NFL Free Agency 2021: Best offensive linemen available
Prevailing in the trenches remains a huge part of winning championships and there are terrific offensive linemen still available in 2021 NFL free agency.
New Carolina Panthers’ general manager Scott Fitterer, hired in mid-January, certainly knows the importance of those big men up front. He didn’t waste any time on Monday once the NFL’s legal tampering period began that he agreed to terms with a tackle and a guard, respectively, in Cameron Erving (Dallas Cowboys) and Pat Elflein (New York Jets).
The Baltimore Ravens swooped in to give a three-year deal to guard Kevin Zeitler, who was recently released by the New York Giants. And former Patriots’ guard Joe Thuney is headed to Kansas City (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter).
2021 NFL free agency doesn’t officially begin until 4:00 pm ET on March 17. But clubs can talk to players and agree to deal. In the case of Zeitler, he was cut loose by the Giants so he was available immediately and John Harbaugh’s club wasted little time adding a one-time divisional rival.
Be it an expiring or a terminated contract, there’s plenty of quality names out there when it comes to the tackle, guard and center positions, per the rankings via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
When it comes to the former, there’s Trent Williams (San Francisco 49ers), Alejandro Villanueva (Pittsburgh Steelers) and a pair of former Chiefs in Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz. Could the pair of Super Bowl LIV champions actually wind up returning to Kansas City at a lower price?
Inside, there are guards Gabe Jackson and Richie Incognito, both recently released by the Raiders. And while Corey Linsley is headed to the Chargers (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero), there’s still intrigue at center with New England’s David Andrews and Atlanta’s Alex Mack. And former Texans’ pivot Nick Martin can be signed immediately.
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Perhaps about the time you get around to reading this, one or more of these performers will either have a new home or are making plans to sign with a new franchise. Fortifying the offensive front is a big key to any football team having success. And as we saw in the postseason, not having a quality set of blockers for whatever reason can prove costly in the long run.