Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
Just a few basics to help you maneuver through this. Much like the exploit/avoid threads over the years, I have gone ahead and color coded the OL in this piece. Green obviously is for players who excel at the position. Black just means middle of the road or perhaps a player is good at pass blocking, not good at run blocking. Red obviously means the guy is a potential liability. Blue is for a rookie or possibly an injury concern.
I have a number next to some teams. This is simply to show you the total ages of the starting 5 if they come close to or go over the number 150. John Clayton from ESPN did a little article that showed when the number is over 150, many times bad things happen and the OL tends to break down or fall apart at some point in the season.
You will see I break down the OL into Tackles and then Guards/Center. It is important to understand that in terms of passing, most teams need really good Tackle play in pass blocking with speedy DE/OLBs racing from the outside. Run blocking for Tackles is secondary and those that allow the fewest sacks tend to get the honors at Left Tackle. The Guard/Center write ups should emphasize the running game. A lot of interior linemen are solid pass protectors but the real need inside are guys that can move the pile. I grade the OL in terms of run blocking=RB and pass blocking=PB.
In years past I just wrote up the info on the OL and didn't really connect it to the players. This year I have a special section with "Impact on skill position players" and I also have "A little MOP" which is simply there as a "from the gut" sort of talk so that part is mostly opinion, sleepers, and a few buyer beware warnings.
This is just the AFC, hope to have the NFC rolling out in the next week or so. Interested to hear the locals take on some of these teams. The teams with pretty iffy OL tend to be in flux so it will not surprise me if some of you have some posts that show there will be more competition at certain positions than perhaps I indicate initially. We have not even made it to camps yet so try and keep an open mind as you gather your info.
AFC East
New England(149)
OL: Matt Light retires and certainly the Patriots lose some along the line. They still have a pretty solid unit so let's go around the horn here and look at the projected starters.
Tackles-Nate Solder, a 1st round selection from a year ago will try and fill the void left by Light. He actually looked pretty good as a rookie and will make major strides in his 2nd season. He has told friends he believes he will fill the LT spot, I tend to believe that's the plan. If for some reason he falters then the team will turn to Sebastian Vollmer who will likely anchor the RT spot at the start of the season. Vollmer has shown some flashes but he also has battled injuries. At the end of 2010 Vollmer was really starting to hit his stride. This combo should be solid but at the same time it probably is the weakest part of the OL which is saying something because it's far from bad, just not proven reliability yet like Matt Light was.
Guard/Center: Logan Mankins is the question mark. He tore his ACL or partial tear, whatever it is he might not be ready to start the 2012 season. Brian Waters returns at RG and what a relief that is for the Patriots. Waters was Pro Bowl caliber last year so combined with Mankins and you have one of the best tandems at Guard albeit a couple of older players. Dan Koppen is expected to compete for the Center spot after a bad injury in 2011. He was performing at a pretty high level in 2009 and 2010. Dan Connolly did a solid job starting most of the 2011 campaign.
Bench: Koppen/Connolly-whoever does not start can fill in for Mankins until he is 100%.
Robert Gallery is in the mix as a rotation off the bench. Matt Kopa, Kyle Hix, and Marcus Cannon round out a young inexperienced group of back ups but New England will have at least 2 vets coming off the bench, these guys will have a lot of NFL experience to learn from.
Bottom Line: The Patriots OL is better than some of the stats might indicate. Honestly as much as folks have liked BJGE, when you look at what was blocking in front of him, he probably should have racked a lot more yards running. I believe Ridley is going to make defenses pay for dropping 6 back. As long as Brady can get enough time, he is going to destroy defenses. I didn't want to give them a high score and there are some question marks. But they have addressed some of these concerns and they even have some quality depth for the interior of the line.
RB: A-
PB: B
Impact on skill position players: Brady should be top3 with all this talent around him, maybe #1 overall but the Pats have upgraded on defense too. If they are blowing teams out by 20+ because their defense is back to where it was, you might see the Pats run a bit more in the 2nd half of football games...but then again I have seen them pile it on and have very little mercy for opposing teams. I believe Ridley is going to a very nice bargain on draft day and despite Addai and Vereen, I feel confident Ridley will rise to the top of this group. I wouldn't reach for him but I do like his upside in this offense.
A little MOP: Just my gut feeling and I realize it won't impact where Gronk is drafted however I have to say that he is gunning for some serious uncharted territory. I'm not saying he flops in 2012, just saying you have to go back to Todd Christensen back in Oakland in the early 80s to see this massive production without fail...from '83 thru '86 he posted 92/1250/12, 80/1000/7, 82/987/6, 95/1153/8...for the time period it is an incredible amount of production. It's like when you look back and see Lance Alworth in the 60s, your jaw will drop open when you see what he did for a good stretch of his career. I'm not anti-Gronk but you gotta be reasonable and if he comes off his numbers some. He has 27 TD in 2 seasons over 132 receptions...to put in perspective if he were to stay on that pace he would be the fastest to 100 TD in the history of the NFL. At about the 500 reception mark he would have 100+ TDs. I'm just saying that Gronk has to be a candidate for a drop off.
Big fan of Welker and Lloyd who people are selling short here. Lloyd has made acrobatic catches left and right the last 2-3 years and now he reunites with the coach who made him look so good. A full offseason with a real QB in Brady. Lloyd will have a handful of big time major league games much like Steve Smith did last year in Carolina. I would not blink taking Brady in the 1st round, he is one of the safest selections on the board.
New York Jets
OL: Is the OL simply not that good or do the Jets need a better frontline RB? I'm a bit surprised they did not go out and either sign someone or make a trade.
Tackles: We'll start with D'Brick who had a real slow down in 2011. It's tough to tell whether the lockout had a major impact but Brick was not himself. He allowed 8 sacks off the edge and his run blocking was not as good as in the past. Then there is Wayne Hunter who had 32 QBH, 11 sacks, 11 penalties, he was one of the worst rated starting Right Tackles in the NFL.
Guard/Center: Brandon Moore allowed zero sacks in 2012, and while that's awesome he needs to focus some on the running game. His run blocking is a little below avg and when you pair him with Matt Slauson on the other side you have a couple of Guards on a team that wants to run who don't excel at run blocking as much as they are in pass protection. Nick Mangold as always rates as a top3 at his position. He is an excellent inside run blocker but the fact is this was one of the worst rushing averages of any team.
Bench: Vladimir Ducasse is looking like a bust. Colin Baxter and Stephen Heyer are looking to fill out some of the back up spots. This is not a deep bench but many teams in the NFL have little experience sitting around collecting dust on the bench.
Bottom Line: This unit has 1 elite OL in Mangold and another strong anchor in Ferguson but he needs to bounce back strong. If that happens then this team will have some decent line play. Wayne Hunter is not going to be a ton better IMO so this unit has some weak spots. Moore gets a lot of accolades at RG but honestly he is not a road grader in run blocking. This unit can get some tough yards but they were dead last in open field running so again I have to question the RBs on this team.
RB: C+/B-
PB: C
Impact on skill position players: This line is good enough for the talent around it at the skill position spots to excel. I still think this team will struggle but the way the OL is set they would be wise to develop a solid short passing game. Sure Wayne Hunter does not allow you to drop back and stand there waiting for receivers to run long routes but there is plenty to hold the interior of that OL. Sanchez should be able to step up into the pocket and connect in the 10-20 yard range with guys like Dustin Keller. The RBs though are not holding up their end of the bargain. I'm pretty sour on Greene and McKnight right now. This offense is far from fluid.
A little MOP: I believe Santonio Holmes is a bad fit or at least does not have a QB to exploit his talents. He also has dropped some easy balls. Holmes is a guy you know will be unreliable, better to let him house on another roster in your leagues IMO. I see this offense struggling again. Is Tony Sporano really the OC here? As a Dolphins fan good luck with that.
Buffalo
OL: I was surprised combing thru the stats by what I found. I'm sure Bills fans are not but this offense looks to be getting better and better. They certainly have some questions at the tackle spots but the interior of this line is probably in the top 5 for the NFL right now. They are young too and still growing sort of speak. A lot of folks in your local leagues probably won't know much about the Bills but I think if you research this you are going to draw some of the same conclusions that I am.
Tackles: Chris Hairston was a 4th round rookie and playing LT last year. You have to admire Buffalo's courage to have faith in the players they drafted. Most of the OL has been hand selected by the organization. Now to ensure they get better play out of the LT position they went ahead and drafted Cody Glenn in the 2nd round. They will both compete and I expect both to see playing time. Glenn will take over at LT eventually, just how soon will be the question. Another benefit will be a player on the bench with plenty of snaps under his belt.
Eric Pears will be the RT and he is a good pass blocker. Only 9 QBH last season, only 4 sacks and 4 penalties on the season. His run blocking is not that good but he is there to provide a couple more seconds for Fitzpatrick to find an open guy. I think Buffalo is laying the foundation for some decent pass protection and fans should expect Buffalo to continue to flourish in the passing game. Perhaps even get a step or two better.
Guard/Center: Andy Levitre was a 2nd round pick in 2009. He struggled at first but last season he came on strong and rate as a potential top5 at his LG position. He needs to show consistency but this guy does a lot of good things including screen blocking which is a welcome skill for OLinemen. The other Guard spot will be a battle between Kraig Urbik who was performing very well last season and had to roll over to Center due to an ACL tear week 11 to Eric Wood. Urbik should roll back to RG but Chad Rinehart was performing at a top10 level so suddenly Buffalo has good starters and also good depth. Chad Rinehart of course sounds like Chaz Rienhold(Will Farrell) from the Wedding Crashers which only adds to me being a fan of his.
Bench: Whoever loses the battle at LT and RG will be valuable off the bench so this unit has some actual depth.
Bottom Line: Eric Wood had a pretty serious injury and reports are that he should be ready for camp and start of the season however the Bills can take their time easing him back in because of their depth now. Wood was a 1st round pick in 2009, same year as Levitre. I really like the Bills interior and their ability to run block which has helped Fred Jackson and should pay off for CJ Spiller as well.
RB: A-
PB: C...rookie LTs tend to struggle some.
Impact on skill position players: As I just stated I like the running game here in Buffalo because they can use the passing game to keep teams honest while the interior of their OL opens holes and sets screens up for the backs. There is room for both jackson and Spiller to have their moments. Buffalo does not have a lot of weapons in the passing game outside of Steve Johnson so I can see Spiller racking up a ton of receptions if they decide to use him more like the Saints use Darren Sproles.
A little MOP: I think everyone has forgotten about Donald Jones and he should be fully recovered and ready to roll. Folks are also high on David Nelson who has a lot of size over the other receivers. I would take a late round flyer on Jones who should work well in the slot although sometimes Johnson will line up there. Jones could easily catch 50 balls and for a guy you can grab in the very late rounds, that might be some decent return. I also like Fitzpatrick but feel he is being drafted at about the right spot. He makes a strong QB2 IMO. I like David Nelson a bunch too but a lot of people like him already and there are plenty of other guys with upside I like around his draft spot.
Miami
OL: This unit is coming together slowly but they still have a lot of issues and are now transitioning into a different style of offense and that could negatively impact this unit at least in the short term like 2012.
Tackles: Jake Long was solid but injured his back down the stretch and compared to years past he was not the same. Much like D'Brickashaw Ferguson I have to wonder what the lack of off season preparation had on some of these guys. Long has looked like the premier LT since he entered the league so I am hopeful last year was just an off year and not a sign of things to come. Jonathan Martin was drafted in the 2nd round and despite rumors about Long being on his way out, this was simply done to replace Columbo who was terrible and also Vernon Carey could no longer play RT for the Phins either so they went and filled a need at the RT spot. He will have his struggles but I think he is a solid pick for the OL.
