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Oct 23, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Washington Redskins tackle Trent Williams (71) blocks Detroit Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (94) during the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Redskins offensive line was very strong for a good chunk of the season. Who was the best player across the offensive front?
Any NFL coach will tell you that one of the most important aspects of a team is the offensive line. The unit is often underappreciated, but they can have a huge impact on the performance of the offense.
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For the Washington Redskins, that was certainly true. The team lived and died with their offensive line during the 2016 season, and more often than not, that was a good thing. They had a strong unit that endured a lot of changes to put forth a consistent performance.
With that said, it is time to look at how each individual offensive lineman performed for the team. Here is a look at the grades for the Redskins offensive line in 2016.
Sep 12, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins center Kory Lichtensteiger (78) prepares to snap the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Kory Lichtensteiger
This season was an absolute disaster for Kory Lichtensteiger. After restructuring his contract in the offseason to remain with the team, his level of play fully indicated why he had to take a pay cut.
In the first few games of the season, Lichtensteiger struggled mightily in pass protection and with penalties. He still was decent against the run, but he was clearly not the same player that he once was. Then, he got injured and missed more than half of the season. At the midseason point, I said the following about Lichtensteiger.
After Week 3 of the season, Lichtensteiger was placed on season ending IR. He had injured his calf in the game against the Giants, and the team elected to put him on the injured reserve. It was an easy decision for the team, given how poorly he had played.
Since Lichtensteiger’s absence, the Redskins’ offensive line has been much better. Spencer Long has been a major upgrade at center and the offense has significantly improved. Both the running game and the passing game have been stronger and that has been huge for the team.
Lichtensteiger was reactivated from injured reserve, as the one player that gets designated for return can be, but it was only to provide depth. He served as a backup in one game before spending the rest of the season on the inactives list. Overall, this season was a huge disappointment for Lichtensteiger and his time as a Redskins may be up.
Lichtensteiger’s Season Grade: F
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins guard Shawn Lauvao (77) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Shawn Lauvao
Once Lichtensteiger left the Redskins lineup, Shawn Lauvao came the very obvious weak link up front. The veteran guard simply did not get the job done during the season, and his time with the Redskins could be coming to a close.
Throughout the entirety of the season, Lauvao struggled in pass protection. Most of the pressures that came against Kirk Cousins went through Lauvao. The veteran just could not hold off the interior pass rushers, due to his lack of a strength and agility combo. He was better in run blocking, but he still could have been better.
In addition to his mediocre play, Lauvao missed another couple of games due to injuries. He had an ankle issue that plagued him for a good chunk of the season, but that is no excuse for his poor play. If anything, the injury issues display a greater problem with Lauvao as a player. He has never suited up in all 16 games since joining the Redskins, and thus, he is not an entirely reliable player.
Lauvao’s season was definitely more negative than positive. As he heads toward his eighth year in the league, he has a lot of improving to do. He may be best served as a backup from this point onward.
Lauvao’s Season Grade: D+
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins offensive lineman Vinston Painter (60) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Vinston Painter
Though Vinston Painter did not see a lot of action during the 2016 season, he still did something for his career. He proved that he could stick on an NFL roster. Serving as a depth tackle during the Trent Williams suspension, Painter saw some action as some injuries piled up. For the most part, he provided depth and worked as an extra lineman, but when he was on the field, he fared decently.
Painter is nothing more than depth in the NFL. That has definitely been established. Still, he probably will be on the Redskins roster throughout the offseason, and if they lose anyone to free agency, Painter could be tasked with being the team’s swing tackle. Again, he is nothing special, but he was decent enough to earn a spot.
Painter had never been able to earn a spot during his NFL career to date. Now, he has done that and he deserves a decent grade. He is still a below average player though, so he will get a below average grade.
Painter’s Season Grade: C-
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins guard Arie Kouandjio (74) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Arie Kouandjio
Arie Kouandjio made two starts this season for the Redskins. In one of the starts, Kouandjio had some major problems. He committed two holding penalties against the weak Cleveland Browns, and at the midseason point, I thought that Kouandjio was on his way out.
