Matt Mosely, of ESPN, ranked the left tackles in the NFC East. Here’s his list:
1. Jason Peters, Eagles: I know he’s coming off a down season in Buffalo, but I still think he’s the most dominating left tackle in the division.
2. David Diehl, Giants: This won’t please Redskins fans, but Diehl has become the picture of consistency. He and Shaun O’Hara are the emotional leaders of what has become one of the top offensive lines in the league.
3. Chris Samuels, Redskins: Still a very effective blocker when healthy. But he’s starting to age a little bit. I still think Samuels is one of the best technique-wise, but the quickness has faded a bit.
4. Flozell Adams, Cowboys: In 2003, it looked like he was on the verge of becoming one of the most dominant left tackles in the game. But he suffered a knee injury the following season, and he’s never really regained that form. Still shows up against elite pass-rushers such as Justin Tuck, but he’ll no-show you in a hurry against the Bengals.
My Take: I’m not sold on Jason Peters, which is why I think David Diehl is the best left tackle in the NFC East. Let’s face it: Peters had an awful year last year. Plain awful. Sure, he showed up late to camp due to contract issues, but the fact remains. Diehl is, as Mosley points out, consistent. Game in and game out, you know what you’re going to get. Peters, while more talented that Diehl, hasn’t shown that consistency. Diehl never seems out of position. I’m taking the ‘wait and see’ approach on Peters. Until he shows the consistency of Diehl, I’m not putting him at the top of the list. So here is my list of NFC East Left Tackles:
Diehl
Peters
Samuels
Adams
Who do you think is the best left tackle in the NFC East?