2015 Offensive Line Class Revolves Around Long-Term Plans, Not Instant Impact
Brandon Scherff, who was selected fifth overall in the 2015 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins, was a rare commodity among the offensive linemen in this year's class.
Teams knew exactly what to expect of the top offensive line prospect from the moment he was drafted. He will be a tone-setter up front, a nasty run-blocker and well-versed in technique after playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes and head coach Kirk Ferentz.
This isn't the case for the rest of the draft class, which presented more overall value and potential than the caliber of players who will dominate Day 1 like the Dallas Cowboys' Zack Martin and the Cleveland Browns' Joel Bitonio did a year ago.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Overall, the offensive line class, which featured seven first-round selections, possesses plenty of long-term potential.
The New York Giants' Ereck Flowers, New Orleans Saints' Andrus Peat, Cleveland Browns' Cameron Erving, Arizona Cardinals' D.J. Humphries and the Cincinnati Bengals' pair of offensive tackles (Cedric Ogbuehi, Jake Fisher) will ultimately contribute more in 2016 and beyond than this upcoming season.
This does not mean these prospects will not contribute at all this year, but their true value will present itself during the follows seasons.
Ereck Flowers
Since Scherff is generally viewed as a guard, Flowers became the first offensive tackle off the board with the ninth overall selection.
Usually, a prospect needs to be able to play left tackle to be selected that high in the draft. Neither Scherff nor Flowers is expected to play on the blind side early in his career.
“He can be either side,” Coughlin said after the first round of the draft, per Giants.com's Dan Salomone. “He [was] a left tackle last year, but he has the size and so on and so forth to play a lot of spots if you so desire. We think he is a tackle.”
At this point in the process, the Giants shouldn't be committed to Flowers playing one side or the other. The hulking tackle prospect turned 21 years old only days before the draft. His upside has yet to be defined.
"[Flowers] is 20," vice president of evaluation Marc Ross said after being asked about concerns over Flowers' lack of refinement, per NJ.com's Jordan Raanan. "They all have technique flaws. Nobody is ready-made to play in the NFL. Even fourth or fifth-year seniors. They all can improve. He is just learning to play, but even with technique flaws, the guy was a productive and dominant player at times."
Plus, the team already fielded two competent tackles last year in William Beatty and Justin Pugh. The latter is expected to move to guard, though, after the addition of Flowers.
"We're always cognizant of what our need is as well and we think this is a good need and a value pick for us," general manager Jerry Reese said, per Raanan. "We think this can help solidify the offensive line, so hopefully this will settle the offensive line down and we don't have to keep talking about the offensive line as much."
At 6'6" and 329 pounds, Flowers was the strongest prospect at the combine with 37 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press. With his size and strength, the Miami product was dominant at the point of attack last season, according to ESPN Stats & Info:
In another year or two, he might even transition to left tackle.
Beatty remains a solid veteran presence at the position. After all, he's been the one constant up front over the past three seasons with 47 starts. But he will turn 31 years old next season, and his contract escalates to $9.175 million in 2016, according to Spotrac.com. The Giants could save more than $5 million by releasing Beatty after this season and inserting Flowers at left tackle.
By the time he's 22 or 23 years old, Flowers should be asked to man the team's blind side.
And the New York Giants' first-round pick wasn't the only 21-year-old offensive line prospect drafted in the first round. Peat will also be expected to develop into an eventual starter at a young age.
Andrus Peat
It's conceivable that the Saints' first-round selection won't even start a game this fall.
Offensive line became a growing concern for the organization when the play of veteran guards Jahri Evans and Ben Grubbs began to falter. New Orleans shipped off Grubbs to the Kansas City Chiefs in a trade, while Evans remains in place with the team hoping he returns to Pro Bowl form.
Yet, the team wasn't concentrating on guard play with Peat's selection.
The Stanford product won't be sliding inside to left guard to create competition between him and Tim Lelito.
"I don't see that," Saint head coach Sean Payton told NOLA.com's Katherine Terrell. "He's a tackle."
This particular situation was a prime example of a team selecting the best player available instead of forcing a pick at a greater area of need.
"Offensive tackle, we viewed as a position that wasn't a high priority in the draft but was certainly a need position," Payton said. "Maybe not a must, but a need."
