead puts on a clinic using it in the video below.

Not only is he awesome in pass protection, but he's also one of the best run blockers when it comes to wide zone. His fantastic athleticism (Armstead holds the record for fastest 40-yard dash by an offensive lineman) really shows on these plays.

Areas of Concern

Every once in a great while, a bullrush will knock him back or pry open his inside shoulder. He’s only 305 pounds, so this makes sense. This is the only performance-based concern that I have with Armstead.

However, his injury history is also concerning. He plays in 11.5 regular season per year and even though he never misses a playoff game, it’s still a concern that he will miss 4.5 games on average. This drives his price down a little bit, but it’s still a large concern that will need to be taken into consideration.

The price tag is not really an area of concern, but it is something that could be an issue. Especially for the Bengals who typically do not pay very much in guaranteed money. He'll likely make $20 million per year.

This combined with the injury history could deter them from even making an offer because they are worried about committing top of the market money to a player that has dealt with injuries, even if he is an elite left tackle.

Overall Thoughts

Armstead is a game changer at offensive tackle. He is one of the three best players at that position in the league. If the front office wants to show that they are not the same old Bengals, then this is the perfect guy to bring in. He would easily be the best offensive lineman they’ve had since Andrew Whitworth. Armstead opens up the playbook for Joe Burrow, while being a mauler in the run game. It’s the perfect player for the Bengals to add in free agency.

He is immaculate in pass protection. His ability to use his hands, change his sets, snatch trap, reset his hands, and really clamp the top competition in the NFL is astounding. Everything he does is at an extremely high level. He is one of the best athletes at the position while being a master of the technical game. The issue of really talented bull rushers opening him up once in a while is really not much to worry about in my opinion because it is so rare. The Bengals would have to move Jonah Williams to right tackle or kick him inside to guard in this scenario, but Armstead is absolutely worth it.

His extreme athleticism shines in the run game. He can reach block anyone, climb to the second level and take out linebackers, and his combo blocks are also amazing. He is constantly putting defenders on the ground or driving them 15 yards down the field. He has a case as the best offensive tackle for a wide zone running game. Joe Mixon would love running behind No. 72.

Scheme Fit

He perfectly fits what the Bengals do. Even though the Bengals' offense has been considered disjointed by some because of the under-center versus shotgun splits—he fits both areas. He is one of the best pass protectors in the league while also being possibly the best run blocker on wide zone. This is a perfect fit for the Cincinnati Bengals if they decide to pay him.

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