The Bengals and left tackle Andrew Whitworth are in discussions regarding a new deal, the pending free agent told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Monday. With the market set to open March 9, the Bengals have made Whitworth their No. 1 priority, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Paul Dehner Jr., who expects the two to reach an agreement (Twitter links).
Although the 35-year-old Whitworth spent some time at guard last season, the Bengals will let him man his typical position as a blindside bookend if he’s with the club in 2017, per Dehner. Whitworth has been a rock at left tackle in Cincinnati, which selected the ex-LSU standout in the second round of the 2006 draft, having logged 164 starts out of 168 appearances and earned three Pro Bowls nods. The 6-foot-7, 325-pounder is now fresh off his third straight 16-start season, one in which he ranked as Pro Football Focus’ second-best tackle among 78 qualifiers.
It’s unclear how much the Bengals would have to pay Whitworth to keep him off the market, but it’s worth noting he played 2016 on a $9MM deal. Given the ever-increasing salary cap, a raise on a short-term pact seems like a strong possibility. Should Whitworth eschew free agency, it would further weaken an already uninspiring class of unsigned tackles. Whitworth is easily the premier option in a group that also includes Riley Reiff, Ryan Clady, Matt Kalil, Luke Joeckel and teammate Eric Winston, among others.
Along with Whitworth and Winston, the Bengals – who have $43MM-plus in cap space – are facing key decisions on soon-to-be free agents like guard Kevin Zeitler, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick and wide receiver Brandon LaFell. Zeitler might be the most appealing player of the bunch, but he could be on his way out of Cincinnati.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Whit went to LSU. Not BC.
Thanks. I was thinking of Jeremy Trueblood, who played at BC and went a few picks after Whitworth in 2006.