A collegiate left tackle, Peat was one of college football's best pass protectors last season, according to Pro Football Focus:
But the Saints already have a solid set of starting offensive tackles. Terron Armstead came into his own last season and developed into one of the NFL's better young left tackles. Meanwhile, Zach Strief remains a consistent performer on the strong side.
Neither is going to be immediately replaced by the talented rookie.
"I don't see that initially," Payton said. "Terron and Zach, shoot, one's a veteran, experienced, tremendous leader for us at right tackle. The other one is a real sharp and talented left tackle. Andrus will come in and I'm sure we'll give him reps at both position."
However, Strief turns 32 years old in September, and his salary-cap hit escalates each of the next two seasons. Armstead has two years remaining on his rookie contract before he'll demand a new deal worthy of his current level of play. His representation will almost certainly approach the Saints to renegotiate his contract long before that point is reached.
Peat is essentially the Saints' insurance policy. He'll compete for playing time this season before becoming a legitimate starting option in 2016 and beyond.
While he will be biding his time, a talented Florida State prospect displayed the type of versatility to play any position along the offensive line.
Cameron Erving
There is no reason to pigeonhole the Browns' first-round offensive line addition into a particular position.
During his career at Florida State, Erving won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy twice as the ACC's best offensive lineman. It was a more impressive feat in 2014 after starting half the season at left tackle before making a move to center due to injuries suffered by the unit.
His ability to seamlessly transition from the blind side to over the ball helped skyrocket his overall draft stock.
"I have never seen someone look so natural over the ball," Florida State offensive line coach Rick Trickett told The Plain Dealer's Tom Reed. "I think he can be Pro Bowl center, although I know that's not where Cleveland is going to play him right now. He can fire off the ball and hook a nose guard before the guy can get out of his stance."
Erving proved to be a difference-maker in the middle of the Seminoles offensive line, via ESPN's Jeremy Fowler:
As Trickett alluded to, Erving isn't expected to start his career at center, but an eventual switch to the pivot is the organization's probable endgame.
Pro Bowl center Alex Mack owns a player option in his contract after this season and may opt out to test free agency again. Erving will likely serve as Mack's replacement.
It was a "smart" move, according to one source familiar with Mack's contract situation.
The veteran lineman was eager to test free agency in 2013, but his ability to do so was limited after the Browns placed the transition tag on him. Mack eventually signed a five-year, $42 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars before the Browns matched the offer.
While Erving's future likely resides at center, his current status remains up in the air. One thing is certain: He'll start his career somewhere on the right side of the Browns offensive line, according to Browns head coach Mike Pettine, via the Akron Beacon Journal's Nate Ulrich:
Center may be the most logical destination for Erving, but we can't rule right tackle out of the equation. The Browns' starting right tackle, Mitchell Schwartz, is also entering the final year of his rookie contract.
If Erving can beat out Schwartz in an open competition, the Browns' plans will be in flux.
Otherwise, right guard seems to be the most likely destination for Erving this fall after usurping John Greco's starting role.
While the Browns will find a place for the team's most recent first-round pick, a divisional rival will be content not seeing either of its first two selections starting this fall.
Cedric Ogbuehi, Jake Fisher
The Cincinnati Bengals double-dipped during the draft with a pair of offensive tackles in the first and second rounds.
It didn't matter to the organization that it already fielded one of the league's top tackle tandems over the past few seasons. Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith are among the best at their respective positions, but they're both entering the final year of their contracts.
After the Bengals selected Ogbuehi and Fisher, the veterans' futures with the franchise are finite. Whitworth, in particular, wasn't too fond of the message the team sent by selecting both tackles.
The veteran left tackle spoke with ESPN.com's Coley Harvey about the current situation:
"I want to be above and beyond and do more than the average guy in this locker room. But it's hard to do that when the feeling's not reciprocated. Really, it's just a one-way street.
I wish that there had been [conversations with myself and the Bengals about drafting tackles], but I'm a big boy, I can handle it," Whitworth said. "This is my football team, I'm the captain of it. I've been the leader of it for a long time and don't plan on letting that change.
At the end of the day, they did what they felt was best for the franchise.
"
While Whitworth didn't take the news well, the selections weren't a direct reflection on him or his play.
