While the Buffalo Bills were reportedly shopping left tackle Cordy Glenn before the 2017 trade deadline, they ultimately held onto him. Now, as the NFL free agency market kicks off with few options in the tackle department and a roster bonus looming, that talk seems to be heating up once again.
On Sunday, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora wrote that the Bills were still open to a trade of Glenn and on Monday, The MMQB’s Albert Breer reported the same thing.
“The left tackle market has been static,” writes La Canfora. “The Bills remain open to a Cordy Glenn trade, though they have not been operating as if they have to make that trade, sources said.”
It’s going to take a good offer to pry away Glenn, but there are offers out there. The only legitimate left tackle prospect on the free agent market is New England Patriots blindside protector Nate Solder. The Houston Texans are the presumed landing spot for Solder to protect young phenom Deshaun Watson and Houston Chronicle reporter John McClain says “desperate” Houston is making a strong push.
There is one domino left to fall in the left tackle market, too. The Cleveland Browns are still waiting to hear if Joe Thomas is returning or retiring, reports Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. The Browns will be keeping an eye on the tackle market.
Glenn has a $2 million roster bonus due on March 18th. If Buffalo wants to avoid paying that, they will need to make the trade before that deadline. Buffalo would only save $4.85 million in cap space this season be trading him, but they would save an awful lot of actual money now and in the future. Bills fans were split nearly 50-50 in a poll asking whether to trade Glenn this offseason.
The reason Glenn is on the outs is due to his health. After playing in 16 games in three consecutive seasons, Glenn missed five games in 2016 and 10 in 2017 with and ankle/foot injury. For that very large contract, the Bills want more in return. Rookie Dion Dawkins played well in relief of Glenn, or else this conversation wouldn’t even be on the table.