However, in his second start, Kouandjio fared much better. He looked like a decent all-around backup, and he can probably serve as a spot starter for the Redskins at certain points. If the team elects to part ways with Lauvao, Kouandjio should almost certainly be on the lineup, reprising his role as an interior backup.
The only downside to Kouandjio that was proven this year is that he can only play the guard position. He is simply too stiff to play tackle, and he is too slow off the snap to be a center. Otherwise, the team may have used him as a backup instead of reactivating Lichtensteiger.
At the end of the day, Kouandjio is still just an okay player. He deserves a mediocre grade, but he still has some upside.
Kouandjio’s Season Grade: C-
Dec 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson (25) reacts with center John Sullivan (56) after his touchdown run against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. The Washington Redskins won 27-22. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
John Sullivan
When the Redskins needed some center help, the team turned to a veteran to get the job done. At the midseason point, John Sullivan had barely played at the center position. He served as quality depth for the team, but never needed to see the field.
In the second half of the season, things changed a bit. Sullivan had to make a spot start late in the season, and he still looked rock solid at the center position. He logged a fair amount of time on special teams as a lineman too, so he carved out a nice role for himself.
The fact is that Sullivan should be re-signed by the Redskins. He played very well in limited time, and he could probably still be a starting center for some times. He does not have a lot of time left in the NFL, considering that he is turning 32 prior to the 2017 season, but he helped the Redskins a lot and gave the team some quality depth.
Sullivan did not log enough quality playing time to get a high quality grade. Regardless, he was nothing short of solid and deserves a grade in the B range.
Sullivan’s Season Grade: B-
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe (79) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Ty Nsekhe
When Trent Williams was suspended for four games, there were some who were concerned about the team’s offensive line. After all, the Redskins had one of the best offensive lines in football at the midway point in the season, but Williams really was the leader. How would they do without him?
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Well, the answer turned out to be pretty well. The team got an excellent effort out of their backup left tackle Ty Nsekhe, and that really helped to get them through that four games stretch.
In short, Nsekhe was excellent in pass protection. Using his great length and 6-foot-8 frame, Nsekhe was able to keep Cousins’ blind side clean. He helped the team to put up a lot of points during their offensive explosion, and only had issues in his final start when he had a banged up ankle.
Aside from providing quality insurance for the top two tackles, Nsekhe worked very well as the team’s primary backup. He filled in for the top two options at the tackle position, and proved to be one of the best swing tackles in the NFL. If he was not already 32, he could probably earn a big time contract with another team this offseason. Still, he will almost certainly get a raise from someone.
Nsekhe’s season was nothing short of great. He put together a solid performance and definitely impressed in his second year with the team.
Nsekhe’s Season Grade: B
Dec 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Redskins center Spencer Long (61) and quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) in action during the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Redskins defeat the Bears 41-21. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Spencer Long
At the midseason point, I was very impressed with Spencer Long. After all, he had just come into the starting lineup in Week 3 to strengthen the team’s weakness at center. In our midseason grades, I said the following of Long:
When Spencer Long stepped into the starting lineup for the Washington Redskins, everything changed. The team immediately improved their run blocking, but they especially improved their pass blocking. Opposing teams were no longer able to get a ridiculous amount of pressure on Cousins and that really helped the quarterback.
Since Long has been in the lineup, Cousins has had the time to improve his decision making and accuracy. Long has been rock solid in all aspects of the game, and it really makes you wonder why the team did not put him in the lineup sooner.
Long has also been a versatile player for the Redskins. He has mostly played center, but he has filled in at guard on some snaps, and he has been solid at both positions. Essentially, he is a good quality starting interior lineman who should only improve with more playing time.
All of that rings true to the end of the season. Long has continued to play well, though he was slowed down by a concussion at the close of the season. He has earned the right to be the team’s starting center moving forward, and definitely should be a solid player moving forward.
