Washington Football guard Brandon Scherff will likely be among the most coveted players at his position when NFL free agency begins
Brandon Scherff has consistently been among the most dominant offensive guards in the NFL, ever since he was chosen No. 5 overall by the Washington Football Team during the 2015 NFL Draft.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Scherff was named a First-Team All-Pro selection for the first time in his career in 2020, after one of his finest seasons. Pro Football Focus lists Scherff as the No. 4 ranked offensive guard in the NFL, with an 86.3 overall grade, 82.5 pass-protection grade, and an 82.6 run-block mark in 929 total snaps.
“He’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player,” veteran offensive line coach Paul Alexander tells FanSided. “One of the top three or four guards in the entire NFL. He’s easily the best offensive guard hitting free agency. There’s no question in my mind he sees a robust market.”
For the second consecutive offseason, there is a chance that Scherff will sign elsewhere, after Washington used the franchise tag to retain the 29-year-old in 2020. This year, Washington has plenty of cap space to find a way to sign him long-term. But, if Scherff becomes an unrestricted free agency, he’ll undoubtedly be met with a robust market as he is capable of starting for all 32 teams immediately.
Here’s a look at five teams that would be wise to pull out all the stops and try to sign Brandon Scherff:
The Cincinnati Bengals learned first hand in 2020 the importance of consistent offensive line play.
Joe Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick in last April’s NFL Draft, was off to a terrific start to the season, when he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, after spending the first three months of his NFL career running for his life escaping rapidly collapsing pockets.
Nothing is more vital to the Bengals’ future than keeping Burrow upright and healthy upon his return, and that starts with investing significant resources along the offensive line this offseason.
A case can be made that Scherff, after allowing just three sacks and two quarterback hits in 538 pass-protection snaps in 2020 should be the Bengals’ top free agent target in 2021.
If Scherff and Washington are unable to come to terms on a long-term contract, don’t be surprised if the Bengals, with $37.65 million in cap space, are among the first teams to pick up the phone and call.
The NY Giants‘ offensive line very much remains a work in progress.
There are legitimate questions about whether left guard Will Hernandez, and the organization’s second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, is the long-term solution. Hernandez regressed dramatically under a new coaching staff and was ultimately benched in favor of fifth-round rookie Shane Lemieux.
Lemieux finished the season with a 32.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and a 16.9 pass-blocking mark. Not ideal. Neither is the fact that Lemieux surrendered 25 pressures and five sacks in 299 pass-blocking snaps.
The Giants are going to need to do something along the interior of the line, especially if Kevin Zeitler becomes a cap casualty due to his $14.5 million cap number in 2021.
Should Scherff become available, he just might be the ideal replacement for Hernandez or Zeitler. The NY Giants, if Zeitler is released, could offer Scherff a healthy raise and the opportunity to play against the team that strung him along for the past two offseasons without signing him to a long-term contract …
Justin Herbert took home NFL Offensive Rookie of The Year honors, while executives and coaches across the league quickly realized that he has the potential to develop into one of the league’s elite quarterbacks.
That is, if the Chargers can figure out a way to consistently protect him.
Pro Football Focus ranked the Chargers’ offensive line the worst in the NFL, while pointing out that guard Trai Turner was the lowest-graded offensive guard in the league, finishing the season with a 61.6 overall grade. There is no way Los Angeles can go into 2021 without significantly upgrading its guard play.
Scherff would be an ideal addition, given his relative youth, and his consistency to the Chargers’ burgeoning offense. The Chargers also have the luxury of cap space, giving them an opportunity to outbid most suitors for Scherff’s services, with $23.8 million currently in spending flexibility.
The Arizona Cardinals certainly could upgrade the play along the interior of the offensive line, which Scherff would give an immediate boost.
Arizona enters the offseason approximately $7.5 million under the current salary cap, but can move on from guard Justin Pugh, and create $9.1 million in additional cap space. If Pugh is released, Scherff will likely be among Cardinals general manager Steve Keim’s first phone calls.
Kyler Murray is the future of the Cardinals’ franchise, but in his second NFL season was forced to withstand relentless pressure, absorbing 27 sacks, and was forced to scramble 51 times in 2020. If the Cardinals’ offense is going to reach even greater heights, keeping Murray upright is paramount, and Scherff would go a long way towards solidifying the offensive line while serving as an anchor along the interior.
Washington views retaining Scherff as a top priority this season, even if they need to use the franchise tag to do so. It would seem unlikely that he winds up hitting the open market, after a dominant 2020 campaign.
Using the franchise tag would be the costlier of the options for Washington, as Scherff could wind up counting at least $14.5 million against the cap in 2021. This might also be the offseason that Washington finally gets its act together and finds a way to secure Scherff long-term, thanks to the fact that the Football Team enters the offseason with $38.27 million in cap space, fifth-most in the NFL, so resources match need.
However, it easy to see why Washington would pull out all the stops to retain him, not just because of his consistently high level of play on the field but because as a captain, he is one of the strongest leadership voices on the roster.
There are several teams that make a lot of sense, and will likely target Scherff if he does become available, it just seems unlikely that Washington, under the leadership of head coach Ron Rivera is going to let that happen.
Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.