While the Buccaneers’ final roster is far from being locked in for the 2017 NFL Season, most of it is in place. Where does the offensive line stand?
As we build up to the opening of training camps and the pre-season, we’re going to go section by section and break down each position group in the NFC South to see where the Buccaneers rank.
The idea, is maybe we can figure out just who the team to beat is in a division which has had some successes throughout the off-season.
Each team seems to have taken positive steps during the last few months.
We’re going to start our position group preview and rankings by starting where every down starts; on the offensive line.
It was up front where much of the blame went when the Carolina Panthers lost to the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl two years ago.
The front five shouldered some blame for not being able to get the running game going against the New England Patriots as the Falcons turned back to the pass, and ultimately turned themselves out of field goal position, as they squandered their historic lead.
Many fans took to social media and discussion boards to try and sway Bucs general manager Jason Licht to make some moves in his grouping. In the end, Tampa’s front will look similar to the way it did in 2016 – or will it?
New Orleans’ running game never really got it going last year, and the offensive line could certainly be held at least partially accountable.
If every team had room to improve, let’s see what they’ve done, what they haven’t done, and put them in order from worst to best!
The Centers
The Bucs have one of the best young guards in the NFL in one Ali Marpet. The small school standout has been about the best thing going for the Bucs upfront, and the news he will be moving to center for 2017 just confirms how important this position really is.
New Orleans made a splash when they traded Jimmy Graham for then Seahawks center Max Unger. Having one of the best receiving targets in the game was working wonders for Drew Brees and the Saints, but the team valued having a smart leader on the frontline more than a dynamic target working mismatches.
Everywhere you look, the center position is a big one. Calling out blocking assignments and identifying blitzers may not be all that eye-catching on Sundays, but man is it critical to a team’s success.
Just look at Seattle post-Unger. Russell Wilson has been running for his life, and the Seahawks running game has been running – well – nowhere.
Here’s the NFC South’s starting men at center, in a very particular order:
4. Max Unger, New Orleans Saints
Unger will forever get to say he’s been an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. As impressive as this is though, his days of achieving those heights look to be over.
I’m not saying he can’t hold his own for the next year or two, but the Saints need to be formulating his exit strategy sooner rather than later.
I don’t know if the center of the future is on the roster currently, but Unger’s days are dwindling down, and his abilities will go with them as he nears the end of a pretty solid career.
3. Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Like I said previously, Marpet was one of the best young guards in the game before the Buccaneers moved forward with their plan to make him their next starting center.
While nothing is ever written in stone with situations like this one, it’s an intriguing idea, and one Marpet is fully embracing.
"“I’m excited to try and play center. It’ll be new for me. It’s a new position. I mean, I’ve gotten some reps at it, but to play real snaps at center is different.” – Buccaneers Center, Ali Marpet"
I see this being a successful move for the team. Marpet certainly has the physical skills needed, and all signs point to him being smart enough to carry the load.
If it works, then Tampa could have their own Peyton Manning / Jeff Saturday “Bromance” brewing, and it’d be a beautiful thing.
Still, until it reaches execution phase, it’s hard to rank him much higher than this on potential alone.
2. Ryan Kalil, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have the oldest starting center in the division as it stands today, but man is he a good one.
Kalil has been named a First-Team All-Pro twice and a Pro Bowl center five times in his career to this point.
His most recent appearance on both lists was in 2015 when he helped the Panthers make it to the Super Bowl.
Granted, the line was a big reason they got throttled by the Denver Broncos, but I think we all know who specifically made the group look so porous.
With Mike Remmers out, and Kalil still around, Carolina should be able to rebound with the addition of some new offensive weapons for Cam Newton and company.
Having this veteran presence should keep things serviceable in front of Newton, and they’ll be glad they have the 32-year old back for at least one more ride.
1. Alex Mack, Atlanta Falcons
As a Pro Bowl selection and Second-Team All Pro in 2016, it’s easy to see why Mack was one of the more coveted players to move franchises last season.
After playing the Super Bowl with a fractured fibula, nobody is going to question Mack’s toughness.
If he doesn’t have any pre-season or early season setbacks then he should be able to come back healthy and get Matt Ryan the protection he needs to have another prolific statistical campaign.
