Buffalo Bills offensive line middle of the pack in PFF latest rankings
Pro Football Focus continues to move through position groups ahead of the 2021 NFL season and next up was the offensive line. While the Buffalo Bills have one of the better offensive tackle tandems, questions on the interior pull their rankings down.
As Steve Palazzolo notes, the Bills finished last year as the 10th best offensive line according to PFF rankings. They were able to bring back every starter from last year’s team after working out new deals with Daryl Williams, Jon Feliciano, and Ike Boettger. The team also signed free agent Forrest Lamp, who was a second round pick in 2017 and started 16 games last year for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Lamp wasn’t the only addition as the Bills also used three draft picks along the offensive line with the selection of Spencer Brown, Tommy Doyle, and Jack Anderson.
Even with the fact, the Bills didn’t lose anyone and only added to this group, they still fell three spots to 13th in the NFL in Pro Football Focus’ rankings.
"Bills guards earned a mere 60.7 grade as a unit last year, an area where the team must improve in 2020. Jon Feliciano returns as the starting right guard after posting the highest run-blocking grade on the team (76.1) but also the lowest pass-blocking grade (46.4). He’s been a league-average starter over the past two years and could be pushed by Ike Boettger, Forrest Lamp and Jamil Douglas.Cody Ford is expected to start at left guard, and it’s a pivotal year for the 2019 second-rounder. He recorded just 50.3 and 53.8 grades in his first two seasons, so the Bills are hoping the common third-year breakout comes to fruition in 2021."
It is clear that Palazzolo has some concerns at offensive guard and mentions that Feliciano has performed as a “league-average starter” and could be pushed by Boettger or Lamp. I don’t believe the competition is for Feliciano’s spot as starting right guard but rather on the other side of the ball at left guard.
There is no question this is a big season for Cody Ford as he enters his third season with the team and his second at guard. He moved around a bit last year between right and left guard but should enter training camp focused on the left side. While the Buffalo Bills would like to see him secure that starting job early, the options of Boettger or Lamp are excellent backup plans or players who can push if Ford struggles.
Next. Which players should fans be excited to see in preseason?. dark
While the Buffalo Bills may be ranked only 13th, there is something to be said for continuity and the fact that the team is bringing back all the key pieces should only help this group pick up where they left off towards the end of the season when they were playing some of their best football.