Ranking the Big Uglies

A powerful and deep O-Line is perhaps the greatest foundation of a football team. You fantasy freaks may want to read this. A great QB is nothing, a talented running back is worthless, a fast wide-receiver is inept -- all without the protection, room, and time their offensive line affords them. So, how does the Saints line stack up against others in the league?

Matthew Williamson of Scouts Inc examined all 32 offensive lines and ranks them here. The Saints come in at #9. Here's what he had to say about the top ten -- admittedly, Cleveland at #1 was a surprise...

So which team has the best offensive line in the league? Scouts Inc. breaks them down Nos. 1 through 32.

1. Cleveland Browns
While most NFL teams have about four linemen who are truly starting caliber, the Browns have seven or eight. Not only are they deep, but they arguably have the best left side in the NFL with LG Eric Steinbach and LT Joe Thomas. Entering his second season, Thomas is talented enough to potentially be recognized as the best lineman in the game before the end of the 2008 season. He is a great athlete, has ideal size (6-foot-6, 313 pounds) and the passion to bury his opponent. As a rookie, he wasn't overwhelmed by the speed and size of the game at this level, and now he's had an entire offseason to properly prepare. At 6-6, Steinbach is tall for a guard and lacks ideal bulk, but he is very quick, smart and athletic. He consistently gets under the pads of his opponents, works hard to finish and is tremendous in space. The rest of the group isn't too shabby and made QB Derek Anderson look exceptional last year. The pass protection is impeccable. Ryan Tucker will miss time to start the season, but Cleveland shouldn't miss a beat in his absence. Center Hank Fraley is a tough guy in the middle of the line and does a fine job making the line calls. After a great season in 2007, this group will be even better in 2008.

2. Dallas Cowboys
Adding 6-6, 366-pound Leonard Davis to an already stable offensive line was a great move that paid off in a big way last year. A bit of a washout at tackle, Davis proved to be an exceptional guard, and the Cowboys ran behind him when they needed a tough yard. Center Andre Gurode doesn't get the credit he deserves as one of the best pivotmen in the game today. Getting to QB Tony Romo is very difficult against a group that not only pass protects well, but also holds its own as run-blockers. LT Flozell Adams had his best season, but he signed a new contract in the offseason and will need to keep his intensity up after the big payday. RT Marc Colombo is the weakest link among the starters and could be pushed for playing time if he doesn't play better in training camp. Still, this is a tough group that's coached by Hudson Houch, who is one of the best line coaches in the league and has a knack for getting the most out of his players.

3. Minnesota Vikings
Everyone on the planet knew that Minnesota was going to run the football last year, and what did they do? They ran it as well as anyone in the league, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. The lack of a passing game cannot be attributed to the Vikings' front five, but this unit is better at run blocking than pass protection. There simply isn't a better offensive lineman in the game than Steve Hutchinson, and his presence on this unit cannot be overstated. The rest of the crew is very solid, but Hutchinson is a superstar. Keep an eye on Bryant McKinnie's legal situation, though, as the Vikes do not have another left tackle to fall back on. McKinnie is more inconsistent than many realize, but playing next to Hutchinson can mask some problems. It is also conceivable that the right side of the line played over its head last year and could come back to earth, but the tandem of RG Anthony Herrera and RT Ryan Cook does have great size and some nastiness.

4. New England Patriots
How do you think Tom Brady was able to stand in the pocket all day and wait for his fantastic receivers to get open? This line is terrific. Last year New England only allowed 21 sacks, even though Brady threw it nearly 600 times. The line's ability to pass block was obvious, but for some reason, the Patriots' ability to open holes in the run game went under the radar. With all the star power on New England's offense, Logan Mankins is easy to forget, but he is one of the top guards in the league. There are some concerns about this group, however. Guard Stephen Neal is coming off shoulder surgery, OT Nick Kaczur -- the weakest link among the starters -- is dealing with off-the-field issues and the last game this group played was not its finest. While OT Matt Light had a good season and is a very good player, pure speed-rushers give him all that he can handle. But for all these problems, this group still had three Pro Bowl representatives last year and is one of the best out there.

5. Indianapolis Colts
Howard Mudd is among the best line coaches in the NFL, and his group of linemen consistently plays at a high level year after year. The Colts put a premium on left tackle and require an exceptional athlete to protect Peyton Manning's blind side, but they otherwise get by with intelligent, hard-working, fundamentally sound grinders who play very well within the system. The group is well-conditioned and handles assignments effectively. LT Tony Ugoh should be noticeably better in his second season. Center Jeff Saturday keeps it all together, and as evidenced by Indianapolis drafting three centers in this past draft, the organization fears for life after Saturday. Saturday is tough, technically sound and excels at handling the line calls in conjunction with Manning. The Colts lost Jake Scott, but he will probably be replaced by rookie Mike Pollak, who is also slated to be Saturday's heir some day. Charlie Johnson could factor in at guard or as a valuable sixth man. It's no secret that this group does a great job of keeping Manning clean in the pocket, but it is also proficient in the run game, executing Indianapolis' zone-stretch scheme. At the same time, it should not be overlooked that the many weapons on the Colts' roster and Manning's uncanny pocket presence help to make this line's job a little easier.