Running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman will definitely be hoping the 9th year pro can come back to form as both enjoyed career years bringing the Falcons the NFL’s 5th ranked rushing attack one year ago.
Atlanta fans may not get to see just how much this man impacted their offense, but if they have to go without him for some reason, they’ll see just how much they’d miss him.
Must Read: Cooper Tryout Not About Ratings
So, the Falcons win round one, but it’s not over. We’ve still got the Guards, Tackles, and depth charts to look at.
Let’s work our way out, and go with the guards next.
The Guards
With the Bucs moving stud Ali Marpet inside to center, the guard positions are now in flux as the team and fans alike wait to see how the experiment works out.
Meanwhile, the rest of the division has just as many question marks surrounding the interior parts of their offensive lines.
Whether it be due to injury, retirements or new acquisitions, just about every team is going to have names playing at guard which didn’t play there at all or much of 2016.
This means changes in communication fluidity, chemistry that ultimately will have an effect on just how good they’ll hold up.
Running between the tackles is crucial in the NFL, especially if your team is going to salt away game clocks to secure victories throughout the year.
Quarterbacks rely on their interior linemen to keep rushers out of their face and out of passing lanes.
There are a lot of question marks here, but we’ll see how each team’s unit projects.
4. J.R. Sweezy and Kevin Pamphile, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What sticks the Bucs starting guards down here at fourth in the division is simply unfamiliarity.
J.R. Sweezy spent his first season on the team healing from an off-season back injury and subsequent surgery.
Kevin Pamphile played on the left side, and should project better to the right side, but it’s yet to be seen how it’ll go in 2017.
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Of course, if Ali Marpet returns to his right guard spot this changes things.
Time will tell if Sweezy can return to form and if Pamphile can hold his own filling in for Marpet.
If they can, then this duo will definitely climb this list in real life. If not, then some fans will be calling for drastic moves up front in 2018.
3. Andy Levitre and Wes Schweitzer, Atlanta Falcons
Indecision isn’t good for any positions group, and the Falcons have a big decision pending on their offensive line here.
Right guard Chris Chester retired after this season, and let’s be honest, he wasn’t the greatest option for them anyway.
The team did bring in a free agent in Hugh Thornton from Indianapolis who spent all of 2016 on IR, and he could be the guy to grab the job if healthy.
Apparently, according to one Atlanta beat writer, Wes Schweitzer is the favorite so he’s the one I used here.
Head coach Dan Quinn said of Schweitzer,
"“He was right there battling for it (in 2016). We’re excited about where Wes is headed.” – Falcons Head Coach Dan Quinn"
I don’t know who wins the battle, but it looks like it’s between the guy who lost the same battle last year and a guy the Colts didn’t want on their offensive line.
Good choices?
2. Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers offensive line simply wasn’t very good as a unit last season. These two gentlemen are a returning part of the line, but to be fair, didn’t combine as often as they’d like to have in 2016.
Turner came down a bit and just looked worse when he was asked to kick outside for a spell.
If he can’t correct his decline, then the middle of Carolina’s line will suffer significantly.
Andrew Norwell was perhaps the best individual lineman on the team, and even though he’s not enough to get the Panthers’ unit as a whole above the second spot, perhaps he can help his line mate correct his deficiencies from a year ago.
This team invested their top pick in a running back who thrives when the line can open lanes and secure their blocks.
These two are going to be two of the most important in helping young Christian McCaffrey have a successful rookie season.
1. Andrus Peat and Larry Warford, New Orleans Saints
The Saints top this grouping, but it hinges on Andrus Peat being allowed to stay inside, and free-agent addition Larry Warford being successful as the team’s new starting right guard.
Injury pulled Peat out of his comfort zone for part of last season, and he wasn’t the only one who felt the discomforting results.
Terron Armstead – more on him later – will have a big say in this, but if he goes down again the team has drafted Ryan Ramczyk out of Wisonsin who should be serviceable enough to keep the interior duo together.
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So the Saints get a top unit on the board with one free agent move which should help the success of another.
If Peat and Warford are as advertised, then Adrian Peterson should find room to be successful in 2017 as he brings some Hall of Fame caliber star-power to Drew Brees’ backfield.
The Tackles
The blindside tackle is easily one of the most important positions on the roster, and every quarterback in the NFL has to trust him to protect him from unexpected hits.
