NFL free agency 2022: Bengals signing Alex Cappa to four-year, $40 million deal, as Tom Brady loses O-lineman

Cappa agreed to a long-term deal with the Bengals

The Cincinnati bengals wasted little time improving their offensive line in free agency, agreeing to a four-year, $40 million deal with guard Alex Cappa (per ESPN's Adam Schefter). Cappa started every game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (including the playoffs) at right guard and was the only player on the team to be on the field for all of the 1,328 offensive snaps in 2021. 

Committing just one penalty and allowing five sacks and 32 pressures in 2021, Cappa was part of an offensive line that allowed just 23 sacks -- the fewest in the NFL. The Buccaneers averaged 4.89 yards per carry while running over right guard, the ninth-best mark in the league, a good sign for the Bengals and Joe Mixon -- who rushed for 1,205 yards and 13 touchdowns for Cincinnati last season. 

The Bengals offensive line allowed 19 sacks in the postseason, as Joe Burrow was sacked the most by a quarterback in NFL playoff history. Burrow was sacked 70 times last year, the third-most in a single season since the merger. 

Cincinnati is expected to improve the offensive line in the coming days, which the signing of Cappa is a nice start. As for the Buccaneers, Tom Brady will be losing both his starting guards from last season as Cappa departs in free agency and Ali Marpet retired.