In part five of the offseason position rankings, we check in on the offensive linemen for the Detroit Lions and the rest of their NFC North rivals.
Today in the NFC North Position Rankings, we’ll be looking at the offensive line of the Detroit Lions and the rest of the division.
But first, checkout my previous divisional rankings below:
Detroit Lions, NFC North Position Rankings: Quarterbacks
Detroit Lions, NFC North Position Rankings: Running Backs
Detroit Lions, NFC North Position Rankings: Wide Receivers
Detroit Lions, NFC North Position Rankings: Tight Ends
Now even though we may not always know their name, and they may not have the flash of a skill position, they create the heart of a team. A strong line leads to a strong offense. These are the guys that set the tone for the entire game.
The Lions made revamping their offensive line a point of interest in free agency this year. So let’s see if the money they spent paid off. This week we start by returning to Minnesota…
4. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings had offensive line issues last season and tried their best to address it in free agency and the draft. Unfortunately, I don’t think it worked out too well.
First are guys that are coming back. The guards are the oldest of the bunch, but also may be the most talented. Joe Berger is one who spent most of his time with the team as a backup rotational guy. However, over the past few seasons, he has been solid. He was even a piece of the line that assisted in Adrian Peterson‘s brief resurgence in 2015.
The other lineman returning is guard Alex Boone. He might be most known for his days on the San Francisco 49ers, where he was part of their team that reached the Super Bowl. He may already be 30, but I don’t believe that means he will be falling off anytime soon. He’s the biggest name on his line, and his leadership is what they Vikings need to hold it together.
The free agents the Vikings brought in are supposed to be the answers at both of their tackle positions. Mike Remmers and Riley Reiff.
Reiff should be familiar to Lions fans, as he was drafted by the team and started at both tackle positions through his first five seasons. He is a solid lineman, but would probably be better suited as a right tackle, only moving to the left in emergency situations. If he struggles on the left side this year it’ll be interesting to see what the Vikings do with him.
Remmers came over from the Carolina Panthers where he started every game for the past two seasons. He should be an upgrade from what the Vikings had previously, but at 28 years old he may have already peaked. Before we know it, the Vikings could be hunting for his replacement in the draft.
Speaking of the draft, that’s where the Vikings hope they found their center of the future. After getting decent production out of third-year player Nick Easton, the Vikings drafted Pat Elflein as an upgrade. Elflein comes out of Ohio State, and in recent seasons they have been creating one great offensive lineman after another. The Vikings hope that Elflein can join this club.