6 Best Offensive Tackles Hitting the Market this Offseason Part 1

By BetOnline February 9, 2020

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BY ADAM GREENE

If you’re a team with a dire need to build or rebuild an offensive line (and we all know who you are), there are plenty of options available via trade and free agency this offseason. Of course, at this position, depending on the age of the available tackle, it’s going to cost you.

Back before free agency hit the NFL, the offensive tackle was an underpaid position. The guys that carried, threw or caught the ball could hold out for big contracts, but the casual fan had no clue how valued offensive linemen were to the their respective teams until they were forced to pay market value.

There were more offensive linemen making $10 million or more last season than any skill position player. Only defensive linemen, in total, could claim more guys making eight figures.

There are a lot of star players available with money and competition from teams willing to spend more the only thing keeping a squad from adding them to their roster.

1. TRENT WILLIAMS, LT, WASHINGTON REDSKINS

6-5, 320 pounds, 31 years old, Last PFF Grade: 89.1

Williams didn’t play a down in 2019 after a dispute over a tumor diagnosis with the Washington Redskins. He felt the team trainers misdiagnosed his tumor and it caused a permanent fracture with the team. He vowed to never play for them again and kept that promise so far.

The Redskins, of course, eventually tossed Williams on the trading block and that’s where he still sits. Since he’s of no value to Washington on his couch, they should make him an economical trade for any team in need of a seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle. Which should be everybody.

Where he should end up: Los Angeles Rams

The Rams and current left tackle Andrew Whitworth have announced they’ve worked a deal for his return for the 2020 season and that’s the only reason he’s not on this list. Whitworth took a step backward last year, but is still an NFL starter and the Rams’ best option at LT. That all changes with a trade for Williams.

Los Angeles has made no effort to protect its draft picks when it comes to trades and my guess is that the Skins would cough up Williams for a third rounder. He already knows head coach Sean McVay, his former offensive coordinator and, more importantly, McVay knows Williams. Bringing him in moves Whitworth to right tackle, moves RT Rob Havenstein to left guard and reshuffles the entire Rams line into a significantly better unit.

2. JACK CONKLIN, RT, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT

6-6, 308 pounds, 25 years old, PFF Grade: 78.0

Conklin was a home run former first round pick out of Michigan State for the Tennessee Titans in the 2016 draft and is in danger of hitting free agency simply because the team has so many players it has to pay and only so many franchise and transition tags it can use.

For that reason, Conklin will enter the open market and the Titans will have to bid with everyone else to retain his services.

Where he should end up: Tennessee Titans

While the Titans will have to spend money to keep their team intact, they have plenty. They currently have the 14^th most available salary cap money in the NFL and as long as they can work long-term deals with quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derek Henry (both of whom should be retained), there should be plenty of cash left over to bump Conklin’s salary up to where it belongs.

A flurry of blind side blockers populate Part 2.