Newest Bengals free agent is preparing for Cincinnati to continue adding to the position he was signed to play
Lucas Patrick is the first guard the Cincinnati Bengals have added this offseason. It doesn't sound like he'll be the last.Patrick, who signed a one-year deal worth $2.1 million on Friday, knows that a starting gig is not confirmed for him when he begins practicing in Cincinnati later this offseason. The expectation he has for […]
Lucas Patrick is the first guard the Cincinnati Bengals have added this offseason. It doesn't sound like he'll be the last.
Patrick, who signed a one-year deal worth $2.1 million on Friday, knows that a starting gig is not confirmed for him when he begins practicing in Cincinnati later this offseason. The expectation he has for his role indicates further action is to be taken at his position.
"Come in and compete," Patrick told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "See how things shake out. I know there's still a draft and they're probably filling out some more spots. But I'm just fired up to be a Bengal and work with the staff and the players who are here. There are some pretty elite players who will be exciting to be teammates with from what I've seen from a far."
The Bengals are at a net zero when it comes to the guard position. The addition of Patrick offset the release of Alex Cappa from a week before the new league year arrived. Considering the position was the largest weakness for one of the NFL's best passing offenses, Cincinnati doesn't have a choice when it comes to where the roster goes from here.
One way or another, more help is needed at guard.
That could be another free agent signing coming down the pike. Patrick, Teven Jenkins, and Royce Newman were the recent names taken off the board on the veteran market, but there remains a handful that should interest Cincinnati (if they haven't already).
It could also just be one or two incoming rookies from the NFL Draft. Regardless of what happens for the rest of free agency, the club doesn't have any guards under contract for more than two years. A four-year deal for a young player would provide instant value.
Cody Ford has the lone two-year deal at the position, and he knows he's in the same boat as Patrick. He might even have to push Patrick off the boat to earn a starting gig when August is nearly September.
"They've given me all the opportunities to see what I can do," Ford said after putting pen to paper. "And I think they'll give me a true shot to be a starter."
Ford vs. Patrick for left guard? Would a rookie take over right guard immediately, or will another free agent come into the picture to take care of that? Could they manufacture a trade to get one in exchange for linebacker Germaine Pratt? Where does Cordell Volson fall into all of this after he was benched last season?
With that many questions unanswered at the moment, it's fair to say we don't know exactly what the guard position will look like for Cincinnati six weeks from now. Not even Patrick knows.
But he's preparing for anything, and that much is for certain.
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