Guard/Center: Richie Incognito will return at LG. He is a solid run blocker, solid pass blocker, just too many penalties but that has been the story of his career pretty much. Artis Hicks was brought in and could start at RG, pretty much a journeyman. John Jerry was drafted in the 3rd round in 2010 but has yet to make his presence felt. Jerry needs to have a good camp because if he can't put Hicks on the bench then he probably is never going to be able to start in Miami. At Center, Mike Pouncey will start his 2nd season. A 1st round pick in 2011, Pouncey did struggle some as a rookie and will need to make strides this year which he should do.
Bench: Miami has some guys with a decent amount of snaps under their belts and they include Nate Garner, Ryan Cook, Lydon Murtha and of course John Jerry who I mentioned earlier.
Bottom Line: Reggie Bush had no problems running behind this line but Daniel Thomas clearly did. The Phins are not a good power running team, in fact they ranked dead last in 2011 which is primarily focused on 3rd and 4th down runs 2 yards or less..Miami was successful about 40% of the time which is not good.
RB: D
PB: C-
Impact on skill position players: The line is not really set up for a downhill runner like Daniel Thomas. Bush is expected to be lining up wide and out in more pass patterns this season, Thomas more carrying the load on 1st and 2nd down. I'm not a fan of Thomas right now and I think that's why they moved up to get Lamar Miller who is much better suited for the offense Philbin wants to run. At WR I would say the QB will have so so time setting up with a rookie at RT despite an All Pro at LT.
A little MOP: I would not overspend on any of the WRs. Bess is the most consistent but you won't ever see him have a huge game, just a few solid ones and a lot of 8-10 point weeks. Ocho, this is all for the cameras at this point, I would not spend much on him either. Miami will be hard pressed to win 4-5 games this year, don't be naive and think this is a good place to find some gold. If Lamar Miller gets healthy I would expect him to see a lot more action the 2nd half of the season. Someone you want to keep your eyes on for later on in the season.
AFC North
Pittsburgh
OL: The Steelers are a team I have razzed for years that if they would only work on their OL they would be Super Bowl contenders every year. Well they certainly have taken some major steps towards doing so and beyond that, all these scrubs now have a ton of game snaps under their belts. While they may not have been starting material they sure add a ton of depth to this team and unit.
Tackle: Mike Adams was drafted out of Ohio State and he will anchor the LT spot while taking his licks as a rookie. He'll learn fast and he better because he has to protect Roethlisberger's blind side. He is a solid prospect and will struggle some but he also is going to win his fair share too. The RT spot will be Marcus Gilbert who was a 2nd round rookie in 2011 and performed very well. Only 11 hurries on the QB from his spot. He also can throw it down on run blocking too. I like Gilbert a lot and he has the potential to be a top5/top10 at his position if he continues to work hard.
Guard/Center: Last year they had some pretty bad interior play but that looks to change quickly. Willie Colon was trying to play LT but has finally agreed that what is best for the team and his continued career is an opp to kick it inside to LG and that is the position he will likely settle into. I think it's a good idea and Colon will be able to get his hands on more defenders from the Guard spot. The other position at RG will be filled by...let's just say this guy has ALL PRO written all over him and his name is David DeCastro from Stanford University. You can look up his vitals and also some tape and witness the kind of pancake blocks this guy can do and also his ability to move around the field and create huge holes for the backs. He is a major major upgrade for the interior of this OL. The Center spot is of course Maurkice Pouncey, he was not all that good last year. He is entering year 3 and he needs to really up his game or else he is just going to be average. Hopefully DeCastro on his right and Colon to his immediate left will help improve his game as well. In fact I would probably bank on it.
Bench: Jonathan Scott, Trai Essex(hair product), Ramon Foster(could start at LG-900+ snaps last year), and Doug Lagursky round out a pretty veteran bench that can come right in and sub for whoever needs a breather here and there.
Bottom Line: This is a unit that needs time to gel but the foundation is in place for a big year and future years as well. They gave up 42 sacks a year ago and while they were not a good power running team either ranking in the bottom 25% of the league but I think that will change quickly.
RB: B...major improvement in the run game this year.
PB: C
Impact on the skill position players: It has to mean good things for Big Ben and the passing game. Look for Wallace and Brown to flourish as Ben should have time to set up and throw. The running game though should be a lot better once Mendenhall returns. The unit may take some time to come together but by the 2nd half of the season the Steelers should be running the ball well.
A little MOP: I am not big fan of Redman so I would try to get Mendenhall at a good price point. I don't see anyway he doesn't start once he is cleared and ready to go. I also think Emmanuel Sanders is worth grabbing late. People are in love with Antonio Brown and I understand why but Sanders should see a larger role with Hines Ward gone. I'm not telling you he can pass Brown on the depth charts but what if Brown takes a step or two back this year? Just a guy to keep on your radar in the later rounds.
Baltimore (155)
OL: This unit has some real issues at the end spots. Interior is pretty good and they will continue to run it up the middle but can owners expect Flacco and the passing game to improve any time soon?
Tackles: Bryant McKinnie and Michael Oher do not provide good pass protection for Flacco. In fact they combined to yield a whopping 57 hurries on the Quarterback, 15 separate QB hits, and another 14 sacks plus 17 more penalties thrown in for good measure. Maybe Flacco holds the ball too much...perhaps that is part of the problem but it doesn't explain everything. And when you look at the OL as a whole they are below the NFL avg for sacks over the season with 33 vs 37. Flacco had some really nice long balls to Torrey Smith but he needs more consistent line play to connect on deep balls so teams respect the pass more.
Guard/Center: Marshall Yanda is in the conversation for best Guard in the league. His run blocking and pass blocking are both excellent. The Ravens run it up the middle about 55% of the time, that is above the 50% avg of the NFL. Look for them to continue to pound it behind Yanda and also Matt Birk who is getting long in the tooth. You add inBobbie Williams at LG who was playing in Cincinnati last year but he is also 35 years old. This OL is actually pretty old in a few spots.
Bench: Kelechi Osemele(2nd round rookie) and Gino Gradkowsji(4th round rookie) make up a good chunk of the bench with Jah Reid(3rd round 2011) and Tony Wragge who started some in St Louis before landing with Baltimore. Not a lot of depth here outside of Wragge.
RB: B
PB: D+/C-...where they need it most at the Tackle position...they ain't got it.
Bottom Line: I feel Ray Rice makes them look a little better at running the ball although that "A" gap to the right between Birk and Yanda is one devastating creese to run between. They need help at the Tackle spot and that won't happen until 2013.
Impact on the skill position players: I think it impacts the passing game. I also want to point out that Baltimore has a very very tough schedule down the stretch including the playoffs with the Steelers twice, road game @SD and hosting Peyton Manning and the Broncos. I don't see Flacco being in the top half of QBs this season, in fact this has to be one of the more vertically challenged football teams despite the success of Torrey Smith last year. Anquan Boldin just seems to disappear. I am a little more optimistic about the development of Pitta and Dickson. I could see both of them becoming more vital parts of the offense in the short passing game.
A little MOP: There was an article done by John Clayton over at ESPN that highlighted when OLines have a combined age of 150+ that things start to go wrong, many times teams hang on to guys too long and they suddenly break down. The Ravens have that right now with an aging OL outside of Yanda...Birk(35), Williams(35), McKinnie(32) and while Oher is still only 26, his game has taken some big step back the last couple seasons after a promising start and even a major movie made about him. I'm not saying Baltimore is destined to fail but they are loaded with a lot of veteran players, many of them well past their prime or in the twilight of their career. Buyer beware.
Cincinnati
OL: They are getting a lot of love in most publications. I wanted to really like this group and they do have some upside but I don't believe this is a top 5 OL right now.
Tackles: From a pass protection standpoint this is one of the best tandems in the league. Partly because Dalton has a quick release but the fact is they only allowed 30 QB hurries combined and 6 sacks. Dalton enjoyed plenty of time in the pocket as a rookie which allowed for big plays down the field to AJ Green. Andrew Whitworth is excellent is pass protection, is a top10 at his position but has never received a Pro Bowl invite...his downside is run blocking which is well below avg. And Cinci likes to run behind him to the left side with about 1 out of every 4 carries going his way. The other side is anchored by Andre Smith the former 1st round pick who looked pretty shaky when he first entered the league but has settled into a solid producer even if he never lives up to his draft slot. He is a better run blocker than Whitworth and also very solid in pass protection, only yielding 3 sacks last season.
Guard/Center: 2 out of 3 are new to the team including rookie pick Kevin Zeitler out of Wisconsin and Travelle Wharton who was brought over from Carolina and graded out middle of the road before signing with Cinci. Ryan Cook is the Center, pretty solid but nothing special. This unit is going to be tested to find yards in the running game. I don't believe the Bengals are going to be able to run the ball with a lot of success right now. In fact I think when you look at the OL and the strengths and weaknesses, you are going to conclude it best to load up in the passing game but maybe look elsewhere for running help.
Bench: Anthony Collins(Solid), Clint Boling, and Dennis Roland will all be working off the bench. There is some depth here and I would not be surprised if more than one sees some significant time inside if things don't pan out exactly as planned.
Bottom Line: The pass protection is there, the run blocking I'm not so sure on, in fact I would rate it below avg.
RB: D
PB: A-
Impact on the skill position players: We know AJ Green will be a nice selection this year, pay attention to whoever is going to win the WR2 spot and also the progress of Jordan Shipley who I expect to be back and ready to nail down that slot position. I think it has a very negative impact on BJGE who I would not be eager to draft, not sure Bernard Scott is the answer there either. Search down the roster a little further and find a deep sleeper.
A little MOP: Don't be afraid to have Dalton as your QB2 especially if you wait and are one of the last owners to take your 1st QB. Also a big fan of the TE Gresham who because they don't have a real solution yet across from Green may be able to open up the middle of the field. Gresham has the potential to be top10 and can be had after many TEs are off the board.
Cleveland
OL: As you might expect this unit has a lot of question marks and issues. A lot of folks are expecting that a couple guys who were rookies last year will progress this year. Overall this unit outside of Joe Thomas and Alex Mack is pretty weak.
Tackles: Joe Thomas was a top5 pick and I don't see how it has really helped. Yes he is one of the best in the NFL and has been tremendous but he also has steadily gone down a little the last 3-4 years and I don't see a ton of pancake blocks on ESPN highlights. I don't think the team around him is much good either so that has not helped. You wonder what they could land in a trade for him but I don't want to get the entire Cleveland fan base up in arms. Mitchell Schwartz from Cal will start at Right Tackle. He certainly is going to be destroyed for a while out there but he should manage to get his footing. Luckily whoever is starting at QB will have Thomas protecting their blind side and the rookie will be on the side they can see coming.
Guard/Center: Shawn Lauvao and Jason Pinkston return as one of the worst interior duo at Guard in the league. 6 sacks for a RG to allow is a lot, another 24 QB hurries from Pinkston at the LG spot. Lauvao also contributing 11 called penalties, not good at all. They were 3rd and 5th round picks in 2011 and 2010 so you can't really say they were expected to do a lot when they arrived but this seems to be the plan to this point. Pinkston especially is atrocious in run blocking which is not good for a starting Guard. Alex Mack comes back at Center, he is about a top 10-12 player at Center, solid but not on the same level as say Nick Mangold.
