Five free agents the Bengals should already plan on targeting

Bengals free-agent targets: Guard Joe Thuney

Patriots’ guard Joe Thuney has been generating plenty of buzz as a free-agent target around the Queen City, and for good reason. The stellar offensive lineman is one of the best at his position and has continued an impressive career this season, earning a solid Pro Football Focus grade of 71.9 for his efforts.

The offensive trenches are a mess for the Bengals, but at least they have Jonah Williams at tackle and Trey Hopkins at center. They have no real answer at guard, however, which is why Thuney would be such a big get.

The 6’5, 308-pound mauler could come in and stabilize the entire unit. The 28-year-old has 75 games of starting experience under his belt, which would immediately make him one of the most tenured linemen on the roster.

Not to mention, he hasn’t committed a penalty since January of 2019. That kind of attribute would be a breath of fresh air for the orange and black faithful used to seeing multiple penalties called on the big guys up front per game.

Spotrac has his market value set at $13.9M per year, a number that would shock most upon first glance. However, it’s a small price to pay for securing protection for Joe Burrow.

Nab Thuney off the market, resign Quinton Spain, and Cincinnati all of the sudden only finds themselves with a hole at right tackle. That wouldn’t be a bad position to be in heading into late April, armed with a top pick in a deep tackle draft class.

Thuney is an Ohio native, with nearby Centerville serving as his old stomping grounds. Perhaps a pitch centered around a return to his roots could secure a commitment from the impressive guard.