90 players in 90 days: Offensive tackle Bobby Hart

The Buffalo Bills have amassed plenty of depth along the offensive line over the last few years. Whereas the league seems to be at a shortage of talent in the trenches, the Bills constantly seem to have a surplus of quality options along the offensive line.

Whether via the draft or free agency, general manager Brandon Beane always makes sure to have plenty of strong players on the offensive line. This offseason, Beane has continued the trend, ensuring that franchise quarterback Josh Allen will be protected.

In today’s installment of “90 players in 90 days,” we profile a free-agent signing who could make the roster and could be a trade chip come August.

Name: Bobby Hart

Number: 68

Position: OT

Height/Weight: 6’5” 310 lbs

Age: 26 (27 on 8/21/2021)

Experience/Draft: 7; selected in the seventh round (No. 226 overall) by the New York Giants in the 2015 NFL Draft

College: Florida State

Acquired: Signed as UFA on 3/30/2021

Financial situation (per Spotrac): One-year contract worth a total of $1,127,500; 2021 salary-cap hit of $987,500 with $350,000 dead-cap charge if cut.

2020 Recap: Hart played in 14 games for the Cincinnati Bengals, making 13 starts last season. He committed three penalties and allowed four sacks on what was a lackluster offensive line—one that allowed a total of 48 sacks on the year. Hart missed two games thanks to a knee injury last season.

Positional outlook: Hart isn’t going to start in Buffalo, as Dion Dawkins and Daryl Williams are all but written into the starting lineup in pen at left and right tackle, respectively. The Bills drafted two tackles—Spencer Brown (Round 3) and Tommy Doyle (Round 5)— this year, so Hart will have to fend them off for a chance to be the Bills’ swing tackle. Veteran Ryan Bates and guard Cody Ford have to be factored into the equation regarding Hart’s roster status, as well.

2021 Offseason: Hart is ready to go for training camp and OTAs.

2021 Season outlook: It’s always a good thing to add a backup with 66 career starts to his ledger, even when that backup represents a significant drop-off in terms of talent from your starting unit. If he were good enough to start somewhere, though, Hart would have signed somewhere to start. So, at worst, the Bills have a player who can either fill in if they really need him, or one who can be flipped for late-round draft choices when the inevitable preseason offensive line injuries begin. My money is on Hart being dealt for a fifth- or sixth-round draft choice in the last week of August rather than having him stick on Buffalo’s roster.