Gase publicly and privately threw his offensive line under the bus too many times to count this season, but it’d be reckless for Douglas to start over with five new faces in the trenches. That’s simply not smart business. Beachum, a respected leader and effective player, has been a solid piece to a unit that has fared much better in the second half of the season despite some moving parts. The smart move would be to bring back Beachum, who made $8 million this season, on a fair deal before drafting a tackle. Play the rookie on the right side in 2020 before potentially sliding him to the left in 2021 (depending on how Beachum performs).
It’s convenient to paint a picture that none of Gang Green’s linemen were any good this season. Smart coaches design plays to accentuate their quarterback and offensive line’s strengths. Bringing back Beachum, whose started all 32 games in his first three seasons before playing in pain and missing just three games with ankle injuries this year, makes sense.
It’s convenient to paint a picture that none of Gang Green’s linemen were any good this season. Smart coaches design plays to accentuate their quarterback and offensive line’s strengths. Bringing back Beachum, whose started all 32 games in his first three seasons before playing in pain and missing just three games with ankle injuries this year, makes sense.