AFC West offensive line rankings: Chiefs, Raiders compete for top spot
By Grant Tuttle
A great offensive line is hard to come by in today’s NFL. In the AFC West, there is no exception. So, who has the best offensive line in the division?
The AFC West is known for the great pass-rushers in the division. Names like Von Miller, Joey Bosa, and Frank Clark fill offensive coordinators with dread every week. Even with a great offensive line, that caliber of pass-rusher can be scary for an offense.
Without a good offensive line, you may be in trouble. How well does the AFC West hold up against its own great pass-rushers?
There are plenty of new faces along the AFC West’s offensive lines. How much difference will they make in 2019? Who has made the biggest improvement since last year? Who has the best all-around offensive line in the division?
1. The Kansas City Chiefs
Projected starters: Eric Fisher, Andrew Wylie, Austin Reiter, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Mitchell Schwartz
In Kansas City, protecting the quarterback is paramount. When you are in a Super Bowl window with a third-year player who has already won the MVP award, it would be a disaster to have a dysfunctional offensive line. Luckily for the Chiefs, they invested wisely in some key pieces that put them at the top of the rankings.
Highlighting the Chiefs offensive line is right tackle Mitchell Schwartz. Schwartz has consistently held his own against elite pass-rushers. Last season he was so good that PFF awarded him with the Bruce Matthews Best Offensive Lineman Award. It is because of Schwartz that the Chiefs are ranked so highly.
On the other side of the line, left tackle Eric Fisher has shown signs of real growth and improvement to make himself a top-tier lineman in the NFL. On the interior Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is one of the most underrated guards in the game today. Austin Reiter and Andrew Wylie have both been solid when called upon.