The MMQB.'s Peter King documented the circumstances that eventually led to the selection of Fisher in the second round:
"Coach Marvin Lewis loved Fisher. Owner Mike Brown lives by the draft board, and midway through the round, Fisher was the only player left with a first-round Bengal grade. The Bengals turned in the pick. Alexander, working his 22nd draft with the Bengals (the coaches in Cincinnati are more involved than with any other franchise), got the biggest surprise of his personnel evaluation career: He thought one or both of Ogbuehi and Fisher would be gone at pick No. 21, and he got one of them at 21, the other at 53.
"
Both decisions were based on overall value that happened to fit a long-term need within the roster.
Whitworth should be upset after performing at a high level during his career, but he'll turn 34 years old in December. He can also play guard if the team decides to insert one of its newly minted offensive tackles into the starting lineup after this season.
Smith, meanwhile, battled injuries and weight issues during his career. His future may be bleaker in Cincinnati once his contract ends.
However it plays out, the Bengals felt they got the best value in each round with a pair of offensive tackles who will eventually take over as starters, whether it's 2016 or beyond.
The same can't be said in the desert where the Cardinals found value with their first-round pick, but expect their top investment to compete from Day 1.
D.J. Humphries
As the draft process played out, Humphries continued to rise in the offensive tackle rankings.
After receiving a less-than-flattering grade from the NFL draft committee, the Florida product decided to declare for the draft after his junior season anyway. It clearly worked out in his favor.
Humphries, who was once considered the No. 1 offensive tackle recruit in the nation, projected as the best pure left tackle in this class due to his nimble feet and top-notch athleticism.
Ironically, he will play right tackle for the Cardinals, according to head coach Bruce Arians, via ArizonaCardinals.com's Darren Urban:
Massie struggled when he had an opportunity to start during his career, but he's not going to hand over the starting position to Humphries.
The Charlotte native isn't concerned, though, about making the move from the blind side to the strong side.
"No problem with it all," Humphries told AZCentral.com's Kent Somers. "If you can play left, you can play right. If you can play right, you can play left. I'm ready for whatever position they need me to play."
One concern regarding the transition stems from the first-round pick's lack of bulk. The former Gator played close to 280 pounds last season. During his predraft preparation, Humphries bulked up to 307 pounds prior to the combine. Even with the added weight, the former left tackle was still one of the most athletic tackles at the NFL's yearly meat market.
His athleticism was key for the Cardinals and helped them reach their final decision. The organization preferred a more athletic right tackle.
"Quarterbacks are first, pass-rushers are two [most important positions]," Arians said, per Somers. "So you better have people who can block them. In our division, everyone has a great defense and a great defensive front."
With Humphries potentially starting at right tackle and former top-10 pick Jonathan Cooper slated to play right guard, the Cardinals will now own one of the most athletic right sides in the NFL to handle the athletic pass-rushers in their division.
A couple of years from now after the 2016 season when left tackle Jared Veldheer turns 30 years old with an $8.25 million cap hit, Humphries should prove to be the long-term answer on the blind side, too.
Value, versatility and a changing of the guard in how teams approach the offensive line all played into these decisions.
Trench Warfare
Teams value offensive line play more today than any point in NFL history.
The Oakland Raiders handed Rodney Hudson the richest free-agent contract ever for a center in March. Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith previously signed an eight-year, $97 million contract extension that will start this year.
It's good to be a talented offensive lineman in today's NFL.
With the heavy emphasis on the passing game, right tackles are nearly as important as left tackles. Guards, who can anchor and maintain a pocket, are invaluable. And center is no longer seen as a throwaway position filled by late-round draft picks or undrafted free agents.
As a result, teams are willing and even eager to spend first-round picks on those positions instead of waiting to fill them later.
In the case of the 2015 draft class, six former collegiate left tackles were selected in the first round—guard Laken Tomlinson was also selected by the Detroit Lions in the opening frame. There's a possibility that none of them ever play the position at a professional level. Yet, the overall upside of each provides a bright future and flexibility for his team.
Teams are more worried than ever about building a strong foundation in the trenches. They're not willing to wait until they have a dire need at a core position like left tackle before deciding to spend a first-round pick on an offensive lineman.
If that means selecting a first-round lineman and not playing him at his natural position in order to be better overall in a year or two, so be it.
All salary cap information obtained from Spotrac.com. Brent Sobleski covers the NFL draft for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
