Detroit Lions top the NFC North offensive line power rankings
By Ash Thompson
The Minnesota Vikings offensive line
Let me start by saying that 56 years old is far too young for someone to die. I got off my butt and did some cardio for the first time in a while yesterday. I am going again today. Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano passed away unexpectedly Sunday.
It is tragic, an I do not want to minimize that in the below discussion. It would be difficult and somewhat pointless to discuss the Vikings offensive line without recognizing the impact of his absence on the position group he has led for three years.
He was one of the NFL’s most respected offensive line coaches. He was a former head coach that brought decades of experience to the Vikings offensive line group. This is a very bad thing for the Vikings offensive line.
The Vikings young players will be adversely affected. Pat Elflein did not have a good rookie season as the Vikings center. He is a promising prospect, but he has had trouble transitioning potential into performance.
The Vikings also used a high pick on an offensive tackle, Brian O’Neill. He was considered a project with a great deal of potential. The Vikings had a coach in place with a history of developing projects like O’Neill into the players they showed flashes of in college.
Additionally, Mike Remmers is moving to guard from right tackle. The Vikings were undoubtedly relying on Sparano’s coaching ability to ease that transition. The team brought in Rashod Hill to hold the spot until O’Neill was ready to take it.
The best player on this line is former Lions Reilly Rieff. Lions fans are intimately familiar with what that means for an offense. Reiff was the Lions best lineman for a couple seasons prior to Bob Quinn’s arrival. He would not start for the Lions in 2017.
The Vikings had the worst offensive line in the division before Sparano’s death. This tragedy on the eve of training camp will make the group even worse.