Free Agency 2020: Underrated Thuney Leads Interior Line

Former first-round picks Brandon Scherff, Ereck Flowers and Cam Erving crack our Top 10.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Depending on the ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement, NFL free agency will begin on March 18 and the so-called legal-tampering period – when teams can officially begin negotiations with free agents – is March 16. With that, here is our preview of the top 10 free-agent interior offensive linemen. (Age at the start of the new league-year is in parentheses.)

FIRST, THE PACKERS’ OUTLOOK

The uncertainty regarding right tackle Bryan Bulaga could impact the team on the interior. As it stands, the best option on the roster to replace Bulaga might be right guard Billy Turner. Turner struggled during his first season with the Packers, but his athleticism would give him a chance at right tackle, where he allowed three sacks in four starts with Denver in 2018.

Looking elsewhere on the depth chart, center Corey Linsley is entering his final season under contract. Veteran guard Lane Taylor missed most of last season with a biceps injury and was replaced by second-round pick Elgton Jenkins. Taylor figures to be trade bait or a cap casualty. Lucas Patrick, a versatile backup, signed an extension through the 2021 season. Cole Madison, a fifth-round pick in 2018, hasn’t played a regular-season snap in two seasons.

OUR TOP 10

G Joe Thuney, New England (27): A third-round pick in 2016, Thuney has started all 64 career games and played almost every snap. According to Pro Football Focus, 63 guards played at least 50 percent of the pass-protecting snaps in 2019. Of that group, he ranked third in its pass-protection metric, which measures sacks (one), hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. After being guilty of 12 penalties in his first three seasons, he wasn’t penalized at all in 2019. According to Sports Info Solutions, he had three blown blocks on running plays for a blown-block rate of 0.7 percent, which was third-best among all guards who had 240 run-blocking snaps.

G Brandon Scherff, Washington (28): A first-round pick in 2015, Scherff has started 65 games and been selected to three Pro Bowls. Scherff ranked fourth in that group in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency, a pass-protection metric that measures sacks (one), hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snaps. According to Sports Info Solutions, he had two blown blocks on running plays for a blown-block rate of 0.8 percent. He was slapped with career worst of six holding penalties and nine total penalties.

G Graham Glasgow, Detroit (27): Glasgow has started 58 games in four seasons, including 47-of-48 the past three years. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 26th among the guards in its pass-protection metric, which measures sacks (zero), hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. According to Sports Info Solutions, he had six blown blocks on running plays for a blown-block rate of 2.0 percent. He was guilty of one hold and three total penalties for the second consecutive season.

G/T Ereck Flowers, Washington (25): The ninth pick as a top tackle prospect in 2015, Flowers has started 71 games for three teams. He found success at left guard for the Redskins last year. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 26th among the guards in its pass-protection metric, which measures sacks (two), hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. According to Sports Info Solutions, he had two blown blocks on running plays for a blown-block rate of 0.6 percent. That was the best rate among all guards with at least 240 run-blocking snaps. He was guilty of only two holds and four total penalties. By contrast, in starting 46 times at tackle for the Giants in 2015 through 2017, the totals were 17 holds and 27 total penalties.

C Connor McGovern, Denver (26): McGovern has started 31-of-32 games the past two seasons. According to Pro Football Focus, 29 centers played at least half of the pass-protecting snaps. In that group, he ranked ninth in its pass-protection metric, which measures sacks (one), hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. He went from four holds and six total penalties in 2018 to zero penalties in 2019. However, according to Sports Info Solutions, he had eight blown blocks on running plays for a blown-block rate of 2.0 percent.

G/T Cam Erving, Kansas City (27): A first-round pick by Cleveland in 2015, he’s started up and down the line in his career. He started 13 games at left guard in 2018 and eight games at left tackle in 2019. He allowed five sacks in 2019. Had he met the 50 percent playing time threshold we’ve been using, he would have ranked 44th out of 57 offensive tackles in PFF’s pass-protection metric. Despite the demands of playing on an island, he had the best season of his career in terms of holding penalties (one) and total penalties (four). He didn’t have a blown block on a running play.

G/T Andrus Peat, New Orleans (26): The 13th pick of the 2015 draft, Peat has 60 career starts and never has gotten the call in all 16 games. He started 10 times at left guard in 2019. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 42nd in its pass-protection metric, which measures sacks (three), hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. According to Sports Info Solutions, he had four blown blocks on running plays for a blown-block rate of 1.8 percent. He went from six holds and nine penalties in 740 snaps in 2018 to one hold and three penalties in 575 snaps in 2019.

C Ted Karras, New England (27): After starting five games in his first three seasons, Karras started 15 times in 2019. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked ninth among the centers in its pass-protection metric, which measures sacks (two), hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. According to Sports Info Solutions, he had eight blown blocks on running plays for a blown-block rate of 2.0 percent. He was guilty of two holds and two total penalties. His grandfather is the legendary Alex Karras. His grandfather and father also played in the NFL.

G Greg Van Roten, Carolina (30): Van Roten is quite a story. He played 22 snaps as an undrafted free agent with Green Bay in 2012. Cut by the Packers in 2013 and Seahawks in 2014, Van Roten polished his game in the CFL in 2015 and 2016. He barely played for the Panthers in 2017 but started 16 games in 2018 and the first 11 games of 2019 before a season-ending toe injury. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 17th among the guards in its pass-protection metric, which measures sacks (one), hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. According to Sports Info Solutions, he had five blown blocks on running plays for a blown-block rate of 2.0 percent. In 47 games (27 starts), he has zero holding penalties and one total penalty.

G Michael Schofield, L.A. Chargers (29): Schofield started 16 times at guard for Denver in 2016 and the Chargers in 2018 and 2019. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked 17th among the guards in its pass-protection metric, which measures sacks (one), hits and hurries allowed per pass-protecting snap. According to Sports Info Solutions, he had six blown blocks on running plays for a blown-block rate of 1.7 percent. He hasn’t been found guilty of a holding penalty since 2017 and was guilty of just one penalty in 2019.

PREVIEWING FREE AGENCY

Star power at quarterback

King Henry and Gordon lead running backs

Buyer beware in weak group of receivers

Buyer beware at tight end, too

Thuney leads interior offensive linemen

Bulaga, Veldheer part of crop aging of offensive tackles