2021 NFL Free Agency: Best Available Offensive Tackles
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Free agency officially kicked off with the beginning of the league-year on Wednesday. Here is a look at the Green Bay Packers' situation at offensive tackle and the best available free agents.
The Packers’ Picture
Packers Need (1-10 scale): 7. With All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari and versatile right tackle Billy Turner, the Packers have a quality tandem at tackle. However, there is no proven depth whatsoever aside from moving Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins. And that’s a potential problem with Bakhtiari suffering a torn ACL in December and perhaps unavailable for Week 1. Last year’s swing tackle, veteran Rick Wagner, was released and is contemplating retirement. Late-season addition Jared Veldheer is a free agent and once again is considering retirement. After two years of grooming, is Yosh Nijman ready to play? Nijman is the only other tackle on the roster.
Packers Free Agents: Veldheer came out of retirement and joined the Packers late in the 2019 season. Twice, he saved the day, first when Bryan Bulaga suffered a concussion at Detroit and then when Bulaga was ill for the divisional playoffs against Seattle. The Packers tried it again in 2020. When Indianapolis lost its starting left tackle, Veldheer was coaxed out of retirement and started in Week 17 and in the wild-card playoffs. In an oddity, the Colts only signed Veldheer to the practice squad, so the Packers grabbed him when the Colts were eliminated. However, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was unavailable for the playoffs. Might the Packers have beaten the Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game had Veldheer been available? That’s an unanswerable question. Veldheer, who will turn 34 in June, once again is considering retirement. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst would be wise to see if he’d like to play in 2021.
Top 12 Unrestricted Free Agents
Note: This does not include Carolina’s Taylor Moton or Jacksonville’s Cam Robinson, who were franchise tagged.
RE-SIGNED: Trent Williams, San Francisco: The fourth pick of the 2010 draft, Williams was picked for seven consecutive Pro Bowls from 2012 through 2018, sat out the 2019 season in a dispute with Washington, was traded to San Francisco and picked for another Pro Bowl in 2020. In 14 starts in 2020, he allowed four sacks and finished 14th in ProFootballFocus.com’s pass-protection metric. He allowed a total of three sacks his previous three seasons. As a run blocker, Sports Info Solutions charged him with a blown-block rate of 1.5 percent and three stuffs. He was guilty of eight penalties, including five for holding. He’ll turn 33 before training camp.
Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City: A second-round pick by Cleveland in 2012, Schwartz was an absolute rock in four seasons with the Browns and his first four seasons with the Chiefs. In those eight seasons, he started all 128 games. However, a back injury limited him to six games in 2020 and required surgery. According to PFF, he allowed two sacks in 2020 but zero in 2019. As a run blocker, SIS charged him with a blown-block rate of 0.9 percent and one stuff. He was guilty of one penalty. He’ll turn 32 in June.
SIGNED BY CINCINNATI: Riley Reiff, Minnesota: A first-round pick in 2012, Reiff has started all but nine games the past eight seasons. In 15 starts in 2020, he allowed one sack and finished 12th in PFF’s pass-protection metric. It was a huge step forward after giving up six sacks in 2019. It was the same story with penalties, with Reiff being flagged once in 2020 compared to eight times in 2019. As a run blocker, SIS charged him with a blown-block rate of 2.3 percent and three stuffs. He turned 32 in December.
Russell Okung, Carolina: The sixth pick of the 2010 draft, Okung surprisingly has been selected to only two Pro Bowls. When healthy, he remains a quality player. But he’s played in only 13 games the past two seasons. In 2020 with Carolina, he was limited to seven starts due to a recurring calf injury. He gave up three sacks, according to PFF. As a run blocker, SIS charged him with a blown-block rate of 2.1 percent and one stuff. He was guilty of two penalties. He’ll turn 34 in October.
