How the Bengals should spend their money this offseason
By Aaron Burd
Bengals’ offseason: Give Joe Thuney however much money he wants
It’s no secret to anyone that the Bengals have an offensive line problem. At the moment, the Bengals only have two-component lineman on their roster and one of them (Trey Hopkins) tore his ACL in Week 17 of the 2020 season. This harsh reality could mean that the Bengals have FOUR new starters on their offensive line on opening day in 2021.
The Bengals will likely get one or two of these starters in the draft, but they would be smart to add premium talent on the line in free agency as well. That’s where Patriots’ guard Joe Thuney comes into the equation.
Thuney is potentially the best offensive lineman on the market and will demand a high-paying contract. Conveniently for the Bengals, Thuney grew up only an hour away from Dayton and was seemingly a fan of the team when he was younger, based on old tweets of his.
The past connection that Thuney has to the Bengals could be huge for them if they choose to make a run at him. If they offer him the money he’s seeking, his prior experience living near Cincinnati and being a fan of the team could be a distinguishing factor in his decision on where to sign.
Thuney would have a huge impact on the Bengals’ offensive line. Protecting Joe Burrow should be the team’s top priority and they can do that by bringing in another Joe.