2021 NFL Free Agency: Best Available Guards
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Free agency officially kicked off with the beginning of the league-year on March 17. Here is a look at the Green Bay Packers' situation at guard and the best remaining free agents.
The Packers’ Picture
Packers Need (1-10 scale): 3. Last year’s starting tandem of left guard Elgton Jenkins and right guard Lucas Patrick will be back. Plus, general manager Brian Gutekunst fortified this position in last year’s draft by using sixth-round picks on Jon Runyan and Simon Stepaniak. Runyan showed he belonged when thrown into the fire in a few games. Stepaniak didn’t play due to the torn ACL sustained in December 2019 while at Indiana. If the Packers wind up going with Patrick or Jenkins as the replacement for center Corey Linsley, then perhaps the Packers could use some depth.
RELATED: SI.COM'S TOP 200 FREE AGENTS
Packers Free Agents: And if they do want veteran depth, they could re-sign Lane Taylor. Taylor has missed most of the last two seasons with injuries. In 2019, he suffered a torn biceps tendon before the Week 3 game. In 2020, he sustained a torn ACL in the opener. So, after starting all but three games from 2016 through 2018, he’s started only three games the past two seasons.
When healthy, he’s an above-average starter and locker room leader. He allowed 12 sacks in his three seasons as a starter and is a people-mover in the run game. For general manager Brian Gutekunst, there are two questions. One, is he confident Runyan and/or Stepaniak are ready for prime time? And, two, is Taylor breaking down at age 31 or was he the victim of bad luck? With availability being the greatest ability, do the Packers want to invest the money and a roster spot on someone who has suffered two major injuries?
Top 11 Free Agents
SIGNED BY KANSAS CITY: Joe Thuney, New England: Thuney is talented, durable and in the prime of his career at age 28. A third-round pick in 2016, Thuney has started all 80 games in his career. He was second-team All-Pro in 2019 and even started a couple games at center in 2020. Of the 64 regular starting guards last season, he was No. 18 in ProFootballFocus.com’s pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. In the run game, he had a blown-block rate of 0.7 percent and gave up two stuffs (a tackle at or behind the line of scrimmage). He was called for three penalties, according to Sports Info Solutions.
Free Agent Previews
SIGNED BY BALTIMORE: Kevin Zeitler, N.Y. Giants: Zeitler turned 31 on Monday. On Wednesday, the Giants wished him a happy birthday by releasing him. A first-round pick in 2012, he’s never been a Pro Bowler but has delivered several seasons of high-quality play. In nine seasons, he’s started 134 of a possible 144 games. Of the 64 starting guards, he was No. 35 in PFF’s pass-protection metric in 2020. In the run game, he had a blown-block rate of 1.1 percent – his best in Sports Info Solutions’ five years of grading – and gave up three stuffs. He was called for five penalties, four of which were false starts.
SIGNED BY L.A. CHARGERS: Matt Feiler, Pittsburgh: Feiler didn’t just go undrafted out of Division II Bloomsburg in 2014. He went unsigned. Feiler went the tryout route and spent 2014 on Houston’s practice squad. Cut again at the end of training camp in 2015, he landed in Pittsburgh. He played in one game in 2016 and made one start in 2017 before starting 42 games the past three seasons. In 13 starts at left guard in 2020, he finished 11th in PFF’s pass-protection metric with a career-low 17 pressures allowed. In the run game, he had a blown-block rate of 1.4 percent and gave up two stuffs, according to SIS. He was called for four penalties.
Forrest Lamp, L.A. Chargers: A second-round pick in 2017, Lamp missed his rookie season with a torn ACL, barely played in 2018 and missed most of the 2019 season with a broken ankle. Thus, in his first three seasons, he played in nine games with two starts. Lamp entered his contract season of 2020 not just needing to put out some good film; he just needed to put out some film. And he did. Lamp played all 1,175 snaps. He gave up two sacks but finished just 43rd in PFFs pass-protection metric. Only two guards allowed more than his 38 pressures. In the run game, he had a blown-block rate of 3.2 percent and gave up eight stuffs, according to SIS. He was called for one penalty. So, that’s not a good resume but draft scouting reports still matter, he’s only 27 and at least he’s got a full season to build upon.
Trai Turner, L.A. Chargers: A third-round pick in 2014, Turner was selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls with Carolina from 2015 through 2019. However, after playing in only 13 of 16 games the previous three seasons, Turner played in only nine games in 2020 due in large part to a groin injury. He allowed one sack but was 54th in PFF’s pass-protection metric. In the run game, he had a blown-block rate of 4.1 percent and gave up two stuffs, according to SIS. He was called for two penalties. The previous four seasons, his blown-block rate was only 1.3 percent.
TRADED TO SEATTLE: Gabe Jackson, Las Vegas: The massive 335-pounder started all 16 games last season, his seventh with the team that drafted him in third round in 2014. While he did not allow a sack, he finished No. 24 in PFF’s pass-protection metric. In the run game, he had a blown-block rate of 2.4 percent and gave up four stuffs, according to SIS. He was called for three penalties. He’ll turn 30 in July.
SIGNED BY KANSAS CITY: Kyle Long, Chicago: A first-round pick by Chicago in 2013, he was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons. His career was destroyed by injuries. From 2016 through 2019, he played in eight 10, eight and four games. He called it quits and sat out the 2020 season. At age 32, Long recently announced he wants to play again. When he last played in 2019, he had a blown-block rate of 3.5 percent and gave up 14 pressures in those aforementioned four games. That’s as many pressures as Green Bay’s Jenkins allowed in 16 games.
Lane Taylor, Green Bay: Taylor was a quality starter in 2016 through 2018 but has played in only three games the past two seasons due to injuries. When the 31-year-old last stayed healthy in 2018, he played in 15 games at left guard. He gave up eight sacks and 36 total pressures, according to PFF. He was much better in the run game, with a blown-block rate of 1.6 percent and gave up only one stuff.
RE-SIGNED: Jon Felciano, Buffalo: A fourth-round pick in 2015, Feliciano has only 33 starts under his belt. He started all 16 games for the Bills in 2019. He suffered a torn pectoral during training camp in 2020 and returned to start nine games. He didn’t allow any sacks but finished 56th in PFF’s pass-protection metric. In the run game, he had a blown-block rate of 3.7 percent and gave up five stuffs, according to SIS. He was called for two penalties. He’s generally a much better run blocker. In 2019, his blown-block rate was 1.3 percent and he yielded only four stuffs.
RE-SIGNED: John Miller, Carolina: A third-round pick by Buffalo in 2015, Miller has 74 starts at right guard on his resume. His best season came in 2018, his final season with the Bills. He started 13 games for Cincinnati in 2019 and 14 games in 2020 for Carolina. He finished 35th in PFF’s pass-protection metric. In the run game, he had a blown-block rate of 2.2 percent and allowed three stuffs, according to SIS. He was charged with a career-worst six penalties.
SIGNED BY N.Y. JETS: Dan Feeney, L.A. Chargers: Feeney was a major disappointment as a third-round pick in 2017. He’s got almost 4,000 snaps on his resume, mostly at guard but at center in 2020, and improved last season under the tutelage of James Campen. He’s got the skill-set for a zone scheme and is worthy of another look, despite some appalling numbers last year (four sacks, according to PFF, and a blown-block rate of 3.7 percent and 10 stuffs on runs, according to SIS).