Bench: Nothing worth discussing at this point honestly.
Bottom Line: Lot of questions and issues here right now. Will be interesting to see with better skill position players what the impact will have on the OL.
RB: D
PB: D+
Impact on skill position players: It can't be good for Trent Richardson but I still believe he will have a positive impact on the OL. I also hope they try and get him outside and not just run him up the middle. They were dead last in 2nd level yards and almost dead last in open field running. Look for that to change with Richardson on board and some new pieces perhaps even at QB. I'm not sold Weeden is the answer but his window of opp is not very long so he has to start almost immediately.
A little MOP: All you heard last year was Greg Little, this year he should have some value for where you can draft him. I think he can make some big strides in 2012 with a full off season of coaching. He is a nice sleeper at WR. A lot was made of the supplemental pick from Baylor, Josh Gordon...check back in 2013/2014. Also Ben Watson gets no love and he could easily snag 50-60 balls as a prime check down for Weeden. No one wants him, take him late as your TE2 behind a frontline TE from the 1st 3-4 rounds you took early.
AFC South
Houston
OL: I was definitely hyping the OL in Houston last season and on the whole they were very good but a lot has happened and owners need to wake up before they get hit with the "I never saw this coming."
Tackles: Eric Winston was not an All Pro but he has been one of the most consistent right tackles over the last 3-4 years. He certainly was top10 at RT, possibly top5. "Hall of the Very Good" Rashad Butler takes over at RT. He played 250 snaps in 2010, had 14 QB hurries which over the course of an entire season would be a whopping "56". It's safe to say that Butler is a major downgrade from Winston. The left side has possibly the best LT in the game in Duane Brown. ZERO SACKS ALLOWED in 2011. He is anEXCELLENT pass blocker and that is what you really need at the left tackle position. Why he wasn't selected to the Pro Bowl last year is a mystery to me. They also sport one of the highest scoring RBs in the game.
Guard/Center: RG Mike Brisiel left for Oakland. Basically the Texans let go of their entire right side of the line. Brisiel followed up a solid 2009/2010 with a very underwhelming 2011. I have a feeling the Raiders got a gift with this guy coming over. We'll get to the Raiders a little later. Antoine Caldwell steps in at RG,he played in 194 snaps a year ago so he has some game action under his belt. This again is a step down from what they had. Wade Smith had a very bad 2011 campaign at LG compared to what he did in 2010. Smith likely peaked in 2010 and will hopefully rebound but prior to Houston he bounced around a bit, played solid in KC but he is not the top5 LG many thought from 2010. Chris Myers holds down the fort at Center. He is an excellent run blocker and also a very good pass blocker, one of the unsung heros on the OL. Myers last season ranked even higher than Nick Mangold in terms of pure run blocking.
Bench: Brandon Brooks(3rd round) and Ben Jones(4th round) were drafted to help provide some depth although they have no experience so this is not really a good thing. Andrew Gardner is on his 5th team in 3-4 years.
Bottom Line: There is still some nice pieces but replacing the right side of the line does not seem to be much of a concern for Houston and it should have been. They lost some big pieces on the line, this is not going to be good for them. Houston is prime to pick up a salary cut vet along the way in camp as well.
RB: B-
PB: C+
Impact on the skill position players: I love Foster but I think he is going to slide a bit this season. Ben Tate is pushing for time too, if you can pick a different back if you are lucky to have a high enough selection, I might try a different top tier guy. Foster is still top10 material but #1 overall might be a leap of faith. Schaub is going to feel the heat a lot more this season on the right side of the line. I don't have Schaub in my top 10 QBs...top 20 maybe.
A little MOP: Houston is going to regret not doing more for their line. Do they need to be sent game tapes of what they looked like back in the day when they first started out? Also their blatant disregard to develop a quality No 2 behind Andre Johnson also is going to hurt them. It's a shame with Manning gone the moment is prime for another team to be the top dog but Houston seems content to take steps back and duke it out with Tennessee for the division. I don't see them repeating even with Schaub back.
Jacksonville
OL: This unit has a chance to lift itself up from mediocrity. It has a chance to offer solid pass protecting for whoever is running the show out there. This unit has some overlooked parts and I was really curious about the impact of MJD and does he prosper more from the OL or do they prosper more because he is back there.
Tackles: Eugene Monroe is in the discussion for top5 at LT. He can run block, pass block, per snap he has the lowest QB hurries of almost any LT. Most Qbs would like a Eugene Monroe protecting their blind side. Eben Britton will try and return at RT. He missed parts of 2010 most of last year, this guy needs to get healthy. if he can then Jacksonville has the recipe for a good set of bookend tackles for the QB to set up shop behind.
Guard/Center: Brad Meester returns at Center. He is a solid run blocker and a decent pass protector but Center is not usually known for allowing a lot of sacks. Poor Will Rackley, a 3rd rounder a year ago returns at LG after being about the lowest rated LG in the entire NFL. He has nowhere to go but up. He allowed 27 QB hurries, 7 hits, and 6 sacks out of the LG spot, horrific. Uche Nwarieri will try and start at RG, very avg numbers across the board, Jax needs some punch on their interior, right now they don't really have it.
Bench: Guy Whimper started 14 games in 2011, Jason Spitz and John Estes are about the rest of the bench for now.
Bottom Line: They rate better at power numbers running than open field or 2nd level yards which I found surprising. They allowed 44 sacks a year ago, I think they can bring that number down.
RB: C
PB: C+/B-
Impact on skill position players: This team is still a mess and you find some similarities in Jax and Miami, both in warm weather, both with pretty new owners, both teams seem to lack leadership from the top. The QB spot as much as anything is what will hinder the receivers for Jax. They have Laurent Robinson, Blackmon who they drafted, Mike Thomas can slide into the WR2/3 role where is better suited.
A little MOP: Don't forget Rashad Jennings. He had a super ypc avg b4 he went down last year. Team likes him enough that they really didn't even go out and draft anyone else to push him for a roster spot. In best ball you would be wise to grab him even if you don't own MJD.
Tennessee (151)
OL: This line is going thru some changes inside which is good. They still have almost the worst starting Center in the league. They could have gotten Samson Satele if they had tried hard enough...that's telling you something when I think Satele is an upgrade at Center. This line as I will show has some strengths in the passing game but needs more pop out of the interior running game.
Tackles: Michael Roos and Dave Stewart have been teammates for a long time now. IMO they have always been solid but not great, very good but not HoF caliber. Still they do make one of the best pairs in the league and Dave Stewart had probably his best year in 2011 allowing only 1 sack and only 8 hurries to the QB all season, that is amazing. Roos also did not give up many sacks but did allow 25 hurries on the QB, which really isn't that much per game from the LT position. The framework is there for a QB to be able to set up and deliver the ball down the field.
Guards/Center: Eugene Amano is the worst Center in the league, yes he is worse than Frank Costa. There are a couple who do rate worse. There has to be backups out there on other teams who could be pried away and start immediately. Chris Johnson owners want to know where the problems start? I can point you right to the center as he loses all the battles inside. There is hope in the form of Steve Hutchinson who comes on board in the twilight of his career. He had a much better 2011 than his 2010 and 2009 campaigns. There will certainly be more talent around him in Tennessee where he is not asked to be the best OL on the team. I have a feeling he is gonna enjoy watching CJ get loose behind his blocks much like ADP took advantage of him in MN. LeRoy Harris will return at RG...they could roll him over to Center but he is a solid RG so why mess with it? His run blocking could be a lot better but he offers up pretty good pass protection.
Bench: Mike Otto and not much else. They really need to bring in some more bodies for camp, look for them to snipe some bottom dwellers off other rosters.
Bottom Line: I like what they have for a young Jake Locker(there I said it) to be able to find time and read thru his progressions hopefully buying enough time for him to unload down the field with what seems to be a very lively arm. This kid has the goods IMHO.
RB: D+/C-...this could go higher but I just cannot get over Amano remaining at Center.
PB: A
Impact on the skill position players: Hopefully Hutch can help pave the way some inside and create a few more holes for Johnson to sprint thru. I also believe this will be value at the WR slots but I need to give that opinion in the next paragraph. Jared Cook should have some more big games this year.
A little MOP: Let others waste picks on Kenny Britt and the rookie. Dynasty is fun but it screws up owners heads in redrafts and they start believing all that fluff they ingested back in March pre-draft suddenly is overriding their brains and has them believing that the future is now. I'm telling you Nate Washington is a steal. Guy was top 15/20 last year, could do the same this year as rookies struggle, Britt will ease his way back into the lineup, Washington stands to have another solid year and is on nobody's radar right now. Damian Williams is entering his 3rd year and is just being chucked aside...he could make some waves too. Stay on top of this even if britt and the rookie start things off. This team will be able to throw the ball one way or the other, all that is good stuff for Johnson as well in the backfield.
Indianapolis
OL: Easily one of the worst in the NFL, likely is the worst entering 2012 mainly due to a lot of questions and unknowns. I will be up front and say I am not a fan of much in Indy this year. I don't think you want to load up on Colts with a plan to make the playoffs. There are many problems but the OL is not particularly good either, in fact it's bad. Mix it all up and you have a team that could easily be picking top 3-5 next season.
Tackles: Anthony Castonzo was not terrible as a rookie. He graded out middle of the pack and you have to expect him to improve as most OL do the longer they start in the NFL. He is the bright spot on an otherwise terrible unit. We think Winston Justice might take the RT spot but he has had a ton of injuries lately, no way to tell what they will even get if he is healthy enough to hold the position down. Always a sign of a potentially bad line are positions where we are not sure who will start come week 1.
Guards/Center: Joe Reitz will return at LG. He rates in the bottom half in terms of run blocking, very mediocre NFL Guard who started for the first time last year but has been in camps since about 2008. Mike McGlynn will try and start at RG. He played in Philly in 2010, started 14 games, was in Cincinnati last year and overall is not a strong addition to this line. Then they lost All Pro Jeff Saturday at Center and did manage to signSamson Satele who I mentioned a little earlier would have been a great signing for Tennessee. Satele does get run over some but he also does a decent job of run blocking. This trio is a very ho hum trio to be running the football behind. The Colts were near the bottom of the league in all power running stats, also bad at creating open field running lanes, that was with an All Pro at Center, now they have downgraded.
Bench: Jeffrey Linkenbach started 12 games last year and was easily one of the worst RT in the NFL. They don't have a lot of depth.
Bottom Line: This line will struggle and they have very little cohesiveness with a new C, RG, RT, and an inexperienced LG. The LT is the bright spot and Castonzo is only entering his 2nd season.
RB: D
PB: D
Impact on the skill position players: I would avoid it all. Good Luck to Andrew but he still is a rookie and the majority of them since forever struggle mightily their 1st season. Manning who he is replacing was not stellar at first either.
A little MOP: It feels like some folks think that Luck is as good or better than Manning and that the Colts will win 6 or 8 games this year and be ready for the playoffs next season. This is going to be a major project to turn them around. I cannot stress it enough to not reach on anyone at the skill positions here for 2012. Buyer Beware!!!
AFC West
San Diego
OL: I have a lot of reservations with this OL. It is probably the biggest detractor when it comes to the San Diego offense. The Chargers did make some bold moves, just not sure I agree with them.
