When the Cincinnati Bengals made the tough decision to move on from Alex Cappa this offseason, significant interior offensive line needs emerged. While there are still some solid names on the market to continue shoring up those areas, the team also signed versatile veteran Lucas Patrick.
He has extensive starting experience along the interior of the line as a pro and was a valued member of the previous three teams for which he played. The Bengals have traditionally valued offensive linemen who can effectively play multiple spots on the line as a means to maximize the roster and have contingency plans in case of injury or ineffective play.
Patrick wasn’t a name at the top of most minds when the Bengals entered free agency, but he provides depth and potential competition at needed spots.
Lucas Patrick
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 313
Years Pro: Entering ninth season
Age: 31 (32 in July)
College: Duke
Hometown: Brentwood, TN
RAS:
Background
Patrick had a background in both football and track in high school, making him a promising athlete for Duke University. He joined the Blue Devils in 2011 and redshirted that year, but his 2012 campaign started out rough due to a fractured ankle in the spring.
He came back later that year and played in the final five games. The following year, he played in every game with one start and started 12 games in 2014 at left guard. As a senior in 2015, he earned Honorable Mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors.
He went undrafted to the Green Bay Packers in the 2016 draft and bounced on and off their roster until 2018. Patrick then signed a lucrative two-year deal with the club and went on to start 28 games in 2020-2021 at both right guard and center.
Patrick landed with Chicago in 2022 and started 20 games for them at multiple spots. Last year, Patrick again proved himself as reliable depth and a spot starter with New Orleans, which undoubtedly piqued the Bengals’ interest this spring.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Versatility and starting experience are the two major strengths of Patrick. He has been a serviceable starter for years and provides much-needed depth for the Bengals.
His age brings both pros and cons. One might think his best days are behind him, and there is some truth to that, but he still showed continued value just last season with the Saints.
While he has starting experience at both guard and center, the latter has definitely shown better film. With Matt Lee showing promise as a rookie last year, it would appear that Patrick’s best fit is at guard.
The questions that remain are his viability as a starter at either guard spot, and how much of an upgrade, if at all, he would be compared to what we’ve seen from other Bengals offensive linemen recently.
Outlook
When it comes to free-agent interior offensive linemen, Patrick is the type the Bengals love to collect: Versatile, experienced, but also a Jack-of-all-Trades and a potential master of none.
Still, Patrick was a well-respected lineman in the NFC North and was entrusted with blocking for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. He moves well and is somewhat adept at picking up stunts and blitzers.
The film shows stout play in the run game, which may or may not be music to Bengals fans’ ears, but he does bring value. We’ve wondered how new offensive line coach Scott Peters would value athletic metrics for his unit (like the RAS above), and at first blush with the Patrick signing, it seems like he’s aiming to bring more athleticism to the unit.
We’ll see if he vies for either guard spot, but similarly versatile Cody Ford was also re-signed this offseason. However, if we’re gauging simply by the RAS, Patrick has a higher ceiling than Ford, albeit as a player four years older.
