10-18-2021, 11:33 PM
Article on PFF has Bengals possibly going after Ted Karras of the Patriots in a possible trade
Bill Belichick maintained a dynasty for two decades largely on the understanding that it’s better to be early than late on a personnel move. The New England Patriots made the tough decision to move on from 2019 Defensive Player of the Year cornerback Stephon Gilmore after the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement on an extension, and here they continue to make small moves to prepare for another important offseason in 2022.
Karras ending up in New England this season after a stint with the Miami Dolphins was a strange circumstance, with New England Patriots incumbent starting center David Andrews also being a free agent. The belief in league circles was that one of Andrews or Karras would sign with the Miami Dolphins and Brian Flores. Instead, both landed in New England.
Although it comes on a small sample size, Karras has the eighth-best pass-blocking grade among interior offensive linemen through Week 5 — an 81.3 grade on 57 pass-blocking snaps — after splitting time at left and right guard.
Frankly, Karras is too good to not be starting somewhere. The Bengals robbed the New York Giants blind in trading away 2018 first-round pick center Billy Price, but starter Trey Hopkins tore his ACL in Week 17 of 2020 and may need some more time to get back to 100%. Hopkins has a 31.9 pass-blocking grade through Week 5 in 2021, over thirty points lower than any season in his career since 2016.
The downside is minimal if anything, as Karras can also serve as a quality reserve interior offensive lineman. Cincinnati acquired a conditional seventh-round pick from the Giants in the Price trade, so the team could end up with interior defensive lineman B.J. Hill and interior offensive lineman Ted Karras for a swap of seventh-rounders. If the Bengals want to keep quarterback Joe Burrow upright and healthy and make a serious playoff push, beefing up their interior could be the key.
Bill Belichick maintained a dynasty for two decades largely on the understanding that it’s better to be early than late on a personnel move. The New England Patriots made the tough decision to move on from 2019 Defensive Player of the Year cornerback Stephon Gilmore after the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement on an extension, and here they continue to make small moves to prepare for another important offseason in 2022.
Karras ending up in New England this season after a stint with the Miami Dolphins was a strange circumstance, with New England Patriots incumbent starting center David Andrews also being a free agent. The belief in league circles was that one of Andrews or Karras would sign with the Miami Dolphins and Brian Flores. Instead, both landed in New England.
Although it comes on a small sample size, Karras has the eighth-best pass-blocking grade among interior offensive linemen through Week 5 — an 81.3 grade on 57 pass-blocking snaps — after splitting time at left and right guard.
Frankly, Karras is too good to not be starting somewhere. The Bengals robbed the New York Giants blind in trading away 2018 first-round pick center Billy Price, but starter Trey Hopkins tore his ACL in Week 17 of 2020 and may need some more time to get back to 100%. Hopkins has a 31.9 pass-blocking grade through Week 5 in 2021, over thirty points lower than any season in his career since 2016.
The downside is minimal if anything, as Karras can also serve as a quality reserve interior offensive lineman. Cincinnati acquired a conditional seventh-round pick from the Giants in the Price trade, so the team could end up with interior defensive lineman B.J. Hill and interior offensive lineman Ted Karras for a swap of seventh-rounders. If the Bengals want to keep quarterback Joe Burrow upright and healthy and make a serious playoff push, beefing up their interior could be the key.
