Pete_Prisco

WOW... you are WAAAAAAAY off base here. 

These guys are the foundation for every successful offense!

I agree about the fullback position.  These guys are battering rams, and sadly the business of football makes them disposable and replaceable.  But Guards?...."When was the last time a guard or a fullback won a football game? Are they important pieces?"...When was the last time a team made a serious run in the playoffs without one?  There is a serious lack of depth in the league at the QB position, and these guys keep QBs alive.  There is a lack of depth at RB and WR as well, but without solid linemen, neither of these positions can contribute anyway.  If you look back over the history of the league, you will struggle to find a single championship team that did not get consistent high level performance from its O-line ( or D-line for that matter)  

I think GMs have realized that these guys are the key to having a winning season.  I think the league needs to stop over paying the "skill positions" and spend their money on a guy that can play for your team for 7-9 yrs instead of giving huge contracts to rookie RB's, WRs, and especially QBs that can go busto and wreck your franchise without ever providing any value at all.

Look at what happened to Seattle after Hutchinson left, they went from having Shaun Alexander run for nearly 1900 yards and 28 TD's to.. yeah..

the guard is often the player who pulls 2 block so they naturally have 2 b more athletic than your average lineman a highly athletic guard allows you 2 run more plays on offense it opens up the trap strong toss counter n it even improves the zone blockin cause the guards usually r on linebackers who r much more elusive than their heavier teammates on the line

Guys, they're guards. Why are you paying them so much money?It's a fair question. But I'd say that the performance of the offensive unit starts on the line. This is a "glamour boy" QB or RB's bread and butter. The war is won in the trenches, and in the end, you're really only as good as your unit on the offensive line. If they're paid really well, so be it. It's good that the front offices for some teams realize the critical importance of the guards and tackles.

exactly...and they are 1/5th of a whole unit....

its ridiculous how these bidding wars go....oww