Tackles: Let's start at LT where San Diego went out and found Jared Gaither who at one time in 2008 and 2009 was playing at a Pro bowl level. A severe head injury put him out for all of 2010. In Aug of 2011 he signs with KC, never really plays(So 2 years no football), then he is waived in November, finally he inks a 4 year deal in March with the Chargers. Either AJ Smith is a genius and found gold that other teams couldn't or this is an act of desperation. Perhaps there was a heavy market for Gaither but a 4 year deal after he is out all of 2010 and then cut by KC who needed OL help in 2011...I don't buy into him being rock solid just yet. Then on the other side you have Jeromey Clary who has been steadily regressing the last couple years. Last season he gave up a whopping 42 QBH, 7 QB hits, 7 sacks, 11 penalties for good measure. Rivers is going to get killed if these 2 don't have some massive improvement on the field. Imagine if these two combine for say 60 QBH/15Hits/15-20 sacks...this is what you can probably expect. There is a silver lining here if Clarey can regain form and Gaither returns to 2009 form but I feel that is asking a lot.
Guard/Center: Tyronne Green and Louis Vasquez will start at Guard. The two of them are mediocre at best in run blocking. Pass protection on the interior is not bad but I emphasize that you would rather have quality Tackles for pass protection and maulers inside that run block. Nick Hardwick will return at Center, zero sacks yielded by him in 2011. While Hardwick might not be a beast at run blocking the way Mangold is, he still holds his own and San Diego did rank in the top5 in terms of power yards.
Bench: Brandyn Dombrowski who has seen a lot of time and Mario Henderson are probably their best bench players. Rex Hadnot was signed as well. They have some actual depth which they need because 4 of the 5 projected starters have all been sidelined with injuries over the last 2 years.
Bottom Line: They are in need at what I feel are the two biggest parts of an OL. You need pass protection as much as possible from your Tackles, inside you need the LG/C/RG to be able to run block effectively. I don't feel the Chargers are very good at either right now. They could improve, there is a chance things go better than my present outlook but right now I am not impressed with what I am seeing here.
RB: C-
PB: D
Impact on skill position players: This line does not make me feel super about Ryan Mathews. That said he does rate as one of the better backs in the NFL and should see an expanded role. Norv Turner has always had success from his RB position throughout his NFL coaching career. I think Rivers is going ot have to hurry a lot of throws, might be prone to more interceptions. Folks are pretty hot over Gates, Meachem, and some of the other receivers. I wouldn't reach too hard.
A little MOP: Call it my deep respect for the Wild Wild AFC West but despite what the information shows me I have to believe that Norv Turner and the offense will be pretty cohesive...or do I? This is one team I want to hear more about but so far I am not overly impressed with the direction right now. The QB they let go went and won a Super Bowl, Ryan Mathews will never fill the shoes of LT, VJax to Meachem, just not sure I am feeling it here.
Denver
OL: Some of this is terrible, some of it not as bad as some might think. I do believe Peyton Manning and his presence is going to help a lot.
Tackles: I'll start with Orlando Franklin who played LT a lot at the Univ of Miami and was drafted in the 2nd round of 2011. He was not that bad for a rookie. He had pass protection issues but he also threw some vicious pancake blocks opening holes for the run game along the right side. It's expected that a rookie come in a little below avg in most statistical categories. Franklin is young but dependable and like most NFL OLinemen, he is going to get better. Ryan Clady a 1st round pick in 2008 returns at LT. He is far from elite but certainly has done a decent job. He did allow 32 hurries on the QB, 6 sacks, Manning is going to have to keep eyes in the back of his head but I think he does that anyways. This tandem will have its moments both good and bad.
Guard/Center: Poor Zane Beadles...you gotta love this guy's name. 32 QB hurries from the LG position, holy mother of mothers is that a bad ratio for a starting Guard, just gets pushed into the pocket too much. 6 sacks may not sound like much but it's a lot from the LG spot. I watched Beadles several times last year doing game summaries and I actually liked some of what I saw so I truly believe he will get better. Chris Kuper looks to start at RG, however he suffered a broken right fibula, dislocated ankle(last game of the season) and has had multiple off season surgeries. He might be coming back slow. At Center you find JD Walton, a 3rd round pick in 2010 who was the worst rated starting Center in the NFL. I hope he improves with a different QB but he is a liability in pass protection.
Bench: Chris Clark and Ryan Harris look to provide a little depth but there isn't much here. Phillip Blake, a rookie Center could be called on if Waldon fails.
Bottom Line: Despite a pretty mediocre OL, you probably think Manning will make them all look better. I certainly believe with him in the backfield that defenses will not be able to key in on very much. Peyton has a quick release so he also will make his Tackles rate out much higher than they would otherwise.
RB: D
PB: D+/C-
Impact on the skill position players: McGahee might have looked pedestrian at times last year but Fox trusts the veteran and the line blocking was not all that sharp. he also probably made this unit look just a touch better than it really is. Trust me, McGahee will get the lion share of the snaps and quietly rack up 1200 yds and 6-8 TD in this offense. You gotta like Thomas and Decker at the receiver spots.
A little MOP: 2 players I want to point out. Jacob Tamme is the TE for right now in Denver. He is the starter and worked with manning all summer, gotta believe he will have a career year this year. He is a sleeper at TE and I have a few others as we go along for those that do not or cannot burn an early pick at TE. Another player I would at least mention is WR Andre Caldwell who came over from Cinci and looked pretty good in limited targets there. In a Peyton offense there is always room for a WR3, I like Caldwell and also if there is an injury in front of him, he would step into a very productive spot. I like Caldwell as a nice deep sleeper who will go undrafted in many leagues.
Peyton Manning: I have to believe that John Fox, John Elway, and the rest of the Denver front office and ownership did their due diligence on Manning. A lot of folks are 2nd guessing this but if manning is good to go and I believe he is...then Manning becomes a value play after the 1st 7-8 QBs come off the board, maybe even 10+ before you would have to take him. That's some nice value and because you wait it affords you to nail down a quality QB2 before the rest of the league picks over them.
Kansas City
OL: This unit has undergone some changes, most notable the retirement of Casey Wiegmann and also the free agent acquisition of Eric Winston. I was high on the KC bunch 2 years ago and I am starting to come back to this team in 2012 for a couple reasons and spots which I will get into as we go along.
Tackles: Branden Albert is one of the better pass blocking LT in the NFL. Numbers don't lie and he only allowed 13 QBH, only 5 sacks, 10 penalties called does not help but if he is giving his QB an extra second for the majority of the time he isn't called for offensive holding, mission accomplished. His run blocking could be better but it sure isn't bad. Albert is a quality LT. Over at the RT spot you find Eric Winston who is probably a borderline top 5 at his position so this is going to improve the KC passing attack by leaps and bounds. Even Matt Cassel can look good if you give him time in the pocket.
Guard/Center: Ryan Lilja and Jon Asamoah will start at LG and RG for the Chiefs. Both of them are solid in pass protection but like a lot of these Guards they simply do not grade out all that high especially in the run game. Rodney Hudson, a 2nd round pick from FSU a year ago will try and fill the shoes left behind by Wiegmann at Center. Hudson played well in limited time last season. Wiegmann was not the best run blocker towards the end so Hudson could be viewed as a possible improvement in that area heading into 2012. This unit is going to be better as the arrival of Eric Winston will help as Barry Richardson was a complete disaster at the position in 2011 and it impacts the entire line up through the Center when you have to overcompensate for guys not pulling their weight.
Bench: To push some of the guys inside to get even better is the arrival Jeff Allen from Illinois who was a 2nd round pick and they also selected Donald Stephenson from Oklahoma in the 3rd. They don't provide veteran leadership but the Chiefs needed an infusion of some young athletic guys to round out this line and I think they achieved that thru the draft.
Bottom Line: I am a fan of what they have done. Both the signing of Winston and some younger talent they drafted to learn behind the vets. This is a solid OL and I am expecting some big things from KC in 2012.
RB: C+
PB: B+/A-...Winston is going to help a lot.
Impact on skill position players: I do not see Jamaal Charles being rushed back. I think he will be in the 10-15 touch range for a while. I also expect a very good season from Matt Cassel, take him as a late round pick to be the QB2 behind guys like Brady, Rodgers, Brees, you never have to worry about those guys and Cassel is going around the same time as guys like Brandon Weeden, Matt Hasselbeck, Matt Moore...none of those situations seem real stable, Cassel is perfect at the end of the draft and he will surprise you. Dwayne Bowe should have a solid year with Cassel having time for him to get open deep.
A little MOP: PEYTON HILLIS!!! the guy was on Madden, he was the talk of the fantasy community, he was getting endorsements, then suddenly he is punking out of starting a game, the Browns start playing games with his head, yada yada yada. All I know is KC has a nice OL now, Charles coming off the ACL, Hillis is reunited with his old running backs coach when he was on fire in Cleveland...he is a steal in the 8th round and beyond. You people (I'm now one of them) who are not drafting RBs until the 5th or 6th round now...make sure you have Hillis on your radar. He could make an outstanding pick as say your RB3 if you started late.
Oakland
OL: It is starting to look a lot better. With a full offseason for some of their young guys, this is going to be a solid group moving forward. Carson Palmer won't hurt either and is probably their best QB since Rich Gannon. I like what they are doing here.
Tackles: This is why people talk about rookie OL and how they tend to improve from year 1 to year 2, very critical progression year for a lot of linemen. Jared Veldheer saw a massive improvement as he only allowed 4 sacks from his position all season. This guy is on the road to being a stud, maybe he's there now. We need to see the same in him this season but there is no reason to think he can't keep it up. Now the same cannot be said for Khalif Barnes at RT who is a penalty machine and one of the worst 5 to 10 Tackles in the NFL. The stats prove it with this guy. Barnes is a problem but perhaps Barksdale who was a rookie in 2011 from LSU, perhaps he can push for a starting job. He looked decent in limited snaps last season.
Guard/Center: Not to be outdone by KC in grabbing Houston Texans OLineman, Mike Brisiel comes over and while he was off a bit in 2011, that might have been Oakland's gain as Houston let him go. Brisiel is a solid pass blocker, he will help Barnes double team whatever is coming off the right side. At Center this year it appears Stefen Wisniewski will step in. He allowed ZERO Sacks as a rookie playing Guard mostly. He can handle himself so Palmer should not have to worry about much heat straight up the middle. Wisniewski's run blocking needs some work but I feel a full off season is going to help a lot of these rookies from a year ago. I expect major things from Wiski in 2012. Cooper Carlisle will scoot over to LG and he was not good in 2012. I think he will be better at LG than what he has shown lately.
Bench: Tony Bergstrom is a rookie who could press for playing time at LG. Joseph Barksdale enters his 2nd season in the NFL, would like to see him push Barnes out of the way.
Bottom Line: I like what they are doing here and it looks to get even better with some new faces and an improving LT. No reason to think this group cannot provide running lanes for McFadden and also time for Palmer to set up in the pocket where he can tear a defense apart.
RB: C+
PB: C+/B-...assuming Barnes is bypassed.
Impact on skill position players: I have to believe that Oakland WRs are going to be a nice profit for owners. I am a little confused on the depth charts right now and I'm not sure Palmer has a true favorite yet but Oakland is going to be in some shootouts and they have the horses to put up a lot of points in these games. Probably the safest bet of any will be Palmer as a potential high end QB2. I think owners are going to be thankful they have him at some point in the season.
