The Trouble with NFL Offensive Linemen: Bad Starts and Worse Finishes

[waving monkey]

The Giants and Seahawks both have Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks, excellent defenses and playmakers on offense. And both have high expectations for this season. But neither team could figure out a way to muster a touchdown on Sunday.

Even though it’s just Week 1, it seems fair to ask: Can you really be a contender without a good offensive line?

The epidemic of poor offensive line play is something we are hearing more and more about across the NFL. Some blame the practice rules imposed by the 2011 CBA, which limit both offseason practice time and the number of padded practices in which linemen can get in full-contact reps. Others point to the rise of spread offenses in college, where linemen often aren’t asked to finish blocks or even put their hand in the dirt in a three-point stance.

https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/09/12/t...mmqb&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social

 

[adbutcher]

Meh.... not our problem.

 

[Macnalty]

I agree not our problem, look at the Denver Oline who we play this week, they have talent similar to what we had when Alex Barron was our starting RT. I think DLaw is probably salivating right now knowing who he will be up against most of the day. Over under on his sacks might be 2 or 3. Menelik Watson is a english turnstile.

 

[Shinaoi]

We saw it that one year against the Vikings in the playoffs. I really think it was that game that made jerry rebuild the line.

 

[CATCH17]

Every team has holes.

You have to coach around it.

 

[Swanny]

Every team has holes.

You have to coach around it.

Just as long as that hole isn't QB

 

[CATCH17]

Just as long as that hole isn't QB

Yep, but there have been teams with average to below average QB's win a superbowl too. Our most recent would be Flacco.

 

[adbutcher]

No one was boohooing over our o line problems before we rebuilt. Jerry and co built this team the right way, screw all of the so called football people that put together all of those trench lite teams.

 

[Alexander]

We saw it that one year against the Vikings in the playoffs. I really think it was that game that made jerry rebuild the line.

It only took several years for his plan to come together, if he had one.

The response to that game was not immediate, so I doubt it "made" Jerry Jones rebuild the line.

Things naturally took their course with veterans drifting away and we did go the long way versus truly committing to it.

2010 - Added dignitaries like Alex Barron, Montrae Holland, Phil Costa and Robert Brewster to go along with an aging Andre Gurode, Marc Colombo, Leonard Davis, Kyle Kosier and Doug Free.
2011 - Got rid of Gurode, Davis and Colombo. Did draft Tyron Smith and Bill Nagy. But they thought Derrick Dockery could still play and actually had Costa as a 16 game starter.
2012 - Kosier gone. Costa still around, went down and got replaced by Ryan Cook. Brought in the infamous Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings as free agent busts. Had Jermey Parnell, but no draft choices.

Finally in 2013 was there a serious attempt beyond Tyron Smith to improve the line by drafting Travis Frederick and were a day late dollar short on Brian Waters.

At the end of the day, when we committed, then we got better. It is not a coincidence, but it was a long time coming. That needs to be a focus continually.

In fact, every team needs to be concerned about the talent that is coming into the league. There are some players in key depth roles like swing tackle that barely get a chance to play because the reps simply are not there. Lineman are hard to develop that way. That is why the aged veterans are still getting paid in free agency.

It may become very evident this year when teams like Dallas, Oakland and Tennessee that have focused hard on their OLs will reap the benefits.

 

[Swanny]

Yep, but there have been teams with average to below average QB's win a superbowl too. Our most recent would be Flacco.

Just need that special defense. I wonder what's easier. Finding a Franchise QB or Building a Defense like the Ravens had with Flacco and Dilfer.

 

[CATCH17]

Just need that special defense. I wonder what's easier. Finding a Franchise QB or Building a Defense like the Ravens had with Flacco and Dilfer.

WEll if you have a QB and Defense you're most likely going to have an average at best OL and average at best Skill players.

 

[diefree666]

More and more for a successful team you need to really do well drafting. The days when you could pick up good vets rather cheap are long gone.

Draft choices and UDFA. That is how YOU MUST build team anymore. FA is for filling a few holes; not for anything big. Now and then a big signing might be good for you but that is VERY rare.

Keep your best; that is the way to spend most of the salary cap. But you will usually have to give up one to keep one.

