Bengals Projected to Sign Joe Thuney in Latest Free Agent Rankings

This would be a huge upgrade!

Author:
All Bengals Staff
Publish date:
Feb 21, 2021 2:51 PM EST

The Bengals need to aggressively address their biggest weaknesses in free agency this offseason.

They desperately need offensive line help. Cincinnati had the worst guard play in the NFL in 2020. They also need to upgrade the right tackle position.

Anthony Treash of Pro Football Focus believes the Bengals are going to spend big on a top free agent offensive lineman. He has Cincinnati signing Patriots guard Joe Thuney to a four-year, $57 million contract.

"It’s no secret that Cincinnati’s offensive line has been among the worst in the NFL for quite some time now—they have ranked in the bottom five in PFF grade in each of the last four years. Last season, they came in at No. 30 in combined offensive line PFF grade," Treash wrote. "Left tackle Jonah Williams and center Trey Hopkins performed quite well relative to their counterparts, but the rest of the line was a downright liability. And following the season-ending injury to Joe Burrow last year, they know they can’t afford to ignore the line in free agency. They have the cap space to make a massive move in free agency to address that fact, and Thuney—who grew up just outside the Cincinnati area—could well be that big signing. Thuney ranks sixth among left guards in PFF grade since entering the league in 2016. He also has never ranked lower than 13th in a single season among all guards in WAR generated."

Thuney would be a huge upgrade in the trenches. The Bengals haven't paid big money for a guard in the past, but the need to protect Burrow could change that.

Cincinnati would still need to address the tackle position in free agency and the draft, but adding Thuney would be a big step in the right direction.

Treash also has the Bengals re-signing Carl Lawson to a four-year, $55 million contract. William Jackson III also sticks around in his projection by signing a three-year, $40 million deal.

The Bengals have the cap room to add multiple pieces like Thuney in free agency and still keep their top free agents this offseason.

They would have the resources to add more pieces even after these three signings.

Being aggressive wins in today's NFL. For more on what the Bengals should do, check out our offseason plan.

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