With the upcoming season quickly approaching, I’m going to be taking a look at the landscape of the NFL, position by position, over the course of the next several weeks. We’ll be talking about the who’s who of the NFL in our own little version of the NFL Network’s “Top 100 Players” bit they do every year. Up next, we have the offensive lines!
THE TOP 10 NFL OFFENSIVE LINES FOR 2019
10. Chicago Bears – A lot of things went right for the Bears in 2018, and it’s hard to maintain at an ‘exceeding expectations’ kind of level. But, I really love the two young foundation pieces they have in the interior in Cody Whitehair and James Daniels.
9. New England Patriots – How long before Dante Scarnecchia is a head coach in the NFL? I mean, seriously – you could line up five stray cats and Scarnecchia would have them protecting Tom Brady. That’s obviously a joke – I don’t mean to take away from the talent of this unit. Shaq Mason is one of the best offensive linemen in the game, maybe the most underrated. I loved Isaiah Wynn coming out of college, and he should only bolster the unit when he returns from injury.
8. Baltimore Ravens – No one outside of Baltimore seems to be as high on this Ravens offensive line as I am. But, for me, it’s simple – look how effectively they ran the ball and protected their rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson a season ago. Right tackle Orlando Brown showed some flashes of greatness in 2018, while left tackle Ronnie Stanley finally looked like he was piecing it all together. Last I checked, Marshal Yanda was still Marshal Yanda. So, I ask….why wouldn’t you have this Ravens line ranked as a top 10 unit?
7. Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers are one of those teams that just seem to always have a stellar offensive line. Maybe it’s a testament to the work Mike Munchak has put in as offensive line coach. But, with regular Pro Bowlers in Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic for yet another solid season in Pittsburgh.
6. Tennessee Titans – I think this Titans line is a lot closer to 2016 than 2018 – Rodger Saffold is a huge upgrade at left guard. Even though Taylor Lewan will likely miss the first four games of the season, the Titans should be fine with Dennis Kelly playing back-up. Center Ben Jones is among the best in the NFL. Jack Conklin should be healthy. That right guard is the only spot that really needs shoring up. If they play to their potential, this will be one of the best lines in the NFL.
5. Washington R-Words – This one has a huge contingency placed on the health of the players. Trent Williams may be unhappy in Washington, but it doesn’t excuse him from being arguably the best left tackle in football today. Dude has allowed one sack over the last two seasons. One sack. Ereck Flowers is much better suited to be a guard. Morgan Moses is a hell of a right tackle. A healthy Brandon Scherff at right guard is an absolute stud. If these guys can stay healthy, this should be a top five unit.
4. New Orleans Saints – With Terron Armstead on one end and Ryan Ramczyk on the other, it’s possible the Saints have the best set of book ends in the entire NFL. If Max Unger doesn’t retire, this is probably my favorite offensive line in football, but they’re going to have question on the interior. The Saints drafted Erik McCoy to replace Unger, but time will tell if he can actually do that.
3. Philadelphia Eagles – Perhaps this is the most consistent unit over the course of the last several seasons. Good in pass protection. Good in run blocking. Just all around good – as steady as can be. Jason Peters is eventually going to retire, but that’s why they drafted Andre Dillard back in the spring. I don’t expect much to change in 2019 – this should still be one of the elite units.
2. Indianapolis Colts – This is some homegrown beef right here, folks. The Colts have invested a lot of draft capital into the offensive line and it’s paid off immensely. 2018 first rounder Quenton Nelson instantly became one of the best guards in the NFL. Fellow rookie Braden Smith was a standout at right tackle. The Colts drafted center Ryan Kelly in 2016 and stalwart left tackle Anthony Castonzo in 2011. These guys have jelled as well as you could possibly hope for. The best young offensive line in the NFL could be the best overall offensive line in the league before you know it.
1. Dallas Cowboys – No offensive line in the entire NFL is as star-studded as this Cowboys offensive line. Sure, they slipped a bit in 2018, but 2019 should give this unit a clean slate of health. How they ended up with Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, and Travis Frederick (all of whom could make an argument for being the best at their respective position when they’re healthy) is beyond me. La’el Collins has been steady at right tackle. So, if second-year guard Connor Williams can step it up, this could be one of the NFL’s all-time dominant lines.
OTHER 2019 NFL TOP 10S
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Tight Ends
Wide Receivers
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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