One thing the current NFL is showing more and more is that a successful team has to have at LEAST decent O and D lines. As was mentioned in that article the Seahawks and Giants have decided to spend on D and their skill positions while making do with O lines that are below average. Even for the Seahawks who have a very mobile QB that is NOT working. For the giants it is a real disaster.

The Boys have taken a very different route in putting High Draft choices multiple times on their O line. The titans did some of the same but they had the advantage of having a lot of high draft choices for several years to do so.

I think a lot of GMs in the league are watching the Boys and Titans carefully to see if this is the new way to go in the NFL.

 

[Longboysfan]

They should be past Watching at this point.

Time to switch your thinking around.

 

[Nova]

2010 - Added dignitaries like Alex Barron, Montrae Holland, Phil Costa and Robert Brewster to go along with an aging Andre Gurode, Marc Colombo, Leonard Davis, Kyle Kosier and Doug Free.
2011 - Got rid of Gurode, Davis and Colombo. Did draft Tyron Smith and Bill Nagy. But they thought Derrick Dockery could still play and actually had Costa as a 16 game starter.
2012 - Kosier gone. Costa still around, went down and got replaced by Ryan Cook. Brought in the infamous Mackenzy Bernadeau and Nate Livings as free agent busts. Had Jermey Parnell, but no draft choices.

Finally in 2013 was there a serious attempt beyond Tyron Smith to improve the line by drafting Travis Frederick and were a day late dollar short on Brian Waters.

At the end of the day, when we committed, then we got better. It is not a coincidence, but it was a long time coming. That needs to be a focus continually.

In fact, every team needs to be concerned about the talent that is coming into the league. There are some players in key depth roles like swing tackle that barely get a chance to play because the reps simply are not there. Lineman are hard to develop that way. That is why the aged veterans are still getting paid in free agency.

It may become very evident this year when teams like Dallas, Oakland and Tennessee that have focused hard on their OLs will reap the benefits.

Nice recap.

Anyone else shudder seeing some of those names from the old OL?

Reading that was like hearing my alarm ring tone during the day time or smelling a crazy ex-girlfriend's perfume in a department store.

 

[Alexander]

smelling a crazy ex-girlfriend's perfume in a department store.

That is a great, yet terrifying, comparison.

 

[conner01]

Just need that special defense. I wonder what's easier. Finding a Franchise QB or Building a Defense like the Ravens had with Flacco and Dilfer.

We got very lucky with Dak but few things are harder than finding a QB
That said a defense is multiple people and building a good one may be just a matter of commitment, but building a great one involves a bit of luck. 8-9 studs are hard to get

 

[diefree666]

Nice recap.

Anyone else shudder seeing some of those names from the old OL?

Reading that was like hearing my alarm ring tone during the day time or smelling a crazy ex-girlfriend's perfume in a department store.

I still to this day cannot believe anyone with any football knowledge at all thought Costa could be a decent starter.

 

[mmohican29]

Just need that special defense. I wonder what's easier. Finding a Franchise QB or Building a Defense like the Ravens had with Flacco and Dilfer.

I agree Flacco is pedestrian, but he was above average that SB season AND phenomenal in the post-season.
He capitalized on Denver's incompetence to go to the Super Bowl.

Then he hung early points on an over-amped Niners team. Anquan Boldin kept making plays a la Hakim Nicks did for Eli.

Neither are great QB's, but neither folded under pressure. But in Flacco's case- that team did NOT have anything resembling a special Defense.

 

[diefree666]

I agree Flacco is pedestrian, but he was above average that SB season AND phenomenal in the post-season.
He capitalized on Denver's incompetence to go to the Super Bowl.

Then he hung early points on an over-amped Niners team. Anquan Boldin kept making plays a la Hakim Nicks did for Eli.

Neither are great QB's, but neither folded under pressure. But in Flacco's case- that team did NOT have anything resembling a special Defense.

The Ravens D was living more on its reputation then actual production but it did a good job. And of course Kapernick came up small when it counted.
Flacco is a decent QB that got REALLY HOT at JUST THE RIGHT time. And he made a bundle out of it.

 

[Alexander]

I still to this day cannot believe anyone with any football knowledge at all thought Costa could be a decent starter.

He was considered good enough by quite a few around here.