NHL Best Bets for Tuesday (11/19)
Kenneth Le
The NFL offseason is flying by. The first wave of free agency has completed, teams have addressed needs through the NFL Draft, and rookie minicamps are officially underway. In no time, teams will be reporting for training camp and we will be able to enjoy football once again.
In the coming months, teams will be taking stock of their rosters and determining the holes they still need filled after using their initial resources in free agency and the draft. Thankfully, there are still plenty of talented free agents still waiting to find a home, especially along the offensive line.
As you prepare for your fantasy drafts, finding an edge in different places can often be the difference between a fantasy championship and a disappointing season. Understanding the teams with strong offensive line play is an exploitable edge that most don’t consider. Check out my 2023 offensive line rankings (updated through the NFL draft) to understand the O-line landscape of the league now. This article will focus on the top remaining free agents (and the teams with the biggest need) before training camps officially kick off.
Remaining Free Agent Offensive Linemen
Interior Offensive Line
Dalton Risner, G
Dalton Risner finds himself as arguably the most talented interior offensive lineman left in free agency after the draft. Risner just finished four seasons as the starting left guard with the Denver Broncos before the team opted to replace him in free agency with Ben Powers. Risner has been mostly average throughout his career (just one season above 64.4 overall grade on PFF) but has been solid as a pass blocker in the NFL (never more than four sacks or 29 pressures in a season).
Justin Pugh, G
Justin Pugh started his 11-year career at right tackle before transitioning to a guard during his five-year tenure with the Arizona Cardinals. Unfortunately, Pugh suffered an ACL injury in Week 6 with the Cardinals, which has suppressed his free-agent market. Pugh has flourished as a pass blocker as an interior offensive lineman (five sacks and 63 pressures in 1,916 pass-blocking snaps since 2019).
Ben Jones, C
Ben Jones officially hit free agency after the Titans released him with a ‘failed physical’ designation this offseason. If Jones’ injury history checks out, an NFL team is going to land themselves one of the best centers in the NFL since the 2015 season. Since 2015, Jones has put together four seasons with either one or zero sacks and five seasons with fewer than 20 pressures. Jones has also been dependable, missing just six games during that time (five of which were last season).
Gabe Jackson, G
Gabe Jackson never reached the high level of play he was known for in his Raiders days once he joined the Seahawks, but he still has plenty that he can offer NFL teams. In 31 career games with Seattle, Jackson allowed 68 pressures but just five sacks in 986 pass-blocking snaps. Jackson has seen his pass-blocking grades on PFF decrease each of the last four seasons and had a career-low overall blocking grade last season (55.0), but he is still a solid veteran piece in free agency.
Billy Price, G/C
Billy Price has never hit his ceiling after being selected in the first round of the 2018 draft, but he is one of the few players on the free agent wire who offers positional flexibility for teams. Price has mostly played center in his career, but also has nearly 700 career snaps at guard as well. Price struggled at times with the Arizona Cardinals last season (five sacks surrendered), but ultimately finished with the best pass-blocking grade of his career (66.0 PFF grade). Price has his flaws but should find a home with a team that needs depth on the inside.
Pat Elflein, C
When healthy, Pat Elflein has shown the ability to provide league-average center play. Unfortunately, he has struggled to stay on the field throughout his six-year career. Since 2020, Elflein has played in just 20 games with the Vikings, Jets and Panthers. Expect Elflein to find a home as a depth piece at offensive line at some point throughout training camp. Hopefully, he will stay on the field in his newest home.
Offensive Tackles
George Fant
George Fant had both good and bad moments in his last two seasons with the Jets when called to start multiple games due to Mekhi Becton’s consecutive season-ending injuries. In 2021, Fant impressed in 840 at left tackle (one sack and 18 pressures and a 71.1 offense grade on PFF). He split time between left and right tackle in 2022 but struggled with consistency (five sacks and 27 pressures in 372 pass-blocking snaps) and injuries (just eight games played). Fant will have value as a swing tackle in free agency as teams gear up for training camp.
Cameron Erving
Cameron Erving was forced into a reserve role with the Carolina Panthers last season when the team replaced him at left tackle through the draft with first-round pick Ikem Ekwonu. Erving has never been able to stick as a starter for long periods of time, but he’s been a solid backup throughout the entirety of his career and would add solid depth to any team. More importantly, Erving has spent time at tackle, guard, and center during his time in the NFL, which gives him added appeal as the ultimate offensive line stopgap.
Ja’Wuan James
The injury bug hasn’t been kind to Ja’Wuan James throughout his career. In seven career seasons, the veteran tackle has played in double-digit games just three times (2014, 2016 and 2018). Unfortunately for James, his last two season-ending injuries have come from Achilles tendon tears. Time will tell how much these injuries have sapped James’ physical abilities, but to this point, he has proven to be an excellent player when on the field. The veteran tackle has only given up 23 career sacks and 147 pressures in 2,348 pass-blocking snaps.
