The market for free agent offensive tackle Will Beatty has apparently intensified, as the former Giants lineman worked out for the Jaguars yesterday and now has an offer in hand from the club, according to Tom Rock of Newsday (Twitter links). The Eagles have also reached out to express interest in Beatty as they wait for a decision in the Lane Johnson suspension saga, per Rock.
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According to Football Outsiders‘ metrics, Jacksonville’s offensive line was below-average in 2016, as they ranked 16th in run-blocking and 25th in the pass game, but the club has already added one intriguing free agent option this year, agreeing to terms with former Steelers left tackle Kelvin Beachum. The Jaguars signed Beachum to a unique deal that includes an option bonus that will lock in four additional seasons onto what is technically a one-year contract. Beachum is fully expected to win Jacksonville’s left tackle job, pushing former No. 2 overall pick to Luke Joeckel to guard, and with 2015 free agent addition Jermey Parnell on the right side, Beatty would appear to be relegated to swing tackle duty.
The Eagles, meanwhile, are faced with the possibility of losing one of their best offensive lineman for most of the season, as Johnson is currently waiting to hear back on his appeal of his 10-game PED ban (although he expects the suspension to stick). If Johnson’s appeal does indeed fail, Philadelphia’s in-house options at the moment are Dennis Kelly and Matt Tobin, neither of whom head coach Doug Pederson sounded enthused about yesterday.
Beatty, 31, missed the entire 2015 campaign after tearing his pectoral, and was released by New York following the season. Given that recent injury, it’s no wonder that clubs have been slow to call, but Beatty missed only one game in the three seasons prior to 2015, and Rock reports that he’s now fully healthy. PFR ranked Beatty as the seventh-best offensive free agent still on the board earlier this year; since that time, five of the six players listed ahead of Beatty have found new deals.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.