A little MOP: Be real careful with McFadden. I like Mike Goodson who was buried behind DWill and JStew in Carolina. I don't assume injuries but I have to think they don't burn McFadden up and try to preserve him for the whole season. Someone has to fill that RB2 spot up. This board is pretty Taiwan friendly but I'm not sure he could handle a big workload.
I have a number next to some teams. This is simply to show you the total ages of the starting 5 if they come close to or go over the number 150. John Clayton from ESPN did a little article that showed when the number is over 150, many times bad things happen and the OL tends to break down or fall apart at some point in the season.
You will see I break down the OL into Tackles and then Guards/Center. It is important to understand that in terms of passing, most teams need really good Tackle play in pass blocking with speedy DE/OLBs racing from the outside. Run blocking for Tackles is secondary and those that allow the fewest sacks tend to get the honors at Left Tackle. The Guard/Center write ups should emphasize the running game. A lot of interior linemen are solid pass protectors but the real need inside are guys that can move the pile. I grade the OL in terms of run blocking=RB and pass blocking=PB.
In years past I just wrote up the info on the OL and didn't really connect it to the players. This year I have a special section with "Impact on skill position players" and I also have "A little MOP" which is simply there as a "from the gut" sort of talk so that part is mostly opinion, sleepers, and a few buyer beware warnings.
This is just the AFC, hope to have the NFC rolling out in the next week or so. Interested to hear the locals take on some of these teams. The teams with pretty iffy OL tend to be in flux so it will not surprise me if some of you have some posts that show there will be more competition at certain positions than perhaps I indicate initially. We have not even made it to camps yet so try and keep an open mind as you gather your info.
AFC East
New England(149)
OL: Matt Light retires and certainly the Patriots lose some along the line. They still have a pretty solid unit so let's go around the horn here and look at the projected starters.
Tackles-Nate Solder, a 1st round selection from a year ago will try and fill the void left by Light. He actually looked pretty good as a rookie and will make major strides in his 2nd season. He has told friends he believes he will fill the LT spot, I tend to believe that's the plan. If for some reason he falters then the team will turn to Sebastian Vollmer who will likely anchor the RT spot at the start of the season. Vollmer has shown some flashes but he also has battled injuries. At the end of 2010 Vollmer was really starting to hit his stride. This combo should be solid but at the same time it probably is the weakest part of the OL which is saying something because it's far from bad, just not proven reliability yet like Matt Light was.
Guard/Center: Logan Mankins is the question mark. He tore his ACL or partial tear, whatever it is he might not be ready to start the 2012 season. Brian Waters returns at RG and what a relief that is for the Patriots. Waters was Pro Bowl caliber last year so combined with Mankins and you have one of the best tandems at Guard albeit a couple of older players. Dan Koppen is expected to compete for the Center spot after a bad injury in 2011. He was performing at a pretty high level in 2009 and 2010. Dan Connolly did a solid job starting most of the 2011 campaign.
Bench: Koppen/Connolly-whoever does not start can fill in for Mankins until he is 100%.
Robert Gallery is in the mix as a rotation off the bench. Matt Kopa, Kyle Hix, and Marcus Cannon round out a young inexperienced group of back ups but New England will have at least 2 vets coming off the bench, these guys will have a lot of NFL experience to learn from.
Bottom Line: The Patriots OL is better than some of the stats might indicate. Honestly as much as folks have liked BJGE, when you look at what was blocking in front of him, he probably should have racked a lot more yards running. I believe Ridley is going to make defenses pay for dropping 6 back. As long as Brady can get enough time, he is going to destroy defenses. I didn't want to give them a high score and there are some question marks. But they have addressed some of these concerns and they even have some quality depth for the interior of the line.
RB: A-
PB: B
Impact on skill position players: Brady should be top3 with all this talent around him, maybe #1 overall but the Pats have upgraded on defense too. If they are blowing teams out by 20+ because their defense is back to where it was, you might see the Pats run a bit more in the 2nd half of football games...but then again I have seen them pile it on and have very little mercy for opposing teams. I believe Ridley is going to a very nice bargain on draft day and despite Addai and Vereen, I feel confident Ridley will rise to the top of this group. I wouldn't reach for him but I do like his upside in this offense.
A little MOP: Just my gut feeling and I realize it won't impact where Gronk is drafted however I have to say that he is gunning for some serious uncharted territory. I'm not saying he flops in 2012, just saying you have to go back to Todd Christensen back in Oakland in the early 80s to see this massive production without fail...from '83 thru '86 he posted 92/1250/12, 80/1000/7, 82/987/6, 95/1153/8...for the time period it is an incredible amount of production. It's like when you look back and see Lance Alworth in the 60s, your jaw will drop open when you see what he did for a good stretch of his career. I'm not anti-Gronk but you gotta be reasonable and if he comes off his numbers some. He has 27 TD in 2 seasons over 132 receptions...to put in perspective if he were to stay on that pace he would be the fastest to 100 TD in the history of the NFL. At about the 500 reception mark he would have 100+ TDs. I'm just saying that Gronk has to be a candidate for a drop off.
Big fan of Welker and Lloyd who people are selling short here. Lloyd has made acrobatic catches left and right the last 2-3 years and now he reunites with the coach who made him look so good. A full offseason with a real QB in Brady. Lloyd will have a handful of big time major league games much like Steve Smith did last year in Carolina. I would not blink taking Brady in the 1st round, he is one of the safest selections on the board.
New York Jets
OL: Is the OL simply not that good or do the Jets need a better frontline RB? I'm a bit surprised they did not go out and either sign someone or make a trade.
Tackles: We'll start with D'Brick who had a real slow down in 2011. It's tough to tell whether the lockout had a major impact but Brick was not himself. He allowed 8 sacks off the edge and his run blocking was not as good as in the past. Then there is Wayne Hunter who had 32 QBH, 11 sacks, 11 penalties, he was one of the worst rated starting Right Tackles in the NFL.
Guard/Center: Brandon Moore allowed zero sacks in 2012, and while that's awesome he needs to focus some on the running game. His run blocking is a little below avg and when you pair him with Matt Slauson on the other side you have a couple of Guards on a team that wants to run who don't excel at run blocking as much as they are in pass protection. Nick Mangold as always rates as a top3 at his position. He is an excellent inside run blocker but the fact is this was one of the worst rushing averages of any team.
Bench: Vladimir Ducasse is looking like a bust. Colin Baxter and Stephen Heyer are looking to fill out some of the back up spots. This is not a deep bench but many teams in the NFL have little experience sitting around collecting dust on the bench.
Bottom Line: This unit has 1 elite OL in Mangold and another strong anchor in Ferguson but he needs to bounce back strong. If that happens then this team will have some decent line play. Wayne Hunter is not going to be a ton better IMO so this unit has some weak spots. Moore gets a lot of accolades at RG but honestly he is not a road grader in run blocking. This unit can get some tough yards but they were dead last in open field running so again I have to question the RBs on this team.
RB: C+/B-
PB: C
Impact on skill position players: This line is good enough for the talent around it at the skill position spots to excel. I still think this team will struggle but the way the OL is set they would be wise to develop a solid short passing game. Sure Wayne Hunter does not allow you to drop back and stand there waiting for receivers to run long routes but there is plenty to hold the interior of that OL. Sanchez should be able to step up into the pocket and connect in the 10-20 yard range with guys like Dustin Keller. The RBs though are not holding up their end of the bargain. I'm pretty sour on Greene and McKnight right now. This offense is far from fluid.
A little MOP: I believe Santonio Holmes is a bad fit or at least does not have a QB to exploit his talents. He also has dropped some easy balls. Holmes is a guy you know will be unreliable, better to let him house on another roster in your leagues IMO. I see this offense struggling again. Is Tony Sporano really the OC here? As a Dolphins fan good luck with that.
Buffalo
OL: I was surprised combing thru the stats by what I found. I'm sure Bills fans are not but this offense looks to be getting better and better. They certainly have some questions at the tackle spots but the interior of this line is probably in the top 5 for the NFL right now. They are young too and still growing sort of speak. A lot of folks in your local leagues probably won't know much about the Bills but I think if you research this you are going to draw some of the same conclusions that I am.
Tackles: Chris Hairston was a 4th round rookie and playing LT last year. You have to admire Buffalo's courage to have faith in the players they drafted. Most of the OL has been hand selected by the organization. Now to ensure they get better play out of the LT position they went ahead and drafted Cody Glenn in the 2nd round. They will both compete and I expect both to see playing time. Glenn will take over at LT eventually, just how soon will be the question. Another benefit will be a player on the bench with plenty of snaps under his belt.
Eric Pears will be the RT and he is a good pass blocker. Only 9 QBH last season, only 4 sacks and 4 penalties on the season. His run blocking is not that good but he is there to provide a couple more seconds for Fitzpatrick to find an open guy. I think Buffalo is laying the foundation for some decent pass protection and fans should expect Buffalo to continue to flourish in the passing game. Perhaps even get a step or two better.
Guard/Center: Andy Levitre was a 2nd round pick in 2009. He struggled at first but last season he came on strong and rate as a potential top5 at his LG position. He needs to show consistency but this guy does a lot of good things including screen blocking which is a welcome skill for OLinemen. The other Guard spot will be a battle between Kraig Urbik who was performing very well last season and had to roll over to Center due to an ACL tear week 11 to Eric Wood. Urbik should roll back to RG but Chad Rinehart was performing at a top10 level so suddenly Buffalo has good starters and also good depth. Chad Rinehart of course sounds like Chaz Rienhold(Will Farrell) from the Wedding Crashers which only adds to me being a fan of his.
Bench: Whoever loses the battle at LT and RG will be valuable off the bench so this unit has some actual depth.
Bottom Line: Eric Wood had a pretty serious injury and reports are that he should be ready for camp and start of the season however the Bills can take their time easing him back in because of their depth now. Wood was a 1st round pick in 2009, same year as Levitre. I really like the Bills interior and their ability to run block which has helped Fred Jackson and should pay off for CJ Spiller as well.
RB: A-
PB: C...rookie LTs tend to struggle some.
Impact on skill position players: As I just stated I like the running game here in Buffalo because they can use the passing game to keep teams honest while the interior of their OL opens holes and sets screens up for the backs. There is room for both jackson and Spiller to have their moments. Buffalo does not have a lot of weapons in the passing game outside of Steve Johnson so I can see Spiller racking up a ton of receptions if they decide to use him more like the Saints use Darren Sproles.
A little MOP: I think everyone has forgotten about Donald Jones and he should be fully recovered and ready to roll. Folks are also high on David Nelson who has a lot of size over the other receivers. I would take a late round flyer on Jones who should work well in the slot although sometimes Johnson will line up there. Jones could easily catch 50 balls and for a guy you can grab in the very late rounds, that might be some decent return. I also like Fitzpatrick but feel he is being drafted at about the right spot. He makes a strong QB2 IMO. I like David Nelson a bunch too but a lot of people like him already and there are plenty of other guys with upside I like around his draft spot.
Miami
OL: This unit is coming together slowly but they still have a lot of issues and are now transitioning into a different style of offense and that could negatively impact this unit at least in the short term like 2012.
Tackles: Jake Long was solid but injured his back down the stretch and compared to years past he was not the same. Much like D'Brickashaw Ferguson I have to wonder what the lack of off season preparation had on some of these guys. Long has looked like the premier LT since he entered the league so I am hopeful last year was just an off year and not a sign of things to come. Jonathan Martin was drafted in the 2nd round and despite rumors about Long being on his way out, this was simply done to replace Columbo who was terrible and also Vernon Carey could no longer play RT for the Phins either so they went and filled a need at the RT spot. He will have his struggles but I think he is a solid pick for the OL.