Taylor Lewan
Many will see the name Taylor Lewan out on the free agency wire and wonder how he hasn’t found a team yet. Despite Lewan’s name recognition and high level of play, it seems extremely unlikely that Lewan will be on an NFL team next year. Lewan recently filed a lawsuit against Dr. James Andrews after his 2020 ACL repair caused permanent damage that “likely cut Lewan’s NFL career short.” There may be a team that rolls the dice on Lewan, hoping that he can provide a veteran presence and league-average play, but at this point, it seems unlikely that he will be in the NFL going forward.
Teams with Offensive Line Holes to Fill
The first wave of free agency and the NFL Draft have now passed, and teams can assess the holes on their roster they still need to address with established veterans. Below are the teams that still have the most glaring holes across the offensive line as we gear up for OTAs and training camps. While there are certainly teams that got underwhelming results from rookies last season (looking at you, Kenyon Green and Ed Ingram), these players were highly drafted and will get the benefit of the doubt developmentally for one more season.
Buffalo Bills RT
Spencer Brown had flashes of upside for the Buffalo Bills during his rookie season in 2021, allowing just one sack and 36 pressures in 523 pass-blocking snaps. The team liked what they saw and decided to run it back with him in 2022, but unfortunately, Brown didn’t seem to develop. Brown took a step back last year, allowing four sacks and 50 pressures in 649 snaps and finishing with a 53.4 overall grade on PFF. The team wasn’t able to address tackle depth in the NFL draft, but they could get themselves a veteran insurance option in case Brown struggles for a second straight year.
Indianapolis Colts RG
The Colts gambled at the right guard position heading into the 2022 season, letting established starter Mark Glowinski and key backup Chris Reed walk in free agency. The team didn’t have a backup with experience but deemed that 2021 seventh-round draft pick Will Fries would be ready for a bigger role. Fries proved to be a competent run blocker (66.2 PFF run blocking grade) but struggled mightily in pass protection. Fries is penciled in as the starter once again in 2023 since the team couldn’t address the position in the draft, but Indianapolis could also opt to improve right guard by prioritizing a veteran free agent before training camp.
Las Vegas Raiders RG
Alex Bars, the Raiders’ incumbent starter at right guard, has had an impressive career considering he was an undrafted free agent in 2019. He’s been tabbed as a starter twice in his career for two different teams (Chicago and Las Vegas). Unfortunately, he’s also consistently shown that he’s a league-average (if not slightly worse) option in the starting lineup. Bars finished with a 39.6 run-blocking grade and a 45.4 overall grade on PFF last season. He also surrendered 38 pressures on 528 pass-blocking snaps. The Raiders spent their early draft capital on defense and skill positions, so Bars is expected to start once again unless the team decides to address the position with one of the remaining veterans in free agency.
Miami Dolphins LG
Miami hit on their two big free agent acquisitions last season in left tackle Terron Armstead and center Connor Williams. Robert Hunt has established himself as an above-average guard (72.3 PFF grade in 2022) and when healthy, Austin Jackson is capable of holding down the right tackle position. However, the Dolphins still have a glaring weakness at left guard. Last year, the team auditioned 2021 second-round pick Liam Eichenberg at guard after playing him at both tackle positions during his rookie season. The results were less than stellar. Eichenberg finished as PFF’s 75th-ranked guard (out of 77) with a 39.8 overall grade. The Dolphins had just four draft picks in this draft thanks to the Tyreek Hill trade and the forfeiture of their first-round pick due to tampering, the gaping hole in their offensive line was not addressed. When healthy, this team has the talent to make some noise in the AFC, so expect them to prioritize adding a veteran to compete with Eichenberg.
New Orleans Saints LG
Injuries over the past few years have robbed Saints guard Andrus Peat of the high-level play that he flashed in his first three seasons in the league. Peat has played in 13 games just once since the 2019 NFL season. During that stretch, he’s had a PFF grade above 55.0 just one time (2020). The veteran guard surrendered three sacks and 15 pressures in just 327 pass-pro snaps last year, continuing his downward trend. The Saints drafted Nick Saldiveri, a developmental guard from Old Dominion, with the first pick of the fourth round in the 2023 NFL draft. He could be a long-term replacement for Peat (or right guard Cesar Ruiz) in time, but for now, this team needs players they can plug in and play in a very winnable NFC South.
Seattle Seahawks RG
The Seahawks hit it big at tackle in the NFL draft last year, getting Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas to serve as their bookends for the foreseeable future. They also dipped into free agency in the 2023 class, getting solid center Evan Brown to fortify the interior of their offensive line alongside left guard Damien Lewis. Unfortunately, this team still has a glaring weakness at right guard with Phil Haynes slated to replace Gabe Jackson after the Seahawks cut him in a cap-saving move. Haynes has never played more than 500 snaps in a season and struggled in relief duty last year, surrendering four sacks and 18 pressures on 332 pass-blocking snaps. The Seahawks were a surprise team last season, but if they want to truly take that next step into a contender, they may want to dip into free agency one more time to upgrade the final piece of their offensive line.
