Quote Originally Posted by Policarp View Post
Wasn't that long ago, Pro Bowl Centers were 255-260.....lean & mean. Why does a massive gut on OL that get their weight to & over 300 so coveted anyway? (massive gut true for most teams, not just UL)

I know the extra dead weight doesn't make one quicker, stronger nor faster. With speed rushers attacking the pocket, traps, sweeps so critical to offensive Give me leaner & meaner any day.
I had a cousin who was an all american tackle at Ole Miss. The guy only weighed 250 pounds when he graduated college. But these guys today are huge for a reason. In Josh's case. If you saw him, or guys like him with pads on, a regular sized man like most rnning backs can completely hide behind them & you wouldn't even know they were there. So when they're moving forward, it gives the runner like two steps of freedom to pick his hole, plus get his momentum going. That's a big deal as fast as these guys can accelerate. Plus it takes about a day & a half to get around these guys if your rushing the QB. So a wide bodied quick footed offensive lineman with a long wing span can't just be overpowered, or speed rushed by the Pat Swilling types like they used to be. It's one reason most teams can't sack the QB like they used to.