Packers: David Bakhtiari cracks top three in offensive tackle rankings
10. Mitchell Schwartz (Kansas City Chiefs)
Schwartz has had a good career so far in Kansas City, and he has had a great impact on the Chiefs’ offensive line. It’s still hard for me to imagine that once upon a time Cleveland had Joe Thomas, Joel Bitonio, Alex Mack, and Schwartz on the same offensive line at the same time and were still one of the worst teams in football. Schwartz will have a positive impact on new Chiefs starter Patrick Mahomes.
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9. Taylor Lewan (Tennessee Titans)
Lewan is a key reason why the Tennessee Titans have the best tackle pairing in the league. He has done a great job in pass protection for Marcus Mariota in recent years. He’ll only be 27 when the season starts and I don’t think he has reached his peak yet.
8. Nate Solder (New York Giants)
The Giants bringing in Solder was a smart move, even though his price tag was expensive at four years, $62 million, per Over the Cap. Dave Gettleman has a great eye for talent and I think he has done a great job rebuilding the Giants’ offensive line this offseason, bringing in Solder and Will Hernandez.
The upgrade they are getting at the left tackle position will make the loss of Weston Richburg and Justin Pugh an easier pill to swallow.
7. Jack Conklin (Tennessee Titans)
I loved Conklin headed into the 2016 Draft, and he has exceeded my expectations since then. His presence has helped Marcus Mariota, and I believe that Mariota will be a much better quarterback a few years from now because of the two top tackles he has on his line.
One interesting thing to watch with the Titans’ offensive line this year is how effective they are at blocking for Dion Lewis on screen plays. I expect the Titans to run screen plays and other pass plays for Lewis on a frequent basis.
Conklin’s health is a concern heading into the 2018 season, as he is recovering from a torn ACL. If he misses the start of the year, it’ll make a big difference.
6. Terron Armstead (New Orleans Saints)
Armstead may be the best pure athlete on this list, and if he has the right year I could easily see him re-entering the top five next season. He doesn’t seem quite as well-rounded as some of the other offensive tackles that are ahead of him on this list. He’s only 26 and he has at least five good years left in him.