The Bucs drafted who they hoped would become a franchise cornerstone at the left tackle position when they brought Donovan Smith in to protect Jameis Winston.
It’s been a mixed bag so far, but let’s see how he and his fellow tackle stack up entering the 2017 season.
4. Matt Kalil and Michael Oher, Carolina Panthers
Man, just a few years ago the Panthers would have had what could be called one of the best offensive tackle pairs in the league.
For now though, they’re coming in at fourth here.
Oher has been derailed by concussions and may not even come back depending on how the league and team handle his Uber disaster.
Matt Kalil coming in to help his brother got some mixed press, and if he doesn’t work out then the negativity attached to his signing will continue.
Question marks don’t usually equal success, and the Panthers have plenty at tackle.
3. Terron Armstead and Zach Strief, New Orleans Saints
The Saints also have some questions at tackle.
First, can Terron Armstead stay healthy long enough to be the impact edge protector the team needs him to be?
The fifth-year player appeared in just seven games last year. This is twice in his four seasons he has missed more than half of the year. Not a good track record to this point.
For Strief, being over 30 years old on any offensive line isn’t a good thing, and with the Saints drafting Ryan Ramczyk his days may be numbered.
If Armstead follows his injury trends and Strief can’t hold off the rookie, then the edge is going to be very inexperienced and frankly incapable of handling the pass rushers coming after Drew Brees.
2. Donovan Smith and Demar Dotson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs need Donovan Smith to step up this season. It’s his third, and like Trevor Sikkema of The Pewter Report said on the most recent episode of “Walking the Plank”, it’s a key season indeed.
Dotson has proven to be average on the right side, but average is good enough in most situations to be honest.
After playing in just six games in 2015, he was able to stay healthy for 13 in 2016.
Still, without Dotson in the lineup, the Bucs struggled to keep Winston free of harassment and it hindered the offense in key times during the season.
Dotson’s health and Smith’s development are very much the storyline here, but if both workout, then this team has a good thing going for the coming year.
1. Jake Matthews and Ryan Schraeder, Atlanta Falcons
Jake Matthews of the Falcons is the NFC South’s best left tackle, and Ryan Schraeder did enough to not mess things up.
Maybe Schraeder deserves more credit, but for now, he’s going to have to earn it.
Atlanta’s offense was incredible in 2016, and giving Ryan some clean pockets had a lot to do with it.
Blocking for one of the best ground games helped as well, and having both starting tackles returning should give the team some key continuity.
This will help give the offense a fighting chance at repeated success, and lands them at the top.
Atlanta’s strongest areas are at center and on the outside, but does it give them the best line in the NFC South?
The starters might be great, but depth is always needed. Professional football is always a game of attrition, and those who can step up when key players go down always come out on top.
The Depth
When looking at the Bucs depth on the offensive line, you get a mixed bag of good experience with some severely experience deficient individuals.
This isn’t unusual though, as the same can be said of most offensive lines across the NFL and certainly in the NFC South.
Former starters are peppered with undrafted rookies, all looking to prove they bring something valuable enough to the franchise to warrant their claiming a roster spot.
Quantity doesn’t always equal quality though.
4. Atlanta Falcons
Interior: Travis Averill, Ben Garland, Robert Leff, Andy Levitre, Cam Keizur, Trevor Robinson, Hugh Thornton
Exterior: Daniel Brunskill, Carter Bykowski, Wil Freeman, Kevin Graf, Andreas Knappe
Looking at the Falcons depth along the offensive line, and I see one name which might develop into a quality NFL lineman.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ben Garland has some future starting potential, and could even push in the battle for one of the guard spots in 2017.
After him though, there isn’t much to be impressed by, and Atlanta in general could become seriously derailed if one or more of these guys is required to play a full-time roll anytime soon.
3. New Orleans Saints
Interior: Jack Allen, Senio Kelemete, John Fullington, Landon Turner
Exterior: Ryan Ramczyk, Avery Young
The Saints simply don’t have much depth here, and what they do have isn’t very impressive beyond Ryan Ramczyk.
The second day one pick in 2016 for New Orleans has been welcomed with mixed emotions, but if you look at the roster, you see why the team invested in him.
