Pro Football Focus tabs Chargers’ Corey Linsley as NFL’s best center

The Chargers aggressively addressed their offensive line entering 2021, adding second-team All-Pro Rashawn Slater via the draft and left guard Matt Feiler via free agency. Yet, their biggest addition and arguably best lineman in 2021 was veteran Corey Linsley, who was given a five-year, $62.5 million contract to come to Los Angeles last offseason.

So far, that investment looks to be paying off, as Pro Football Focus named Linsley the best center in the league in its 2022 rankings. He edged out the Chiefs’ Creed Humphrey and the Lions’ Frank Ragnow, the only other two centers categorized as elite by Ben Linsey. The former Packer has been in at least the 90th percentile of most of PFF’s stable metrics since 2020, including a 96th percentile score in pass-block grade on true pass sets.

Here’s what Linsey had to say about the center position:

An elite center is a force multiplier for an offensive line, given their responsibilities to call protections and organize the rest of the unit. They’re not just asked to lock down their position; they’re asked to put their fellow offensive linemen and quarterback in a position to succeed.

And that’s why we’ve seen teams with young quarterbacks — the Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals, to name a few — aggressively pursue proven veterans at the position in recent years.

That sentiment certainly rings true for Linsley, whose first season in LA marked an improvement in offensive DVOA from 15th in the league to 4th. Of course, there are many reasons why the Chargers’ offense improved in 2021, but Linsley’s stable veteran presence on the offensive line is undoubtedly a contributing factor. That presence should only amplify importance in year two, especially with rookie Zion Johnson slated to start at right guard next to Linsley.

PFF only ranked the top 16 centers in the league. As a result, AFC West rivals Denver, and Las Vegas failed to land a player on the list.