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One of the themes of the 2023 preseason has been struggling offensive lines. In the first round of preseason games, the Panthers, Texans, and Jets all have had significant issues protecting their quarterbacks. It isn’t just one person that’s missing assignments. It’s an entire line that simply isn’t playing well as a unit. Some of this is due to injuries but a lot of it is simple poor play. Why do so many offensive lines struggle in today’s NFL?
Confusion Over Struggling Offensive Lines
Here’s where I am confused. While the offensive line position does not come with the name recognition of the running back or wide receiver position, it certainly comes with a big payday. Offensive tackles are some of the highest-paid players in the league because they protect the most important position in football. Even guards and centers have seen decent money in the past decade. The benefits of playing the offensive line are there.
Despite this, offensive lines continue to struggle. I mentioned injuries but the fact that the backups play this poorly is concerning. The dropoff is larger at this position than any other. For example, last season the 49ers saw two of their quarterbacks, Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo go down with injuries. And yet Brock Purdy was there and played well enough to sustain success. This may be a bad example but we see it all the time. The star player goes out and the backup provides comparable stats. Why can’t the offensive line do this?
Factors Of Poor Play
There are a ton of factors but I want to point out three that I believe are the most impactful. First, the current CBA is centered around player safety which is great. They are decreasing the number of practices allowed in an effort to keep players healthier. The downside of this is the offensive line does not get a chance to practice their skills as much. They spend a handful of practices actually in pads blocking actual defenders coming at them. Even in that setting, the defenders are still letting up at the end so as to not injure their own quarterback. These players need more practice due to the many skills needed for the position.
This goes directly into my second point. The offensive line is one of the most difficult positions to play. It isn’t about lining up and blocking a player. Proper footwork, angles, hand play, leverage, balance, and patience all factor into the equation. It isn’t enough to just be big and athletic. Look at former second-overall pick Greg Robinson. The Rams took him as analysts gushed over his athletic skills. It wasn’t enough. He was never able to get the myriad of other skills and skilled pass-rushers exploited his deficiencies.
The final factor is the college football landscape and how offenses are run. While the spread offense isn’t as prevalent as it was a half-decade ago, the NFL is different from college football. The players are different in college football. 99% of the players will not be going to the NFL so being big and athletic is usually enough. Coaches don’t have to worry about the technical side of it when their player is simply bigger and faster than the person on the other side.
Do You Need An Elite Offensive Line To Win?
In short, no. We’ve seen this recently. The Cincinnati Bengals made the Super Bowl with a line that gave about as much resistance as warm butter. However, this does not mean that it isn’t important. Historically, a bottom-five offensive line has only made the playoffs seven times and never made it to the Super Bowl. A bottom-12 line has fared better, making the playoffs 21 times, while making it to the Super Bowl three times. On the flip side, the average rank of a Super Bowl-winning offensive line is in the top-12. It’s important to have a good line but teams can scheme around a bad one and still have success.
Will we see teams figure out how to get their offensive lines up to speed quicker? Will we see a greater emphasis on coaching in the high school and college ranks? Only time will tell but the fact of the matter is that there is an offensive line shortage and having an elite line is a rarity in today’s NFL.
