Michael Nania presents his New York Jets 2020 free-agent preview, this time, with a focus on the offensive line.
Re-building an offensive line that has been ignored for seemingly eons is the top priority for the New York Jets as they head into the 2020 offseason.
Luckily for them, there are a good number of solid free agents set to hit the market across all five offensive line positions.
Here are some of the top options.
Joe Thuney, Left Guard, New England Patriots
Age: 27.2
College: North Carolina State
Free-agent type: Unrestricted
2019 PFF ranks (out of 61 qualified guards): Fifth overall, third pass, 14th run
2019 pass-blocking efficiency rank among qualified guards: Third (16 pressures, 648 protection snaps)
2019 penalties: 0
Career penalties per 1,000 snaps: 3.41 (2019 guard average: 5.11)
Additional notes: Leads all guards in total snaps played over the past four seasons (5,279). Has never missed a start (74 of 74 possible regular season and playoff games started).
Graham Glasgow, Right Guard, Detroit Lions
Age: 27.6
College: Michigan
Free-agent type: Unrestricted
2019 PFF ranks (out of 61 qualified guards): Ninth overall, 33rd pass, Sixth run
2019 pass-blocking efficiency rank among qualified guards: 26th (25 pressures, 520 protection snaps)
2019 penalties: Three
Career penalties per 1,000 snaps: 6.14 (2019 guard average: 5.11)
Additional notes: Lots of positional flexibility. Has played 1,813 career snaps at center, 1,144 at left guard, and 788 at right guard (had never played the position in the NFL prior to 2019).
Brandon Scherff, Right Guard, Washington Redskins
Age: 28.1
College: Iowa
Free-agent type: Unrestricted
2019 PFF ranks (out of 61 qualified guards): Seventh overall, 26th pass, fifth run
2019 pass-blocking efficiency rank among qualified guards: Fourth (10 pressures, 363 protection snaps)
2019 penalties: Nine
Career penalties per 1,000 snaps: 5.72 (2019 guard average: 5.11)
Additional notes: Placed on injured reserve with elbow and shoulder injuries in 2019. Also placed on injured reserve with torn pec in 2018. Has played in just 33 out of 48 possible games over the past three seasons, after playing in 33 of 33 over the first two. Spotrac Market Value of $12.4 million.
Matt Skura, Center, Baltimore Ravens
Age: 27.0
College: Duke
Free-agent type: Restricted
2019 PFF ranks (out of 32 qualified centers): 15th overall, 22nd pass, 11th run
2019 pass-blocking efficiency rank among qualified centers: Fifth (Seven pressures, 328 protection snaps)
2019 penalties: Two
Career penalties per 1,000 snaps: 2.96 (2019 center average: 4.71)
Additional notes: Started rookie season at left guard. Suffered season-ending knee injury after 11 games in 2019, also missed two games with a minor knee injury in 2017. Spotrac Market Value of $10.0 million per year.
Connor McGovern, Center, Denver Broncos
Age: 26.8
College: Missouri
Free-agent type: Unrestricted
2019 PFF ranks (out of 32 qualified centers): 10th overall, Fifth pass, 16th run
2019 pass-blocking efficiency rank among qualified centers: T-10th (15 pressures, 566 protection snaps)
2019 penalties: 0
Career penalties per 1,000 snaps: 3.62 (2019 center average: 4.71)
Additional notes: Made first 13 career starts at right guard before moving to center for next 23 starts.
Ted Karras, Center, New England Patriots
Age: 26.9
College: Illinois
Free-agent type: Unrestricted
2019 PFF ranks (out of 32 qualified centers): 20th overall, 25th pass, 13th run
2019 pass-blocking efficiency rank among qualified centers: T-10th (14 pressures, 583 protection snaps)
2019 penalties: Three
Career penalties per 1,000 snaps: 3.90 (2019 center average: 4.71)
Additional notes: 2019 marked his first season with more than two starts. Was a featured backup over the first three seasons (two starts at center, three at right guard). Earned sixth-best PFF grade among centers from Week 12 through the playoffs (24th from Weeks 1-11)
Jack Conklin, Right Tackle, Tennessee Titans
Age: 25.5
College: Michigan State
Free-agent type: Unrestricted
2019 PFF ranks (out of 60 qualified tackles): 12th overall, 30th pass, fifth run
2019 pass-blocking efficiency rank among qualified tackles: 31st (30 pressures, 502 protection snaps)
2019 penalties: Seven
Career penalties per 1,000 snaps: 6.90 (2019 tackle average: 8.25)
Additional notes: The Titans averaged 6.1 yards per attempt on rushes directed right tackle or right end in the regular season, second-best behind the Ravens. Spotrac Market Value of $15.0 million per year.
D.J. Humphries, Left Tackle, Arizona Cardinals
Age: 26.1
College: Florida
Free-agent type: Unrestricted
2019 PFF ranks (out of 60 qualified tackles): 38th overall, 22nd pass, 53rd run
2019 pass-blocking efficiency rank among qualified tackles: 15th (30 pressures, 632 snaps)
2019 penalties: 13
Career penalties per 1,000 snaps: 7.80 (2019 tackle average: 8.25)
Additional notes: Top-18 in run blocking grade among tackles in each season from 2016-18, including leading the position in 2017. Missed 21 games from 2016-18 before playing all 16 for the first time in 2019. Spotrac Market Value of $14.1 million per year.