Coach Sean Payton simply doesn’t have much of a talent pool to dip into when you look at what they’ve got, so getting someone to pull up in case of need was crucial.
I understand wanting to get a young guy who can come in and make big plays and get on ESPN with regularity, but don’t undersell what having a good back-up can do for you.
If he beats out Strief, then the veteran becomes the depth.
It’s not much, but at least the team had the foresight to add something here early in the draft.
2. Carolina Panthers
Interior: Gino Gradkowski, Tyler Larsen, Chris Scott, Amini Silatolu, David Yankey
Exterior: Blaine Clausell, Dan France, Taylor Moton, Pearce Slater, Tyrus Thompson, Daryl Williams
What the Panthers lack in big name depth, they make up for in experience.
Only one of these guys is a rookie this year, and Western Michigan’s Taylor Moton is definitely a solid rookie to have.
If injury strikes, as it always does, then Ron Rivera will have some experienced players to choose from when filling in the gaps.
This doesn’t always mean it’ll work out, as most of these guys have several years in the NFL without earning starting jobs elsewhere for a reason.
Still, having guys you know and know what to expect out of them is a strength more than it is a weakness.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Interior: Josh Allen, Caleb Benenoch, Joe Hawley, Evan Smith, Kevin Pamphile
Exterior: Korren Kirven, Cole Gardner, Leonard Wester
Fans of the Bucs made noise all off-season about the team adding to the offensive line.
All off-season long the Bucs’ brass has maintained they like what they have, and when you look at their depth compared to the rest of the NFC South, you have to agree.
There isn’t a lot of depth here, but three of these guys have solid starting experience and can come in to play when and if needed.
Caleb Benenoch is considered a solid young prospect with the potential to become a starter himself.
Whether he makes to that level or not is still to be seen, but he’s shown some promise in limited action.
Leonard Wester had to fill in for a time last season, and to say he was thrown into the deep end would be an understatement.
The experience may not have been great, but it’s experience nonetheless, and hopefully it’s one which will help him coming into this year.
Overall, the team looks to be solid if they have to dip into their reserves. Of course, we all hope they don’t, but it’s comforting seeing their ability to do so in case of emergency.
Must Read: Bucs are Deeper in 2017
The Bucs didn’t have any top grouping, but come through at the end with depth.
We’ve gotten into each team’s offensive group from the centers, to the interior linemen and exterior linemen.
Now, let’s get to it and name a top line for the NFC South.
Final Rankings
4. New Orleans Saints
It was a bit closer than some probably expected, but the combination of age, injury, unknowns and lack of depth were just too much to ignore for the Saints.
While they may have finished last overall, the team has some talented pieces and the situation isn’t so bad Drew Brees and Adrian Peterson shouldn’t still find ways to put up big points in 2017.
3. Carolina Panthers
The Kalil brothers could have put the Panthers at the top of every offensive line rankings a few years ago.
Today however, age and injury have taken them down a notch.
Right tackle has been a disaster for years in Carolina, and if they don’t get it figured out soon then Newton is going to spend his entire career with defenders getting in his face.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Some fans are certain to disagree here, and some will say they should be lower, which is ironic considering this is being written for a Bucs fan website.
The Bucs didn’t add to the offensive line in the draft or in free agency.
Still, if their players can learn from some of the struggles of 2016 then this group will be stronger than most can foresee today.
Marpet moving to center could give them an Alex Mack like presence snapping the ball, and this is something every Atlanta fan will tell you has a huge impact on the offense.
Donovan Smith and J.R. Sweezy are the biggest question marks for this unit, and answers will come before the end of September.
1. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons made it to the Super Bowl on the shoulders of their prolific offense and in part due to a surprisingly impressive defense down the stretch.
Where they’ve lost players coming into 2017 doesn’t look too damning, but if the team suffers one or two significant injuries it could all come crashing down.
This can be said of a lot of teams’ front lines, but it’s troubling anyway.
Not troubling enough to drag down the unit led by Alex Mack and Jake Matthews, as the Falcons take top billing in our first position group rankings.
Next: Best Buc to wear number 74
So there we have it.
How do you feel about the rankings, and where do you see things differently?
Give me a shout in the comments, on Facebook, on Twitter or email your thoughts to walkingtheplankpodcast@gmail.com!