Top five offensive tackles for Redskins to target in 2020 NFL free agency

There are admittedly health concerns with Cordy Glenn, but the recently released former member of the Cincinnati Bengals has a lot going for him. And importantly, he has spent most of his career at the left tackle position.

I recently wrote about what Glenn could offer the Redskins if they were to sign him. And in short, it’s a competent left who makes his team better when he’s on the field.

"Glenn has made 95 career starts and played 97 games at the NFL level. From 2013-2015, Glenn didn’t miss a game for the Bills and made a big difference as the team’s left tackle. However, since then, Glenn has dealt with a number of injuries, missing 28 games over the course of the next four seasons. But when on the field, he still played well and really helped the Bengals in limited action last year. Though the Bengals largely struggled in 2019 — they had the worst record in football, after all — Glenn was a big difference-maker when on the field. The Bengals earned their lone two victories in the six games when he was active. Joe Mixon totaled more than half of his rushing yards (617, roughly 103 yards per game), four of his five touchdowns, and averaged 4.7 yards per carry when Glenn was active. When Glenn wasn’t, Mixon’s averages fell to 52 yards per game and 3.6 yards per carry. Suffice to say, Glenn made a difference as a mauler in the run game."

The Redskins sorely missed an impact player at left tackle when Williams held out last year. Penn was serviceable, but he didn’t really do much to help the team improve. While Glenn only played sparingly for Cincinnati, he surely showcased why he can still be a solid option as a starter on the left side.

With Washington, Glenn would be the ideal stopgap at left tackle. He could man that position on an incentive-heavy deal and afford the team time to develop a new, mid-round tackle to train as his eventual successor on the left side. Glenn won’t turn 31 until September, so he should still have a few solid years left in him. And if he regresses in his older years, he could be a candidate to move inside to guard and find success.

Glenn isn’t the best option at tackle. But when factoring in cost, ability, and the role he’d play in Washington, he’s a sensible target. If he’s available on a cheap, one or two-year deal, the Redskins should be interested in him. He could be a fine starter or a great swing tackle for the club.