The Value of Offensive Lineman
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After a discussion Friday night involving Reggie Bush, someone stated that he was unquestionably the top prospect in the 2006 draft. Immediately, I objected as LT D'Brickishaw Ferguson holds that distinction in my opinion. Soon after that proclaimation, the response came that no offensive lineman is really that valuable. Not an uncommon thought, as I vividly remember a certain New Yorker's disgust to when the Jets drafted Ferguson ahead of Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler. He stated that you should never draft a lineman with a top-five pick. Adding to the irony of this situation is that the Jets drafted another lineman, C/G Nick Mangold with their other first round pick. However, I believe that the Jets now have a strong offensive foundation for the next few years, and would not be shocked if both guys end up in Canton, especially Ferguson. For an example of what a strong offensive line can do, just look at season's NFC Champions, the Seattle Seahawks. With Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson anchoring the left side of their line, Shaun Alexander has become a dominant running back. Matt Hasselbeck emerged as a top-tier quarterback even with receivers who couldn't catch a cold. The Denver Broncos continually contend in the AFC because of their offensive line, in spite of the fact they have had Jake Plummer and Brian Griese under center and a rotating door of running backs that George Steinbrenner envies. Hell, when Reuben Droughns and Mike Anderson on a surgically repaired knee can rush for 1,200 yards, you see what a strong offensive line can do for a team. Even a single stud lineman can turn the tide, with Orlando Pace being a main cog of the Greatest Show on Turf all these years despite never having a consistent line next to him. On the other end of the spectrum, the Detroit Lions have continually struggled to score points despite a heavy emphasis on skill positions the last few drafts. While many people blame Joey Harrington and their WR's work ethic, a major root of the problem has been an awful offensive line. With only Jeff Backus as a legitimate anchor, they have watched their skill position guys consistently underachieve despite the talent of guys like Roy Williams and Kevin Jones. Their offense will continue to struggle until that line is improved. With the acquisition of Steve Hutchinson and return of Matt Birk, watch the improvement of the Vikings offense, especially their running game. They will make Chester Taylor look much better than the career back-up he has been. In turn, look for the high-octane Seahwaks offense to come back to the pack without Hutchinson. While they may not be the sexiest draft picks, the long-term impact Ferguson and Mangold make will be just as significant as star skill position players.
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4 comments:
You're preaching to the choir dude. Also - one thing, that Rams line also had Adam Timmerman, and Tom Nutten was pretty good back in those days too.
Also, you can pretty much prove this point by looking at the Dallas teams from the mid 90's that were so damn dominant. The fact that the 'Boys had Larry Allen in his prime along with Nate Newton and solid guys like Mark Stepnoski is probably more of a reason for their dominance than Smith, Aikman or Irvin.
And another thing - tell me, who, other than Barry Sanders would have had anywhere near the amount of yardage on those awful 90's Lions teams.
And as for the "no lineman is worth a top 5 pick" argument, give me a break. If nothing else, Offensive Tackles are the least risky picks in the first round, and have a much better track record than any other position in the game, with few exceptions (ahem, Tony Mandarich).
I'm surprised you didn't take the opportunity to point out that the Packers have steadily declined since the break-up of what used to be one of the greatest O-lines in the NFL.
So, yeah, I agree with you full-heartedly. The big uglies aren't sexy because the only time you hear their names during the game are when they fuck up. But in my mind, a solid offensive line is the most important part of an offense. More important than the quarterback. More important than the recievers, the running backs or the offensive coordinator.
Plus...Badgerssssssss
Was anyone else here never really that impressed by Emmitt Smith? Sure, I was twelve or so at the time, but I did watch tons of football and had the fresh, uncorrupted perspective of a youth.
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