Buffalo Bills left tackle Cordy Glenn has appeared in all 16 games in each of the last three seasons and has started all but three contests since being drafted in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He's brought quality play to Buffalo in addition to durability, with Pro Football Focus rating him good to very good for the position in 2015. Now, as he enters unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career, the question becomes how expensive it will be for the Bills to retain his services.
Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News reports that Glenn's floor may start out at eight figures.
"One source in the know here at the Senior Bowl predicted that Glenn's 'floor' could be $10 million per year," Dunne wrote.
"Why? This is a perfect storm for the left tackle. He plays a premium position, he's still young at 26 years old, there isn't much else available at all in free agency and the transition from college to the pros for rookie tackles has been particularly brutal the last few years. Buffalo can either pay up long term or pay up short term with the franchise tag. That number is expected to be north of $10 million. Last season's projected tag for offensive linemen was $12.9 million."
For a variety of reasons, recent standout college tackles have transitioned inside to guard once they hit the pros. Washington's Brandon Scherff, last year's No. 5 overall pick, is the most recent example that comes to mind. Given the security that a solid left tackle provides, the Bills would be wise to lock up Glenn one way or the other. Of course, it won't be cheap.
In 2016, the top five highest-paid left tackles, according to Spotrac, will be fellow Redskins Trent Williams ($17 million), Minnesota's Matt Kalil ($11.1 million), New York Jets' D'Brickashaw Ferguson ($10.4 million), San Francisco's Joe Staley ($10.1 million) and Dallas' Tyron Smith ($10 million).
Buffalo isn't exactly overflowing with an abundance of talent. While they have a solid roster in place they are still a few pieces away from contention. Keeping Glenn, a building block for the future, should be the team's No. 1 priority in free agency. Expect him to get paid handsomely sometime this offseason.