Long’s Season Grade: B
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins offensive tackle Morgan Moses (76) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Morgan Moses
One of the most improved Redskins of the 2016 season was Morgan Moses. Moses was able to starting in all 16 games during the campaign, and he was generally good in every appearance. He locked down the right tackle position and provided strong pass protection. He was also very good against the run. However, the most important thing that he had was reliability.
Moses seemingly never wanted to miss a snap for the team. Playing in the third highest amount of offensive snaps of any player (1,044), he battled through nagging injuries to provide the best protection that he possibly could. He has come a long way since being the raw product he was when entering the league.
Still, Moses has one issue that he needs to work on. Moses committed eight penalties during the season, and that really hurt the Redskins at certain points. The issues stemmed more from technique than actual talent for Moses. He needs to have more discipline and correct his footwork to avoid holding calls. If he can do that in the future, that would help him greatly. He actually nearly cut his penalty total for 2015 to 2016 in half (15 in 2015, 8 in 2016).
Despite the penalty issues, Moses was the third best lineman on the Redskins for the year. For that reason, he will get a relatively solid grade.
Moses’ Season Grade: B+
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins guard Brandon Scherff (75) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Brandon Scherff
Brandon Scherff is turning into one of the best guards in the NFL. The second year player out of Iowa is living up to his status as a former No. 5 overall pick, and he really has been a difference maker on the right side of the line.
Scherff has excelled in terms of pass protection, and his run blocking has been just as good. As a result of his terrific play, Scherff was voted in to his first Pro Bowl, and will be one of the starters on the offensive line. He earned the nod given the difference that he made for the Redskins offense.
The most impressive part about Scherff’s strong play is that he managed to play 98.5 percent of the offensive snaps during the season. In his two seasons, he has never missed a start in 32 chances. By the beginning of the 2017 season, it would be no surprise if he was the best lineman on the team.
The only issue that Scherff has had are penalties. He committed eight over the course of the season, but part of that was due to him having to help out some of the other linemen. For the most part, Scherff was still amongst the best guards in the game. He is going to get a good grade as a result.
Scherff’s Season Grade: A-
Dec 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Redskins tackle Trent Williams (71) celebrates a touchdown against the Chicago Bears during the second half at Soldier Field. The Redskins defeat the Bears 41-21. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Trent Williams
Just when Washington hit their bye week, the team got a lot of bad news from the league. Trent Williams, the team’s star left tackle, had been suspended for four games due to violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Apparently, Williams had missed a drug test and it cost him big time.
At the time, it was unknown whether or not the Redskins would be able to adequately replace Williams. Nsekhe turned out to be a fine replacement for the team leader, so the impact of the suspension was actually less than initially anticipated.
With that said, Williams’ on the field performance was as good as ever in 2016. He put together a stellar year, committing only three penalties while providing some of the best pass protection in the league. In fact, Von Miller, the league’s best pass rusher, called Williams the best tackle he has ever faced. That appeared to be the case in 2016, as Williams put forth such a solid performance.
At the end of the year, Williams was named as a starter to the Pro Bowl. He and Tyron Smith were the NFC representatives. Simply put, Williams is one of the best tackles in the league. Had he not had the terrible mistake that was the suspension, he would have likely received a perfect “A” grade.
Williams’ Season Grade: A-
Next: Overall Positional Grade
Dec 4, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins offensive tackle Morgan Moses (76) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Redskins 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Overall Positional Grade
There is no doubt that the Redskins offensive line put forth a solid effort in 2016. Though their performance tapered off a bit at the end of the season, that was more due to the effect of nagging injuries on the group. The team had some hard working linemen and that really helped them to give Cousins the protection he so desperately needed.
Still, there are some questions with the team’s veteran players. The team opted to stick with some of their lesser players for too long, and that cost them at the beginning of the season. That is not necessarily the fault of the linemen, but it is the fault of the coaching staff.
At the end of the day, this was a good year for the Redskins offensive line. Their collective stock has to be trending upward, especially if they get rid of the dead wood that is holding the team down.
Overall Season Grade: B+
Next: Season Grades For Washington Redskins ReceiversThis article originally appeared on 
