Some big name Buckeyes in the NFL are facing free agency this offseason
Following the NFL Combine, free agency madness will get underway.
As we inch closer to the NFL Scouting Combine and eventual 2018 NFL Draft, teams also have to decide what to do with players who are no longer under contract. There’s only so much of a roster teams can fill with rookie talent, and free agency affords teams the opportunity to either lock down stars with longterm deals, or to explore other options that maybe weren’t available in 2017.
There are eight former Ohio State players who could be on the move this offseason, including some big name offensive weapons, like Carlos Hyde and Terrelle Pryor Sr., and three Buckeye offensive guards, Alex Boone, Jack Mewhort, and Andrew Norwell. Rounding out the list are former undrafted free agent (UDFA) Tyvis Powell, and special teamers Nate Ebner and Jake McQuaide.
I’d expect most of the 2018 free agents who used to don the Scarlet and Gray to at least be added to a team’s roster heading into training camp this offseason. Most will likely earn several year deals worth millions, but a few others will probably need to come down to Earth a bit with their expectations in relation to their production (talking to you TP).
Alex Boone (Guard)
The journeyman (and verbose) offensive guard out of Ohio State has made his way around the NFL, but landed with the Arizona Cardinals ahead of the 2017 season. The team has a new offensive line coach, Ray Brown, who is expected to shake things up a bit this offseason -- and that could mean shedding some of the dead weight, including Boone.
After dominating performances for the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers, the Cardinals seemed to get a shell of what Boone previously had been. He finished the year ranked No. 66 among guards, according to his ProFootball Focus grade (39.5). By comparison (see below) Jack Mewhort’s grade was much higher (78.9) at the same position and in a season that ended short.
So, what will happen in 2018? Boone is turning 31 this year, and the decline in his production could lead to some difficulty signing a new deal. One thing’s for sure, I wouldn’t expect him to be playing for Arizona this fall, if for any team at all.
IF he does find a suitor, expect him to be signed to a short, one-year deal.
Nate Ebner (Special Teams)
Just before the Buckeye made headlines for making the 2016 U.S. Olympic Rugby team — requiring a short sabbatical from the NFL — the New England Patriots signed the special teams guru to a two-year deal worth $2.4 million. After his Olympic run, he joined the Patriots for the start of the 2016 season, and finished the year as the “best special teams tackler in the NFL”.
He wasn’t able to replicate that same production in 2017, but did amass seven total special team tackles, five solo, before getting injured. Ebner now faces free agency as a six-year veteran, coming off of a season that ended with him on IR with a shoulder injury.
So, what will happen in 2018? I’m not expecting the Patriots to put in as much effort to keep Ebner as they did with assistant coach Josh McDaniels. (Yikes. That was really bad.) Ebner still has some fuel in the tank, and should sign another one- to two-year deal with either the Patriots or another franchise looking to bolster its special teams. I don’t think the Buckeye will ever sign a contract worth big money, but he’s made over $4.5 million throughout his career, so he’s doing just fine.
Carlos Hyde (Running Back)
El Guapo hasn’t had the easiest first few seasons in the NFL, having gone through three head coaches with the San Francisco 49ers in his first three seasons in the league. There is no way that this much movement at head coach doesn’t affect players with constantly changing schemes and expectations.
Since Kyle Shanahan was brought in ahead of the 2017 season, Hyde may have found his groove, and might have forced the Niners hands to produce a big money deal for the running back this offseason. Of course, as an unrestricted free agent, he can field offers from teams throughout the league, but San Francisco seems to be on the upswing — despite a terrible season — and the potential to be among the top teams is there.
Hyde’s 2017 season was a long list of career-highs, including carries (240), total offensive yards (1290), rushing touchdowns (8), receptions (59), receiving yards (350), and first downs (61). It was also his first NFL season having played in all 16 regular season games.
So, what will happen in 2018? El Guapo is about to get paaaaaaid. Hyde is coming off his fourth year in the NFL and played on his final year of his rookie deal: 4 years, $3.69 million. With some of the veteran bulldozer-type rushers nearing the end of their career (think LaGarrette Blount, Marshawn Lynch) Hyde will be in high demand. There are a lot of teams who could (and need) to bolster their rushing corp. — Green Bay and Seattle, are just two examples of teams who would benefit by signing the Buckeye.
Jake McQuaide (Long Snapper)
It’s not often long snappers get the love and admiration they deserve for the service they provide for their team, but Buckeye Jake McQuaide is known as a valuable contributor for the Los Angeles Rams. McQuaide is coming off of his second consecutive Pro Bowl season, a fitting tribute to the player first signed by the Rams (then in St. Louis) in 2011, and who hasn’t missed a single game for the team in his seven seasons.
You could make an argument for Jake “American God” McQuaide to be #1 overall, and I’m not joking. He’s been pretty much perfect in his career.
—Joe McAtee, Turf Show Times
So, what will happen in 2018? I would imagine that the Rams try and nail down a multi-year deal with McQuaide, and continue their streak of not having to worry about long snaps. Ahead of the 2014 season, the Buckeye signed a 4-year deal worth $3.4 million, and it wouldn’t be crazy for him to get a similar deal this offseason. (Let’s all remember just how valuable a long snapper really is.)
See the writer's thoughts on the other 4 Buckeye free agents: https://www.landgrantholyland.com/2...s-free-agency-2018-carlos-hyde-terrelle-pryor