Guard/Center: Richie Incognito will return at LG. He is a solid run blocker, solid pass blocker, just too many penalties but that has been the story of his career pretty much. Artis Hicks was brought in and could start at RG, pretty much a journeyman. John Jerry was drafted in the 3rd round in 2010 but has yet to make his presence felt. Jerry needs to have a good camp because if he can't put Hicks on the bench then he probably is never going to be able to start in Miami. At Center, Mike Pouncey will start his 2nd season. A 1st round pick in 2011, Pouncey did struggle some as a rookie and will need to make strides this year which he should do.
Bench: Miami has some guys with a decent amount of snaps under their belts and they include Nate Garner, Ryan Cook, Lydon Murtha and of course John Jerry who I mentioned earlier.
Bottom Line: Reggie Bush had no problems running behind this line but Daniel Thomas clearly did. The Phins are not a good power running team, in fact they ranked dead last in 2011 which is primarily focused on 3rd and 4th down runs 2 yards or less..Miami was successful about 40% of the time which is not good.
RB: D
PB: C-
Impact on skill position players: The line is not really set up for a downhill runner like Daniel Thomas. Bush is expected to be lining up wide and out in more pass patterns this season, Thomas more carrying the load on 1st and 2nd down. I'm not a fan of Thomas right now and I think that's why they moved up to get Lamar Miller who is much better suited for the offense Philbin wants to run. At WR I would say the QB will have so so time setting up with a rookie at RT despite an All Pro at LT.
A little MOP: I would not overspend on any of the WRs. Bess is the most consistent but you won't ever see him have a huge game, just a few solid ones and a lot of 8-10 point weeks. Ocho, this is all for the cameras at this point, I would not spend much on him either. Miami will be hard pressed to win 4-5 games this year, don't be naive and think this is a good place to find some gold. If Lamar Miller gets healthy I would expect him to see a lot more action the 2nd half of the season. Someone you want to keep your eyes on for later on in the season.
AFC North
Pittsburgh
OL: The Steelers are a team I have razzed for years that if they would only work on their OL they would be Super Bowl contenders every year. Well they certainly have taken some major steps towards doing so and beyond that, all these scrubs now have a ton of game snaps under their belts. While they may not have been starting material they sure add a ton of depth to this team and unit.
Tackle: Mike Adams was drafted out of Ohio State and he will anchor the LT spot while taking his licks as a rookie. He'll learn fast and he better because he has to protect Roethlisberger's blind side. He is a solid prospect and will struggle some but he also is going to win his fair share too. The RT spot will be Marcus Gilbert who was a 2nd round rookie in 2011 and performed very well. Only 11 hurries on the QB from his spot. He also can throw it down on run blocking too. I like Gilbert a lot and he has the potential to be a top5/top10 at his position if he continues to work hard.
Guard/Center: Last year they had some pretty bad interior play but that looks to change quickly. Willie Colon was trying to play LT but has finally agreed that what is best for the team and his continued career is an opp to kick it inside to LG and that is the position he will likely settle into. I think it's a good idea and Colon will be able to get his hands on more defenders from the Guard spot. The other position at RG will be filled by...let's just say this guy has ALL PRO written all over him and his name is David DeCastro from Stanford University. You can look up his vitals and also some tape and witness the kind of pancake blocks this guy can do and also his ability to move around the field and create huge holes for the backs. He is a major major upgrade for the interior of this OL. The Center spot is of course Maurkice Pouncey, he was not all that good last year. He is entering year 3 and he needs to really up his game or else he is just going to be average. Hopefully DeCastro on his right and Colon to his immediate left will help improve his game as well. In fact I would probably bank on it.
Bench: Jonathan Scott, Trai Essex(hair product), Ramon Foster(could start at LG-900+ snaps last year), and Doug Lagursky round out a pretty veteran bench that can come right in and sub for whoever needs a breather here and there.
Bottom Line: This is a unit that needs time to gel but the foundation is in place for a big year and future years as well. They gave up 42 sacks a year ago and while they were not a good power running team either ranking in the bottom 25% of the league but I think that will change quickly.
RB: B...major improvement in the run game this year.
PB: C
Impact on the skill position players: It has to mean good things for Big Ben and the passing game. Look for Wallace and Brown to flourish as Ben should have time to set up and throw. The running game though should be a lot better once Mendenhall returns. The unit may take some time to come together but by the 2nd half of the season the Steelers should be running the ball well.
A little MOP: I am not big fan of Redman so I would try to get Mendenhall at a good price point. I don't see anyway he doesn't start once he is cleared and ready to go. I also think Emmanuel Sanders is worth grabbing late. People are in love with Antonio Brown and I understand why but Sanders should see a larger role with Hines Ward gone. I'm not telling you he can pass Brown on the depth charts but what if Brown takes a step or two back this year? Just a guy to keep on your radar in the later rounds.
Baltimore (155)
OL: This unit has some real issues at the end spots. Interior is pretty good and they will continue to run it up the middle but can owners expect Flacco and the passing game to improve any time soon?
Tackles: Bryant McKinnie and Michael Oher do not provide good pass protection for Flacco. In fact they combined to yield a whopping 57 hurries on the Quarterback, 15 separate QB hits, and another 14 sacks plus 17 more penalties thrown in for good measure. Maybe Flacco holds the ball too much...perhaps that is part of the problem but it doesn't explain everything. And when you look at the OL as a whole they are below the NFL avg for sacks over the season with 33 vs 37. Flacco had some really nice long balls to Torrey Smith but he needs more consistent line play to connect on deep balls so teams respect the pass more.
Guard/Center: Marshall Yanda is in the conversation for best Guard in the league. His run blocking and pass blocking are both excellent. The Ravens run it up the middle about 55% of the time, that is above the 50% avg of the NFL. Look for them to continue to pound it behind Yanda and also Matt Birk who is getting long in the tooth. You add inBobbie Williams at LG who was playing in Cincinnati last year but he is also 35 years old. This OL is actually pretty old in a few spots.
Bench: Kelechi Osemele(2nd round rookie) and Gino Gradkowsji(4th round rookie) make up a good chunk of the bench with Jah Reid(3rd round 2011) and Tony Wragge who started some in St Louis before landing with Baltimore. Not a lot of depth here outside of Wragge.
RB: B
PB: D+/C-...where they need it most at the Tackle position...they ain't got it.
Bottom Line: I feel Ray Rice makes them look a little better at running the ball although that "A" gap to the right between Birk and Yanda is one devastating creese to run between. They need help at the Tackle spot and that won't happen until 2013.
Impact on the skill position players: I think it impacts the passing game. I also want to point out that Baltimore has a very very tough schedule down the stretch including the playoffs with the Steelers twice, road game @SD and hosting Peyton Manning and the Broncos. I don't see Flacco being in the top half of QBs this season, in fact this has to be one of the more vertically challenged football teams despite the success of Torrey Smith last year. Anquan Boldin just seems to disappear. I am a little more optimistic about the development of Pitta and Dickson. I could see both of them becoming more vital parts of the offense in the short passing game.
A little MOP: There was an article done by John Clayton over at ESPN that highlighted when OLines have a combined age of 150+ that things start to go wrong, many times teams hang on to guys too long and they suddenly break down. The Ravens have that right now with an aging OL outside of Yanda...Birk(35), Williams(35), McKinnie(32) and while Oher is still only 26, his game has taken some big step back the last couple seasons after a promising start and even a major movie made about him. I'm not saying Baltimore is destined to fail but they are loaded with a lot of veteran players, many of them well past their prime or in the twilight of their career. Buyer beware.
Cincinnati
OL: They are getting a lot of love in most publications. I wanted to really like this group and they do have some upside but I don't believe this is a top 5 OL right now.
Tackles: From a pass protection standpoint this is one of the best tandems in the league. Partly because Dalton has a quick release but the fact is they only allowed 30 QB hurries combined and 6 sacks. Dalton enjoyed plenty of time in the pocket as a rookie which allowed for big plays down the field to AJ Green. Andrew Whitworth is excellent is pass protection, is a top10 at his position but has never received a Pro Bowl invite...his downside is run blocking which is well below avg. And Cinci likes to run behind him to the left side with about 1 out of every 4 carries going his way. The other side is anchored by Andre Smith the former 1st round pick who looked pretty shaky when he first entered the league but has settled into a solid producer even if he never lives up to his draft slot. He is a better run blocker than Whitworth and also very solid in pass protection, only yielding 3 sacks last season.
Guard/Center: 2 out of 3 are new to the team including rookie pick Kevin Zeitler out of Wisconsin and Travelle Wharton who was brought over from Carolina and graded out middle of the road before signing with Cinci. Ryan Cook is the Center, pretty solid but nothing special. This unit is going to be tested to find yards in the running game. I don't believe the Bengals are going to be able to run the ball with a lot of success right now. In fact I think when you look at the OL and the strengths and weaknesses, you are going to conclude it best to load up in the passing game but maybe look elsewhere for running help.
Bench: Anthony Collins(Solid), Clint Boling, and Dennis Roland will all be working off the bench. There is some depth here and I would not be surprised if more than one sees some significant time inside if things don't pan out exactly as planned.
Bottom Line: The pass protection is there, the run blocking I'm not so sure on, in fact I would rate it below avg.
RB: D
PB: A-
Impact on the skill position players: We know AJ Green will be a nice selection this year, pay attention to whoever is going to win the WR2 spot and also the progress of Jordan Shipley who I expect to be back and ready to nail down that slot position. I think it has a very negative impact on BJGE who I would not be eager to draft, not sure Bernard Scott is the answer there either. Search down the roster a little further and find a deep sleeper.
A little MOP: Don't be afraid to have Dalton as your QB2 especially if you wait and are one of the last owners to take your 1st QB. Also a big fan of the TE Gresham who because they don't have a real solution yet across from Green may be able to open up the middle of the field. Gresham has the potential to be top10 and can be had after many TEs are off the board.
Cleveland
OL: As you might expect this unit has a lot of question marks and issues. A lot of folks are expecting that a couple guys who were rookies last year will progress this year. Overall this unit outside of Joe Thomas and Alex Mack is pretty weak.
Tackles: Joe Thomas was a top5 pick and I don't see how it has really helped. Yes he is one of the best in the NFL and has been tremendous but he also has steadily gone down a little the last 3-4 years and I don't see a ton of pancake blocks on ESPN highlights. I don't think the team around him is much good either so that has not helped. You wonder what they could land in a trade for him but I don't want to get the entire Cleveland fan base up in arms. Mitchell Schwartz from Cal will start at Right Tackle. He certainly is going to be destroyed for a while out there but he should manage to get his footing. Luckily whoever is starting at QB will have Thomas protecting their blind side and the rookie will be on the side they can see coming.
Guard/Center: Shawn Lauvao and Jason Pinkston return as one of the worst interior duo at Guard in the league. 6 sacks for a RG to allow is a lot, another 24 QB hurries from Pinkston at the LG spot. Lauvao also contributing 11 called penalties, not good at all. They were 3rd and 5th round picks in 2011 and 2010 so you can't really say they were expected to do a lot when they arrived but this seems to be the plan to this point. Pinkston especially is atrocious in run blocking which is not good for a starting Guard. Alex Mack comes back at Center, he is about a top 10-12 player at Center, solid but not on the same level as say Nick Mangold.
Bench: Nothing worth discussing at this point honestly.
