The Bengals released Alex Cappa earlier this week, three years after they signed him to be part of the solution to a big problem in Cincinnati. They needed to protect Joe Burrow.
Cappa's early results were promising, but injuries derailed his Bengals tenure over the past two seasons.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded for Shaq Mason after Cappa left for Cincinnati in free agency in 2022.
The Bengals should follow that blueprint and replace Cappa with Mason this offseason.
Mason is being released by the Texans. The 31-year-old was teammates with Ted Karras in New England and has made 147 starts in 10 seasons.
Adding a proven veteran at right guard makes a ton of sense for the Bengals.
Mason's play slipped a little last season, but the entire Texans' offense, including their offensive line struggled for most of the year. Houston is releasing the veteran to clear $9.4 million in cap space.
He would be an upgrade on the Bengals' offensive front and is the exact type of veteran they should be targeting in free agency.
Check out Mason's career grades from Pro Football Focus below:
