6 Best Offensive Tackles Hitting the Market this Offseason Part 2

By BetOnline February 9, 2020

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BY ADAM GREENE

While we opened our offensive tackle list with a guy on the trading block, the guys in this section are all free, clear and available to whomever is willing to crack open their wallet the furthest.

3. ANTHONY CASTONZO, LT, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT

6-7, 307 pounds, 31 years of, PFF Grade: 81.3

Castonzo had started all but a handful of games at left tackle for the Indianapolis Colts since the team drafted him No. 22 overall in 2011. This is Castonzo’s third contract in the league and while the Colts have plenty of salary cap room to keep him, he might not want to be kept. Especially with the teams fluid quarterback situation.

The idea of blocking for Andrew Luck and competing for Super Bowls would be a good enticement to stay. But since that’s off the table, there’s no reason for Castonzo to remain in Indy unless he just really loves the neighborhood he and his wife picked out.

Where he should end up: Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals drafted Jonah Williams with their first round pick last year and never got to take the field with him once as he was lost for the season with a torn labrum. He could very well be their left tackle of the future, but I say why take the chance?

Cincy is about to invest a No. 1 overall pick in Joe Burrow. Imagine how much better you’d feel about that with Castonzo on the left side of the line and Williams on the right? The Bengals have plenty of cap to make this happen and all you have to look at is the turnaround with the Los Angeles Rams and Jared Goff in 2017 and 2018 once the team solidified its left tackle position with Andrew Whitworth.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor got a first-hand view of that transformation as he was Goff’s QB coach in 2018.

4. BRYAN BULAGA, RT, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT

6-5, 314 pounds, 30 years old, PFF Grade: 77.9

Bulaga is in a similar position as Castonzo, though he can’t command the same left tackle money. He can still pull in plenty at right tackle. The Pack paid him $8 million-plus the last two seasons to pass block for their best offensive weapon, Aaron Rodgers, and he delivered.

But Green Bay isn’t going to use a franchise tag on a right tackle and they have a cheaper option in Jason Spriggs, also a free agent, a guy they picked in the second round of the 2016 draft. They might decide to roll with him.

Where he should end up: Green Bay Packers

While Spriggs is a younger and will likely compete for a starting job elsewhere, the Packers know what they have in Bulaga. While he’s dealt with some injury issues in the past, he started 14 games in 2018 and 18, counting two playoff games, this season.

More than that, there’s just no way Rodgers allows the Packers to let Bulaga walk. Like the Bengals’ Zac Taylor, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur too was a coach on that 2017 Rams squad. If anybody has a concept of what a strong offensive line can do, and what letting members of that offensive line go as the Rams did in 2019, it should be LaFleur.

We wrap up out list with our oldest entry showing up in Part 3.