Bottom Line: Lot of questions and issues here right now. Will be interesting to see with better skill position players what the impact will have on the OL.
RB: D
PB: D+
Impact on skill position players: It can't be good for Trent Richardson but I still believe he will have a positive impact on the OL. I also hope they try and get him outside and not just run him up the middle. They were dead last in 2nd level yards and almost dead last in open field running. Look for that to change with Richardson on board and some new pieces perhaps even at QB. I'm not sold Weeden is the answer but his window of opp is not very long so he has to start almost immediately.
A little MOP: All you heard last year was Greg Little, this year he should have some value for where you can draft him. I think he can make some big strides in 2012 with a full off season of coaching. He is a nice sleeper at WR. A lot was made of the supplemental pick from Baylor, Josh Gordon...check back in 2013/2014. Also Ben Watson gets no love and he could easily snag 50-60 balls as a prime check down for Weeden. No one wants him, take him late as your TE2 behind a frontline TE from the 1st 3-4 rounds you took early.
AFC South
Houston
OL: I was definitely hyping the OL in Houston last season and on the whole they were very good but a lot has happened and owners need to wake up before they get hit with the "I never saw this coming."
Tackles: Eric Winston was not an All Pro but he has been one of the most consistent right tackles over the last 3-4 years. He certainly was top10 at RT, possibly top5. "Hall of the Very Good" Rashad Butler takes over at RT. He played 250 snaps in 2010, had 14 QB hurries which over the course of an entire season would be a whopping "56". It's safe to say that Butler is a major downgrade from Winston. The left side has possibly the best LT in the game in Duane Brown. ZERO SACKS ALLOWED in 2011. He is anEXCELLENT pass blocker and that is what you really need at the left tackle position. Why he wasn't selected to the Pro Bowl last year is a mystery to me. They also sport one of the highest scoring RBs in the game.
Guard/Center: RG Mike Brisiel left for Oakland. Basically the Texans let go of their entire right side of the line. Brisiel followed up a solid 2009/2010 with a very underwhelming 2011. I have a feeling the Raiders got a gift with this guy coming over. We'll get to the Raiders a little later. Antoine Caldwell steps in at RG,he played in 194 snaps a year ago so he has some game action under his belt. This again is a step down from what they had. Wade Smith had a very bad 2011 campaign at LG compared to what he did in 2010. Smith likely peaked in 2010 and will hopefully rebound but prior to Houston he bounced around a bit, played solid in KC but he is not the top5 LG many thought from 2010. Chris Myers holds down the fort at Center. He is an excellent run blocker and also a very good pass blocker, one of the unsung heros on the OL. Myers last season ranked even higher than Nick Mangold in terms of pure run blocking.
Bench: Brandon Brooks(3rd round) and Ben Jones(4th round) were drafted to help provide some depth although they have no experience so this is not really a good thing. Andrew Gardner is on his 5th team in 3-4 years.
Bottom Line: There is still some nice pieces but replacing the right side of the line does not seem to be much of a concern for Houston and it should have been. They lost some big pieces on the line, this is not going to be good for them. Houston is prime to pick up a salary cut vet along the way in camp as well.
RB: B-
PB: C+
Impact on the skill position players: I love Foster but I think he is going to slide a bit this season. Ben Tate is pushing for time too, if you can pick a different back if you are lucky to have a high enough selection, I might try a different top tier guy. Foster is still top10 material but #1 overall might be a leap of faith. Schaub is going to feel the heat a lot more this season on the right side of the line. I don't have Schaub in my top 10 QBs...top 20 maybe.
A little MOP: Houston is going to regret not doing more for their line. Do they need to be sent game tapes of what they looked like back in the day when they first started out? Also their blatant disregard to develop a quality No 2 behind Andre Johnson also is going to hurt them. It's a shame with Manning gone the moment is prime for another team to be the top dog but Houston seems content to take steps back and duke it out with Tennessee for the division. I don't see them repeating even with Schaub back.
Jacksonville
OL: This unit has a chance to lift itself up from mediocrity. It has a chance to offer solid pass protecting for whoever is running the show out there. This unit has some overlooked parts and I was really curious about the impact of MJD and does he prosper more from the OL or do they prosper more because he is back there.
Tackles: Eugene Monroe is in the discussion for top5 at LT. He can run block, pass block, per snap he has the lowest QB hurries of almost any LT. Most Qbs would like a Eugene Monroe protecting their blind side. Eben Britton will try and return at RT. He missed parts of 2010 most of last year, this guy needs to get healthy. if he can then Jacksonville has the recipe for a good set of bookend tackles for the QB to set up shop behind.
Guard/Center: Brad Meester returns at Center. He is a solid run blocker and a decent pass protector but Center is not usually known for allowing a lot of sacks. Poor Will Rackley, a 3rd rounder a year ago returns at LG after being about the lowest rated LG in the entire NFL. He has nowhere to go but up. He allowed 27 QB hurries, 7 hits, and 6 sacks out of the LG spot, horrific. Uche Nwarieri will try and start at RG, very avg numbers across the board, Jax needs some punch on their interior, right now they don't really have it.
Bench: Guy Whimper started 14 games in 2011, Jason Spitz and John Estes are about the rest of the bench for now.
Bottom Line: They rate better at power numbers running than open field or 2nd level yards which I found surprising. They allowed 44 sacks a year ago, I think they can bring that number down.
RB: C
PB: C+/B-
Impact on skill position players: This team is still a mess and you find some similarities in Jax and Miami, both in warm weather, both with pretty new owners, both teams seem to lack leadership from the top. The QB spot as much as anything is what will hinder the receivers for Jax. They have Laurent Robinson, Blackmon who they drafted, Mike Thomas can slide into the WR2/3 role where is better suited.
A little MOP: Don't forget Rashad Jennings. He had a super ypc avg b4 he went down last year. Team likes him enough that they really didn't even go out and draft anyone else to push him for a roster spot. In best ball you would be wise to grab him even if you don't own MJD.
Tennessee (151)
OL: This line is going thru some changes inside which is good. They still have almost the worst starting Center in the league. They could have gotten Samson Satele if they had tried hard enough...that's telling you something when I think Satele is an upgrade at Center. This line as I will show has some strengths in the passing game but needs more pop out of the interior running game.
Tackles: Michael Roos and Dave Stewart have been teammates for a long time now. IMO they have always been solid but not great, very good but not HoF caliber. Still they do make one of the best pairs in the league and Dave Stewart had probably his best year in 2011 allowing only 1 sack and only 8 hurries to the QB all season, that is amazing. Roos also did not give up many sacks but did allow 25 hurries on the QB, which really isn't that much per game from the LT position. The framework is there for a QB to be able to set up and deliver the ball down the field.
Guards/Center: Eugene Amano is the worst Center in the league, yes he is worse than Frank Costa. There are a couple who do rate worse. There has to be backups out there on other teams who could be pried away and start immediately. Chris Johnson owners want to know where the problems start? I can point you right to the center as he loses all the battles inside. There is hope in the form of Steve Hutchinson who comes on board in the twilight of his career. He had a much better 2011 than his 2010 and 2009 campaigns. There will certainly be more talent around him in Tennessee where he is not asked to be the best OL on the team. I have a feeling he is gonna enjoy watching CJ get loose behind his blocks much like ADP took advantage of him in MN. LeRoy Harris will return at RG...they could roll him over to Center but he is a solid RG so why mess with it? His run blocking could be a lot better but he offers up pretty good pass protection.
Bench: Mike Otto and not much else. They really need to bring in some more bodies for camp, look for them to snipe some bottom dwellers off other rosters.
Bottom Line: I like what they have for a young Jake Locker(there I said it) to be able to find time and read thru his progressions hopefully buying enough time for him to unload down the field with what seems to be a very lively arm. This kid has the goods IMHO.
RB: D+/C-...this could go higher but I just cannot get over Amano remaining at Center.
PB: A
Impact on the skill position players: Hopefully Hutch can help pave the way some inside and create a few more holes for Johnson to sprint thru. I also believe this will be value at the WR slots but I need to give that opinion in the next paragraph. Jared Cook should have some more big games this year.
A little MOP: Let others waste picks on Kenny Britt and the rookie. Dynasty is fun but it screws up owners heads in redrafts and they start believing all that fluff they ingested back in March pre-draft suddenly is overriding their brains and has them believing that the future is now. I'm telling you Nate Washington is a steal. Guy was top 15/20 last year, could do the same this year as rookies struggle, Britt will ease his way back into the lineup, Washington stands to have another solid year and is on nobody's radar right now. Damian Williams is entering his 3rd year and is just being chucked aside...he could make some waves too. Stay on top of this even if britt and the rookie start things off. This team will be able to throw the ball one way or the other, all that is good stuff for Johnson as well in the backfield.
Indianapolis
OL: Easily one of the worst in the NFL, likely is the worst entering 2012 mainly due to a lot of questions and unknowns. I will be up front and say I am not a fan of much in Indy this year. I don't think you want to load up on Colts with a plan to make the playoffs. There are many problems but the OL is not particularly good either, in fact it's bad. Mix it all up and you have a team that could easily be picking top 3-5 next season.
Tackles: Anthony Castonzo was not terrible as a rookie. He graded out middle of the pack and you have to expect him to improve as most OL do the longer they start in the NFL. He is the bright spot on an otherwise terrible unit. We think Winston Justice might take the RT spot but he has had a ton of injuries lately, no way to tell what they will even get if he is healthy enough to hold the position down. Always a sign of a potentially bad line are positions where we are not sure who will start come week 1.
Guards/Center: Joe Reitz will return at LG. He rates in the bottom half in terms of run blocking, very mediocre NFL Guard who started for the first time last year but has been in camps since about 2008. Mike McGlynn will try and start at RG. He played in Philly in 2010, started 14 games, was in Cincinnati last year and overall is not a strong addition to this line. Then they lost All Pro Jeff Saturday at Center and did manage to signSamson Satele who I mentioned a little earlier would have been a great signing for Tennessee. Satele does get run over some but he also does a decent job of run blocking. This trio is a very ho hum trio to be running the football behind. The Colts were near the bottom of the league in all power running stats, also bad at creating open field running lanes, that was with an All Pro at Center, now they have downgraded.
Bench: Jeffrey Linkenbach started 12 games last year and was easily one of the worst RT in the NFL. They don't have a lot of depth.
Bottom Line: This line will struggle and they have very little cohesiveness with a new C, RG, RT, and an inexperienced LG. The LT is the bright spot and Castonzo is only entering his 2nd season.
RB: D
PB: D
Impact on the skill position players: I would avoid it all. Good Luck to Andrew but he still is a rookie and the majority of them since forever struggle mightily their 1st season. Manning who he is replacing was not stellar at first either.
A little MOP: It feels like some folks think that Luck is as good or better than Manning and that the Colts will win 6 or 8 games this year and be ready for the playoffs next season. This is going to be a major project to turn them around. I cannot stress it enough to not reach on anyone at the skill positions here for 2012. Buyer Beware!!!
AFC West
San Diego
OL: I have a lot of reservations with this OL. It is probably the biggest detractor when it comes to the San Diego offense. The Chargers did make some bold moves, just not sure I agree with them.
