2025 NFL Free Agent Profile: Brandon Scherff

The Bengals are in need of multiple guards this offseason. While they will undoubtedly look at the draft, one veteran free agent makes sense for the short-term.

Before the onset of true, open 2025 NFL free agency, the Cincinnati Bengals made the tough but predictable decision to release veteran right guard Alex Cappa. The team wanted to create some extra financial wiggle room for the eventual mega-extensions to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but the Bengals also felt that a possible option for improvement would be available on the open market.

While the talent available at guard was apparent, questions about the options also lingered. Health was a major concern, while fit and age were also factors to consider with those available for signing.

Cincinnati flirted with Teven Jenkins, but his injury history seemed to scare them off, and he ultimately landed with the Browns. The Bengals did sign versatile veteran Lucas Patrick, but the sense is that they may be looking at another veteran to pair with a pick (or two) at the interior of the offensive line in this year’s draft class.

Brandon Scherff is still available on the market and could provide short-term steadiness at right guard. In both the positive and negative ways, the signing would be an extremely Bengals-like move, but it could provide immediate value.

Brandon Scherff

• Height: 6-foot-5
• Weight: 315
• Years Pro: Entering 11th season
• Age: 33 (Turns 34 in December)
• College: Iowa
• Hometown: Denison, Iowa
• RAS:

(Editor’s Note: This was in context as Scherff being an NFL guard and not a tackle, as he played at Iowa)

Background

Scherff opted to stay in his home state of Iowa for college ball, joining the Hawkeyes as a three-star recruit, as well as a high school track and field standout (shot put and discus).

After redshirting as a freshman, Scherff played in eleven games at left guard with three starts. He subsequently replaced star left tackle Riley Reiff (does that name sound familiar?) at that spot, but his season was cut short by a broken fibula.

He then asserted himself as a top offensive lineman prospect the following year but opted to stay for one final year at Iowa. It paid off, as he earned the Outland Trophy and eventually became the No. 5 overall pick in 2015 by Washington.

Even though he had a track record of success as a left tackle, most pundits believed his best career trajectory was as a guard, and that proved true. He anchored the right guard spot for Washington, earning five Pro Bowl berths and a First-Team All-Pro nomination (2020) in seven seasons there.

He then left for Jacksonville three years ago, signing a three-year, $49.5 million deal, and was once again regarded as both a consistent performer and a team leader. The Jaguars are in a state of turnover, of sorts, so Scherff is not in their future plans.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Scherff embodies NFL consistency and leadership. As for the former, the All-Star resume speaks for itself, but he was also a team captain in both Washington and Jacksonville.

He is very stout in pass protection, especially when picking up blitzing defenders and/or stunts by defensive linemen. Even at 32 and 33 years old last year, Scherff had a respectable Pro Football Focus score and has received high marks throughout his career.

The health question is an odd anomaly with Scherff. Oddly enough, he missed games with ailments in four of his five Pro Bowl seasons but has been incredibly healthy since joining the Jags, playing in 17 games in each of the past three years.

Has he staved off Father Time? That’s the big question for any team looking to sign him, even if only for a short-term deal.

His run-blocking skills aren’t as adept as his pass protection, but they are serviceable. The team that signs him should get one or two solid years of performance as he closes out his great career.

Outlook

It will be intriguing to see what the Bengals’ plans are for Patrick. Is he competition for Cordell Volson, additional depth with versatility, or is he a guy to fill Cappa’s shoes immediately?

While a contract for Scherff won’t be a bank-breaker, there are signs of a team signing a player like Scherff as an “all-in move.” The interior of the line has been a problem for a while now, and Scherff would undoubtedly bring stability, even if only for one year.

The team captain designations and ability to mentor young players also have to appeal to Cincinnati as they attempt to get back to their championship goals. These are facets that Zac Taylor has valued since becoming the head coach in Cincinnati.

“How much is left in the tank?” is, of course, the lingering question. But if the Bengals pounce on promising interior players in the draft, Scherff would just need to be capable and dependable for a short time.

Of course, the contract will have to make sense for both parties. Cincinnati is still trying to navigate the Trey Hendrickson situation after the big deals for Chase and Higgins, so it’s possible they are waiting to crunch those numbers before going after a player like Scherff.

The veteran guard may also be waiting for the ideal opportunity—namely landing with a contender. Still, we’ve seen the Bengals sign these types of offensive line veterans before while grooming promising prospects behind them. Reiff and Richmond Webb are just a couple of examples of the team doing so.

This episode is brought you in part by FOCO, the “Fans Only Company. One of their upcoming releases is a very special one, not only because of the players featured, but in the fact that it is a limited release of only 75 in production. Check out the Ja’Marr Chase/Carl Pickens Rookie of the Year bobblehead for pre-release purchase here.

Check out our podcasts here on CJ, the Bleav in Cincy podcast feed, Spotify, Amazon, our YouTube channel, and as always, on iTunes!