The Washington Redskins have had a hole at left guard for the better part of the last five years. They need to fix it this offseason, and there could be a quality option available in free agency.
Every year for the past three seasons, it seems that the Redskins have had a need at left guard. Their offensive line was once considered to be one of the up-and-coming units in the NFL, but there was a gaping hole at left guard.
Shawn Lauvao had been signed to fill in there, but he couldn’t stay healthy and was a below-average option when he was on the field. After his deal was up following the 2017 season, many assumed the team would move on from him. They didn’t, and disaster ensued in 2018.
After Lauvao (predictably) went out for the season with an injury, the team had to scramble to replace him. They started many different players at the guard positions this season (partially thanks to an injury to Brandon Scherff as well) but they cycled through guys like Jonathan Cooper, Tony Bergstrom, Zac Kerin, Kyle Fuller, and Luke Bowanko at both spots. It doesn’t seem that many will be back, and the team needs to find some help at guard.
Thankfully for the Redskins, there are a handful of quality guards on the market that shouldn’t be too expensive. Here’s a look at some of their top options at the position.
For this piece, we do reference some Pro Football Focus grades to add further input about the recent play of these offensive linemen. For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, subscribe to PFF’s EDGE or ELITE subscriptions at ProFootballFocus.com.
The Redskins haven’t valued the guard position much in recent offseasons. They have taken a chance on athletic players in the past like Shawn Lauvao in hopes that they can turn into quality starters. If they take a chance on a player again, A.J. Cann could be an interesting pickup.
Cann was an early third-round pick by the Jaguars in the 2015 NFL Draft. The South Carolina Gamecock almost immediately became a starter with Jacksonville and in 60 career games over four years, he has made 59 starts. Getting a player with that type of experience is usually a good thing, especially considering that Cann is just 27 years old.
However, Cann has merely been an average player for the Jaguars. He graded out as the No. 45 guard overall last season per Pro Football Focus. That makes him a fine starter, but again, he is nothing special. Any team signing him would have to be replacing a worse player. And in this case, the Redskins are doing just that.
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Cann committed just two penalties last season for the Jaguars and has averaged three per season over his four-year career. That’s not an awful number for an offensive lineman. However, he had his worst performance in pass protection last year, surrendering 6.5 sacks on the season. Of course, it’s worth noting that he was working with Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler at quarterback, but the Redskins will also have marginal quarterbacks starting in 2019. So, this would be the one concern with adding Cann.
Cann still has some upside and is better than the players the Redskins marched out to the position last year. For those reasons alone, he will intrigue them. That said, they can’t make the mistake of throwing a lot of money at him and viewing him as an above-average player. He can be trusted as a starter and fit in as a part of a strong unit, but the team should look to get him on the cheap if they decide not to pay up for one of the better options at the position.
If the Redskins are looking for a combination of experience and discipline, Foster may be the best addition the team could make.
Ramon Foster has long been a starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his Steelers career, he has been the starter for 131 games since breaking in with the team in 2009. He has been an unsung hero for the Pittsburgh squad and has started at least 14 games in every season since 2011.
Foster is a well-rounded player, but he is particularly good as a pass blocker. He finished with Pro Football Focus‘ seventh-highest pass blocking grade among guards with a mark of 84.5. And when watching Foster play, it’s clear that he is great at keeping the pocket clean.
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In addition to Foster’s solid blocking ability, he has only committed five penalties in the past three seasons. He is a disciplined player that doesn’t make many mistakes. That would appeal greatly to the Redskins, especially considering the issues that right tackle Morgan Moses had with penalties last season (14).
The one knock on Foster is that he is already 33, so it’s fair to wonder how many more good seasons he has left in the tank. Of course, it’s worth noting that interior offensive linemen often have longer careers and can play well into their mid-to-late 30s. So, Foster still could have a couple of very good seasons left in the tank.
If the Redskins can land Foster on a discounted three-year deal to play next to Trent Williams, that would be a good move. In our 2019 Redskins offseason simulation, we signed Foster for three years at $7 million annually. He will probably get a deal in the $6-$8 million annual range, so if they can get a deal like that with lower guarantees, that will make Foster a great option for the ‘Skins.
Mark Glowinski was one of the breakout players for the Colts this year. After being claimed off waivers from the Seahawks, Glowinski really became a strong part of the Colts’ starting lineup. He didn’t break in until Week 6, but once he did, he was rock solid.
Glowinski, a former fourth-round pick, improved greatly as a run blocker, and that really was his calling card. He ended up ranking seventh among guards in run blocking during the season, and he is part of the reason that Marlon Mack improved upon being reinstated as the starter at running back. Glowinski also helped the team’s offensive line go from worst to first in terms of sacks allowed, as he helped plug the Colts’ hole that had existed at right guard for a number of years.
There are some minor concerns about Glowinski in terms of signing a long-term contract. The first is that he only has had one quality season as a starter. He has a good deal of experience from his time with the Seahawks, but he only really put it all together in 2018. So, teams will have to ensure that this wasn’t just a flash in the pan, but he is still just 26 years old and with good coaching, he could improve.
Glowinski would be a good fit with the Redskins. He could plug in as the starter at left guard, and he would add a more athletic presence to the line and he could serve well as a pulling guard. If they can get him for roughly $8 million per year over two or three years, that would be a nice value and would fix one of the team’s biggest problem spots.
It’s unclear if Glowinski would want to leave Indianapolis, but it is possible. With the departure of Colts offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo, Glowinski could also try to follow him depending on where he lands. That’s definitely something to watch, especially if Bill Callahan leaves the Redskins and DeGuglielmo ends up being a potential replacement. Either way, Glowinski is arguably the top free agent guard option that the Redskins could realistically consider and afford if they don’t want to spend an early-round pick on a replacement.