Offensive Line: C –
Maybe the better grade for these guys could be an incomplete. Injuries devastated this unit from the beginning of the season and it never really slowed down.
Starting left guard Xavier S’ua-Filo missed several games to start the year and his replacement, Jeff Adams (a converted tackle) was then lost for the year due to a knee injury.
Left tackle Duane Brown battled a hand injury all season and with him and Adams out there was a lot of shifting just to make things work.
Chris Clark (acquired right before the start of the season) got a lot of work this season as did Kendall Lamm. The undrafted Lamm, from Appalachian State, played in 15 games with four starts.
To make things work, players like Clark and Lamm would be inserted as the tackles, while starting right tackle Derek Newton would have to slide over to left guard.
In the end, too few running lanes were found and the quarterback had to get rid of the ball quicker than expected. No one on this unit can really be blasted for any of that, it’s just what happens when having to deal with so much change due to players getting hurt.
2016 could see improvement simply by this group finding better luck in the health department.
Next: Tight Ends