Tackles: Let's start at LT where San Diego went out and found Jared Gaither who at one time in 2008 and 2009 was playing at a Pro bowl level. A severe head injury put him out for all of 2010. In Aug of 2011 he signs with KC, never really plays(So 2 years no football), then he is waived in November, finally he inks a 4 year deal in March with the Chargers. Either AJ Smith is a genius and found gold that other teams couldn't or this is an act of desperation. Perhaps there was a heavy market for Gaither but a 4 year deal after he is out all of 2010 and then cut by KC who needed OL help in 2011...I don't buy into him being rock solid just yet. Then on the other side you have Jeromey Clary who has been steadily regressing the last couple years. Last season he gave up a whopping 42 QBH, 7 QB hits, 7 sacks, 11 penalties for good measure. Rivers is going to get killed if these 2 don't have some massive improvement on the field. Imagine if these two combine for say 60 QBH/15Hits/15-20 sacks...this is what you can probably expect. There is a silver lining here if Clarey can regain form and Gaither returns to 2009 form but I feel that is asking a lot.
Guard/Center: Tyronne Green and Louis Vasquez will start at Guard. The two of them are mediocre at best in run blocking. Pass protection on the interior is not bad but I emphasize that you would rather have quality Tackles for pass protection and maulers inside that run block. Nick Hardwick will return at Center, zero sacks yielded by him in 2011. While Hardwick might not be a beast at run blocking the way Mangold is, he still holds his own and San Diego did rank in the top5 in terms of power yards.
Bench: Brandyn Dombrowski who has seen a lot of time and Mario Henderson are probably their best bench players. Rex Hadnot was signed as well. They have some actual depth which they need because 4 of the 5 projected starters have all been sidelined with injuries over the last 2 years.
Bottom Line: They are in need at what I feel are the two biggest parts of an OL. You need pass protection as much as possible from your Tackles, inside you need the LG/C/RG to be able to run block effectively. I don't feel the Chargers are very good at either right now. They could improve, there is a chance things go better than my present outlook but right now I am not impressed with what I am seeing here.
RB: C-
PB: D
Impact on skill position players: This line does not make me feel super about Ryan Mathews. That said he does rate as one of the better backs in the NFL and should see an expanded role. Norv Turner has always had success from his RB position throughout his NFL coaching career. I think Rivers is going ot have to hurry a lot of throws, might be prone to more interceptions. Folks are pretty hot over Gates, Meachem, and some of the other receivers. I wouldn't reach too hard.
A little MOP: Call it my deep respect for the Wild Wild AFC West but despite what the information shows me I have to believe that Norv Turner and the offense will be pretty cohesive...or do I? This is one team I want to hear more about but so far I am not overly impressed with the direction right now. The QB they let go went and won a Super Bowl, Ryan Mathews will never fill the shoes of LT, VJax to Meachem, just not sure I am feeling it here.
Denver
OL: Some of this is terrible, some of it not as bad as some might think. I do believe Peyton Manning and his presence is going to help a lot.
Tackles: I'll start with Orlando Franklin who played LT a lot at the Univ of Miami and was drafted in the 2nd round of 2011. He was not that bad for a rookie. He had pass protection issues but he also threw some vicious pancake blocks opening holes for the run game along the right side. It's expected that a rookie come in a little below avg in most statistical categories. Franklin is young but dependable and like most NFL OLinemen, he is going to get better. Ryan Clady a 1st round pick in 2008 returns at LT. He is far from elite but certainly has done a decent job. He did allow 32 hurries on the QB, 6 sacks, Manning is going to have to keep eyes in the back of his head but I think he does that anyways. This tandem will have its moments both good and bad.
Guard/Center: Poor Zane Beadles...you gotta love this guy's name. 32 QB hurries from the LG position, holy mother of mothers is that a bad ratio for a starting Guard, just gets pushed into the pocket too much. 6 sacks may not sound like much but it's a lot from the LG spot. I watched Beadles several times last year doing game summaries and I actually liked some of what I saw so I truly believe he will get better. Chris Kuper looks to start at RG, however he suffered a broken right fibula, dislocated ankle(last game of the season) and has had multiple off season surgeries. He might be coming back slow. At Center you find JD Walton, a 3rd round pick in 2010 who was the worst rated starting Center in the NFL. I hope he improves with a different QB but he is a liability in pass protection.
Bench: Chris Clark and Ryan Harris look to provide a little depth but there isn't much here. Phillip Blake, a rookie Center could be called on if Waldon fails.
Bottom Line: Despite a pretty mediocre OL, you probably think Manning will make them all look better. I certainly believe with him in the backfield that defenses will not be able to key in on very much. Peyton has a quick release so he also will make his Tackles rate out much higher than they would otherwise.
RB: D
PB: D+/C-
Impact on the skill position players: McGahee might have looked pedestrian at times last year but Fox trusts the veteran and the line blocking was not all that sharp. he also probably made this unit look just a touch better than it really is. Trust me, McGahee will get the lion share of the snaps and quietly rack up 1200 yds and 6-8 TD in this offense. You gotta like Thomas and Decker at the receiver spots.
A little MOP: 2 players I want to point out. Jacob Tamme is the TE for right now in Denver. He is the starter and worked with manning all summer, gotta believe he will have a career year this year. He is a sleeper at TE and I have a few others as we go along for those that do not or cannot burn an early pick at TE. Another player I would at least mention is WR Andre Caldwell who came over from Cinci and looked pretty good in limited targets there. In a Peyton offense there is always room for a WR3, I like Caldwell and also if there is an injury in front of him, he would step into a very productive spot. I like Caldwell as a nice deep sleeper who will go undrafted in many leagues.
Peyton Manning: I have to believe that John Fox, John Elway, and the rest of the Denver front office and ownership did their due diligence on Manning. A lot of folks are 2nd guessing this but if manning is good to go and I believe he is...then Manning becomes a value play after the 1st 7-8 QBs come off the board, maybe even 10+ before you would have to take him. That's some nice value and because you wait it affords you to nail down a quality QB2 before the rest of the league picks over them.
Kansas City
OL: This unit has undergone some changes, most notable the retirement of Casey Wiegmann and also the free agent acquisition of Eric Winston. I was high on the KC bunch 2 years ago and I am starting to come back to this team in 2012 for a couple reasons and spots which I will get into as we go along.
Tackles: Branden Albert is one of the better pass blocking LT in the NFL. Numbers don't lie and he only allowed 13 QBH, only 5 sacks, 10 penalties called does not help but if he is giving his QB an extra second for the majority of the time he isn't called for offensive holding, mission accomplished. His run blocking could be better but it sure isn't bad. Albert is a quality LT. Over at the RT spot you find Eric Winston who is probably a borderline top 5 at his position so this is going to improve the KC passing attack by leaps and bounds. Even Matt Cassel can look good if you give him time in the pocket.
Guard/Center: Ryan Lilja and Jon Asamoah will start at LG and RG for the Chiefs. Both of them are solid in pass protection but like a lot of these Guards they simply do not grade out all that high especially in the run game. Rodney Hudson, a 2nd round pick from FSU a year ago will try and fill the shoes left behind by Wiegmann at Center. Hudson played well in limited time last season. Wiegmann was not the best run blocker towards the end so Hudson could be viewed as a possible improvement in that area heading into 2012. This unit is going to be better as the arrival of Eric Winston will help as Barry Richardson was a complete disaster at the position in 2011 and it impacts the entire line up through the Center when you have to overcompensate for guys not pulling their weight.
Bench: To push some of the guys inside to get even better is the arrival Jeff Allen from Illinois who was a 2nd round pick and they also selected Donald Stephenson from Oklahoma in the 3rd. They don't provide veteran leadership but the Chiefs needed an infusion of some young athletic guys to round out this line and I think they achieved that thru the draft.
Bottom Line: I am a fan of what they have done. Both the signing of Winston and some younger talent they drafted to learn behind the vets. This is a solid OL and I am expecting some big things from KC in 2012.
RB: C+
PB: B+/A-...Winston is going to help a lot.
Impact on skill position players: I do not see Jamaal Charles being rushed back. I think he will be in the 10-15 touch range for a while. I also expect a very good season from Matt Cassel, take him as a late round pick to be the QB2 behind guys like Brady, Rodgers, Brees, you never have to worry about those guys and Cassel is going around the same time as guys like Brandon Weeden, Matt Hasselbeck, Matt Moore...none of those situations seem real stable, Cassel is perfect at the end of the draft and he will surprise you. Dwayne Bowe should have a solid year with Cassel having time for him to get open deep.
A little MOP: PEYTON HILLIS!!! the guy was on Madden, he was the talk of the fantasy community, he was getting endorsements, then suddenly he is punking out of starting a game, the Browns start playing games with his head, yada yada yada. All I know is KC has a nice OL now, Charles coming off the ACL, Hillis is reunited with his old running backs coach when he was on fire in Cleveland...he is a steal in the 8th round and beyond. You people (I'm now one of them) who are not drafting RBs until the 5th or 6th round now...make sure you have Hillis on your radar. He could make an outstanding pick as say your RB3 if you started late.
Oakland
OL: It is starting to look a lot better. With a full offseason for some of their young guys, this is going to be a solid group moving forward. Carson Palmer won't hurt either and is probably their best QB since Rich Gannon. I like what they are doing here.
Tackles: This is why people talk about rookie OL and how they tend to improve from year 1 to year 2, very critical progression year for a lot of linemen. Jared Veldheer saw a massive improvement as he only allowed 4 sacks from his position all season. This guy is on the road to being a stud, maybe he's there now. We need to see the same in him this season but there is no reason to think he can't keep it up. Now the same cannot be said for Khalif Barnes at RT who is a penalty machine and one of the worst 5 to 10 Tackles in the NFL. The stats prove it with this guy. Barnes is a problem but perhaps Barksdale who was a rookie in 2011 from LSU, perhaps he can push for a starting job. He looked decent in limited snaps last season.
Guard/Center: Not to be outdone by KC in grabbing Houston Texans OLineman, Mike Brisiel comes over and while he was off a bit in 2011, that might have been Oakland's gain as Houston let him go. Brisiel is a solid pass blocker, he will help Barnes double team whatever is coming off the right side. At Center this year it appears Stefen Wisniewski will step in. He allowed ZERO Sacks as a rookie playing Guard mostly. He can handle himself so Palmer should not have to worry about much heat straight up the middle. Wisniewski's run blocking needs some work but I feel a full off season is going to help a lot of these rookies from a year ago. I expect major things from Wiski in 2012. Cooper Carlisle will scoot over to LG and he was not good in 2012. I think he will be better at LG than what he has shown lately.
Bench: Tony Bergstrom is a rookie who could press for playing time at LG. Joseph Barksdale enters his 2nd season in the NFL, would like to see him push Barnes out of the way.
Bottom Line: I like what they are doing here and it looks to get even better with some new faces and an improving LT. No reason to think this group cannot provide running lanes for McFadden and also time for Palmer to set up in the pocket where he can tear a defense apart.
RB: C+
PB: C+/B-...assuming Barnes is bypassed.
Impact on skill position players: I have to believe that Oakland WRs are going to be a nice profit for owners. I am a little confused on the depth charts right now and I'm not sure Palmer has a true favorite yet but Oakland is going to be in some shootouts and they have the horses to put up a lot of points in these games. Probably the safest bet of any will be Palmer as a potential high end QB2. I think owners are going to be thankful they have him at some point in the season.
A little MOP: Be real careful with McFadden. I like Mike Goodson who was buried behind DWill and JStew in Carolina. I don't assume injuries but I have to think they don't burn McFadden up and try to preserve him for the whole season. Someone has to fill that RB2 spot up. This board is pretty Taiwan friendly but I'm not sure he could handle a big workload.
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