After spending the past seven seasons with the New England Patriots, free agent defensive tackle Lawrence Guy will likely have a new home in 2024. A former seventh-round pick back in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Arizona State product took some time to establish himself in the league. However, after breaking out with the Baltimore Ravens in 2016, the defensive tackle transformed into a reliable starter along the defensive line. While nobody will confuse him with Aaron Donald, Guy has been a reliable starter and one of the more consistent players for New England in the late/post-Brady years.
While the free agent saw a bit of a reduced role thanks to the breakout of 2021 second-round pick Christian Barmore, Lawrence Guy remained a reliable rotational player for New England. Appearing in 17 games while making 12 starts, the defensive tackle finished the year with 38 tackles and one tackle-for-loss while leading one of the best run defenses in the game.
Ravens, Saints Make Most Sense For Free Agent Lawrence Guy
Calais Campbell is one of the biggest reasons Lawrence Guy is still a free agent. The six-time Pro Bowler was easily the best defensive tackle remaining on the market, and anyone interested in improving the position had him atop their wish list. However, now that the former second-round pick has signed with the Miami Dolphins, the market should open for players like Guy. Perhaps Guy isn’t a starting-caliber player anymore, but he could still provide a steadying presence for teams like the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints.
The Ravens lost several big-name players in free agency but went out of their way to ensure Justin Madubuike stayed in town. The team used the franchise tag to keep him from reaching the open market before shortly agreeing to a four-year, $98 million deal. With their superstar locked up, the Ravens could sign Lawrence Guy as a free agent to add additional support to the defensive line. You can never have too many good players controlling the line of scrimmage, especially with Baltimore losing talented edge defender Jadeveon Clowney and linebacker Patrick Queen.
Big Easy Bound?
The New Orleans Saints are once again mortgaging the future for a shot at glory in 2024. After restructuring Taysom Hill’s contract, the team now has just over $12 million in available cap space. The Saints have some financial breathing room, and they could use some of that excess money to sign Lawrence Guy as a free agent. 2023 first-round pick Bryan Bresee had a rough go of it as a rookie, especially against the run. With no other players with star potential at defensive tackle, New Orleans might decide to heavily feature a rotation of good-but-not-great players.
Lawrence Guy is an ideal fit for this role, as the free agent is better off as a situational player at this point in his career. While he won’t take down the quarterback too frequently, he can clog up rushing lanes and hold his own against double teams. This can free up Bresee to stay fresh on passing downs and get after the quarterback on crucial third down situations. With questions at edge defender, Bresee could be the Saints most reliable pass rusher next year.
Main Photo: Mark Konezny – USA Today Sports