RE-SIGNED: Kelvin Beachum, Arizona: A seventh-round pick in 2012, Beachum has 115 starts with four teams on his resume. He allowed three sacks and finished 14th in PFF’s pass protection metric. As a run blocker, SIS charged him with a blown-block rate of 0.9 percent and one stuff – the best marks of his career. He was guilty of six penalties in 2020 and 33 the past five seasons. He’ll turn 32 in June and remains a solid starter.
Alejandro Villanueva, Pittsburgh: An undrafted free agent in 2010, Villanueva made his NFL debut in 2015. In between, he served in the Army, transitioned from tight end to defensive end to offensive tackle, and packed on about 90 pounds. He started 10 games for the Steelers in 2015 and all 80 games from 2016 through 2020. He was picked for Pro Bowls in 2017 and 2018. In 2020, Villanueva allowed three sacks and finished 45th in PFF’s pass-protection metric. As a run blocker, SIS charged him with a blown-block rate of 1.4 percent and four stuffs. He didn’t allow any stuffs in 2019. He was guilty of five penalties and 29 the past five seasons. He’ll turn 33 early next season.
Bobby Massie, Chicago: Massie started 110 games in nine seasons. After missing only two games from 2016 through 2018, he missed 14 games the past two seasons. He’ll turn 32 right about the time training camps open. In eight games in 2020, he gave up three sacks and finished 39th in PFF’s pass-protection metric. As a run blocker, SIS charged him with a blown-block rate of 0.7 percent and zero stuffs. He was penalty-free and has been flagged for holding just once the last three years.
Eric Fisher, Kansas City: The first pick of the 2013 draft, he was selected to Pro Bowls in 2018 and 2020. However, he suffered a torn Achilles in the AFC Championship Game. It’s an injury that has thrown his 2021 season into peril and, obviously, could impact his free-agent payday. The Chiefs released him a few days ago, escaping the final year of a four-year, $48 million contract extension. According to PFF, he allowed three sacks and finished 31st in PFF’s pass-protection metric. As a run blocker, SIS charged him with a blown-block rate of 1.5 percent and two stuffs. He was guilty of five penalties. He turned 30 in January.
RE-SIGNED: Mike Remmers, Kansas City: An undrafted free agent in 2012, Remmers became a full-time starter in 2015. He’s started 83 games the past six seasons, including 10 starts for the Chiefs last season due to injuries. According to PFF, he didn’t allow any sacks and was 12th in PFF’s pass-protection metric. As a run blocker, SIS charged him with a blown-block rate of 2.8 percent and two stuffs. He was guilty of five penalties, giving him an unsightly 35 the past five seasons. He’ll turn 32 next month.
Dennis Kelly, Tennessee: A fifth-round pick by the Eagles in 2012, Kelly started 10 games as a rookie, 21 games over the next seasons, and all 16 games last year for the Titans. He didn’t allow any sacks but finished 24th in PFF’s pass-blocking metric. As a run blocker, his blown-block rate was 2.1 percent and he allowed five stuffs. He was guilty of two penalties and hasn’t been flagged for holding since 2016. Kelly started five games for the Titans in 2018, when Matt LaFleur was the offensive coordinator. He turned 31 in January and was released last week.
Jared Veldheer, Green Bay: Veldheer came out of retirement to join the Packers late in 2019 and the Colts late in 2020. He didn’t allow a sack in 134 pass-protecting snaps in two games with Green Bay and one game with Indy. What he did for the Colts is astounding – essentially rolling out of bed and protecting Philip Rivers’ blind side. As a run blocker, he didn’t allow a blown block or stuff. He’ll turn 34 in June. He is leaning toward retiring and staying retired but who knows?
Ty Sambrailo, Tennessee: A second-round pick in 2015, Sambrailo has been a major disappointment with only 18 starts on his resume. But he has experience in the Packers’ scheme with three seasons (six starts) in Atlanta and last season in Tennessee. Making a career-high five starts, he ranked 61st out of the 73 offensive tackles with at least 210 pass-protecting snaps in PFF’s protection metric. He just turned 29; he is the only player younger than 30 on this list.
