Huh?
The Green Bay Packers have the best offensive line in the NFL, according to RotoWorld’s Evan Silva. That’s right. A unit that lost its only Pro Bowl performer from last season — center Scott Wells — has a somewhat unsettled left tackle situation and a 37-year-old center is the NFL’s best.
Here’s the reasoning Silva doled out in his offensive line rankings.
LT: Marshall Newhouse
LG: T.J. Lang
C: Jeff Saturday
RG: Josh Sitton
RT: Bryan Bulaga
Gone are longtime starters Scott Wells and Chad Clifton, but there should be little to no performance drop-off among Green Bay’s elite front five. Newhouse made 13 starts last season, and natural improvement is expected from a second-year starter who’s yet to turn 24. Lang has developed into a rock-solid left guard, while Sitton and Bulaga form an All Pro-caliber right side. Saturday is 37 now, but centers tend to age well and he has. He’s also an ideal scheme fit for Green Bay’s zone-blocking system. The Packers don’t lack depth, either. Sherrod was a 2011 first-round pick. Dietrich-Smith is versatile and benefited from three spot starts last season. Campbell is an athletic swing man. Rookie Datko may have been a top-32 pick if not for injuries.
While we agree with most of that, it’s tough to think of the Packers offensive line as the NFL’s best.
Although Sitton has the potential to be one, there are no elite performers in the unit. At left tackle, Newhouse will likely improve, but his 2011 campaign was up-and-down at best. Saturday is real close to retirement.
So who’s better? How the hell should we know?
Silva ranks the Patriots second, followed by the Bengals, Chiefs and Panthers. Carolina is the only team in the remainder of the top five where we can even name two offensive linemen.
Can someone please make an argument for a team with a better offensive line so it doesn’t go to their heads?