We’re in a glorious time of the pass-happy NFL. There’s nothing more majestic than seeing a Russell Wilson or Patrick Mahomes throw sail brilliantly through the air and land into the arms of a wide receiver sprinting downfield.
We’re also in an unprecedented time of mobile quarterbacks with three of the top five quarterbacks, voted by the players in the NFL Network’s top 100 players of 2020, rushing for more than 1,760 yards combined. It’s a mark better than half of the league’s team rushing totals, and while it’s single-handedly dominated by Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, who finished 2019 with 1,206 rushing yards, it continues to pave the way for the new look dominating the league. Passers like the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray, who rushed for 544 yards last season, and the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, who totaled 510 rushing yards, will continue to flourish as the NFL adapts to their game.
But in order for any of these quarterbacks to be successful, they will need to play behind a good, even decent, offensive line. Much of Wilson’s woes with the Seattle Seahawks stems from a historically deficient O-line, and even a great line, like what we’ll see with the Indianapolis Colts below, can’t magically thrust a team into contention. Whatever end of the spectrum teams fall into, continuity upfront will almost always determine how far a team can go; yes, even Wilson can’t escape pressure forever.
It’s no secret that the more time a unit has together, the more the results will move toward the positive end of that spectrum. Before we were knee-deep in the most unique NFL offseason to date, 10 of the league’s 32 teams were returning all five offensive line starters while a couple will be almost completely transformed.
The teams that will benefit the most from offensive line continuity have obviously had the fewest turnover, here are three:
Indianapolis Colts
I was gushing, more so than usual, about the Colts’ offensive line when looking at what will constitute a successful 2020 season; I can’t say an O-line has gotten more praise but this one deserves every bit of it. If we’re going to talk about offensive line continuity, Indianapolis sets the bar.
Indianapolis returns all five of its starters and is poised to be the best offensive front in the league. I said it once, and I’ll say it again:
Anthony Castonzo, arguably one of the best left tackles in the NFL, returned for his 10th season; he was re-signed to a two-year deal. This will be the best line [quarterback Philip] Rivers has played behind and if the Colts can keep, and foster, the right talent up front, [Jacob] Eason can also reap the rewards of top protection. Next to Castonzo is left guard, Quenton Nelson, who, according to Pro Football Focus, had the No. 2 run-blocking grade and the No. 7 pass-blocking grade in 2019. On the other side, tackle Braden Smith and guard Mark Glowinski have grown into their roles the past two years, and center Ryan Kelly ranked eighth last season with a 73.0 overall grade, per PFF.
It doesn’t get much better than that.
San Francisco 49ers
There are more obvious teams that can litter this list. The New Orleans Saints boast one of the top offensive lines, as do the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. But here, I want to shine a light on the now dominant San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers went from the depths of the NFC West all the way to the Super Bowl. While their sudden reemergence was due, in large part, to a formidable defense, their offensive line, when healthy, were the unsung heroes; it would have been hard for anyone to make more noise than the lauded unicorn tight end George Kittle or the now-healthy quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo. San Francisco’s O-line was able to really peak later in the season once healthy.
While the 49ers will certainly miss left tackle Joe Staley, who retired this offseason after a great finish that earned him an 81.3 overall grade, which tied for seventh in the NFL, they’ll return the bulk of their starters. Oh, and Staley’s replacement is Trent Williams, a seven-time Pro Bowler. The building continuity mixed with head coach Kyle Shanahan’s vision will continue to make this team a problem in the NFC West and the league as a whole if, and that’s if, everything works in their favor.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Many teams, even the ones listed above, have caveats. Rivers is part of the old, pocket-passing game but given how good the Colts’ offensive line is, that shouldn’t be a problem as he plays out his career. The 49ers need everything to work if they want to come close to repeating their success. There’s another team with one big, glaring caveat: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
We are all curious to see how the Tom Brady experiment will go; one bad season outside of the New England Patriots system won’t undermine decades of success, but it will be very telling. Brady needs time to pass because no one should be subject to watching him run with the ball. He has a better receiving corps in Tampa Bay compared to New England, but not necessarily a better offensive line. Continuity and how quickly rookie Tristan Wirfs acclimates to the NFL will be key here. The Buccaneers can continue their improvements from last season, and with this offseason, they can’t waste any time.
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