Everybody wants the Jags to sign Brian Bulaga - ORT - Packers in Free Agency, but what if he re-signs with the Packers before the start of Free Agency or is tagged?

 

One option is to sign Doug Free - ORT - Cowboys and another option is to sign this guy, who is the subject of this post>

 

Joe Barksdale - ORT - Rams - 27 Yrs Old (Jan 1988 BD) - 6'5" 326 lbs - College: LSU

 

Barksdale is a former 3rd Rd Pick (Pick 92) by the Oakland Raiders

 

If signed he would be competing with Brennan Williams - ORT - former 3rd Rd Pick of the Texans (Pick 89).

 

Many on this site have written off Joe Barksdale for the poor year he had in 2014 based upon the scoring of ProFootballFocus, but as always, there is more to the story.

 

Here is how Joe Barksdale rated in both 2013 and 2014.

 

2014: -5.9 overall in 1031 snaps (-9.4 in pass protection. +5.6 in run blocking) Barksdale allowed seven sacks. He was playing next to Davin Joseph (picked up from Tampa after the Bucs cut him). Davin Joseph graded out at -24.6 overall, so perhaps playing next to Davin Joseph adversely impacted Barksdale performance.

 

2013: +9.2 overall in 838 snaps (+8.2 in pass protection, -1.2 in run blocking) Barksdale surrendered four sacks in 2013. Barksdale generally played next to Rodger Safford (+6.9 overall rating) or Shelley Smith (+7.2 overall rating).

 

If the 2014 run blocking score of 5.6 were added to 2013 pass protection score of 8.2, his overall score would be 13.8, which is pretty good for an ORT.

 

Clearly, Joe Barksdale will cost less to sign than Brian Bulaga, but that only matters if Bulaga is available and in this scenario we are assuming that he is off the market.

 

Thus Barksdale, based upon the information presented above, is a viable candidate.

 

The Rams want him back. Both the Giants and the Broncos are said to have interest in him.

 

There is no guarantee that the Rams will not re-sign him, but probably not before his agent determines his worth on the open market.

 

Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

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