6. San Diego Chargers
This group struggled to start the 2007 season without C Nick Hardwick in the lineup. Unfortunately for San Diego, it will start the 2008 season without Hardwick, who is coming off foot surgery. However, this is a very good group overall. LT Marcus McNeill started slowly last season, but rebounded quickly. At 6-foot-7, 336 pounds, he has tremendous size, long arms and good athletic ability. McNeill and LG Kris Dielman make up one of the best left sides in the league, and this duo can be dominant at times. There are some concerns on the right side, however, as RG Mike Goff is starting to slow down with age and RT Jeromey Clary, who was a pleasant surprise last year, still needs to further prove himself. This group is better at pass blocking than run blocking, and the Chargers might look to throw more next season.

7. New York Giants
Chris Snee is the best player on this offensive line, but overall, it isn't a group loaded with big names. However, these guys produce as a unit and are well-coached, tough and reliable. An above-average pass-blocking group, it is simply an exceptional run-blocking line and paved the way for New York's backs to average a whopping 4.6 yards per carry in 2007. With the ability to consistently gain chunks of yardage on the ground, perhaps the Giants' Super Bowl run shouldn't have been all that surprising. Many felt that David Diehl was a guard playing out of position at left tackle and that speed rushers would have their way with him. Diehl proved his doubters wrong and did an admirable job of protecting Eli Manning's blind side on the edge. The depth here isn't ideal, but this is a line that can be counted on.

8. Green Bay Packers
The Packers have a solid but underrated set of starting tackles in Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton. Both players are smart, tough and highly effective. They also seem to play their best against top competition. On the interior, the Packers are young and deep -- qualities that will lead to excellent overall competition for playing time. At 6-foot-2, 295 pounds, Scott Wells isn't real big, but he is one of the better centers in the league and an exceptional technician. The interior is also athletic, fitting well with the Packers' zone-blocking principles. There may not have been a better pass-blocking line in the league last year, and this group got better in the run game as the season progressed. There should be very little drop-off in 2008.

9. New Orleans Saints
The Saints allowed a measly 16 sacks last year despite Drew Brees' 652 pass attempts. Brees, who is exceptional at feeling the rush and getting the ball out quickly, deserves some of the credit, but obviously, his protection was exceptional as well. However, the Saints didn't do nearly as good a job opening holes for the running backs, who averaged just 3.7 yards per rush. This stark contrast obviously puts a ton of pressure on Brees and the Saints' passing game, but that group has stepped up quite well. Still, to be an elite offense, New Orleans is going to have to run the ball with more consistency. Jammal Brown is one of the top left tackles in the league, but the Saints lost Jeff Faine to division rival Tampa Bay. Jonathan Goodwin, who is bigger and more powerful at the point of attack, will take over at center, but overall, this is a downgrade, and Faine's nasty edge and leadership will be missed. Keep an eye on underrated RG Jahri Evans. He has a chance to develop into one of the best guards in the game today.

10. Philadelphia Eagles
Guard Shawn Andrews and tackle Jon Runyan make up one of the best right sides in the league, and the Eagles can count on them to move their opponent in short yardage and crucial situations. Runyan, who played much of last season with a cracked tailbone, is as tough as they come, and Andrews is versatile enough to kick out to tackle if needed. This is a much better run blocking than pass blocking group, but some of those issues can be attributed to Donovan McNabb's immobility early last season as he nursed his ailing knee. The Eagles' tackles also are getting up in age and not as quick out of their stances as they once were. Still, this is a mauling line that can move bodies, and although it is against his DNA, coach Andy Reid would be wise to incorporate more power running into this offense, which is notorious for throwing the ball. There is some healthy competitiveness and position versatility within this group as well, but there is not a true left tackle of the future. An injury to LT William Thomas could be a major problem.

WhoDatSay.com reader Kris Nichols had this breakdown of the Saints O-line:

With some new faces the Oline will be very competitive this year so here is my analysis of how it breaks down.

Tackle -- at Left tackle all reports are that Jamaal Brown is looking better now than he has since he has been in the NFL which is saying something, so we should expect him back in the probowl this January. Right Tackle has the chance for a good competition to develop. Incumbent starter Jon Stinchcomb will have a battle to hold off 3rd year player Zach Strief who has slimed down from 349 pounds to a svelte 325 and has gained some speed and agility to go along with his huge frame and long arms.

The other Tackle is Jermon Bushrod who was drafted last year in the 4th round, while he won't be pushing for a starting spot look for him to contribute more with more experience in the system now.

Guard -- Left Guard this is another area that I expect to have some competition this year. Right now Jamar Nesbit is the starter but he could be pushed by 2nd year man Andy Alleman or 5th round pick Carl Nicks who won't stay on the sidelines for too long this year. Alleman who is a former DT is very athletic and intelligent and Nicks is also very athletic considering his size 6-4 341 pounds. Right Guard we have a very underrated player in Jahri Evans who should be looking at his first probowl coming up in January.

Center -- With the departure of Jeff Faine to the Bucs the starting job falls to Jonathan Goodwin, don't worry Goodwin is an intelligent athletic player who has earned the right to be called a starter while he doesn't have the finesse of Faine in the passing game he will be a much better drive blocker on running plays. The other center is Matt Lehr who I think will be the odd man out at the end of camp, especially with the questions about steroids flaring up again and now the guy who pointed the finger out him has been found dead. (Makes you wonder about Lehr if he had anything to do with that).

Overall the Saints have made some improvements on the line and with the younger players getting better and more experience look for another season as the lowest number of sacks given up and some much needed improvement in the run game.
-- Kris Nichols