:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46357940/usa-today-8170953.0.jpg)
Arguably one of the best players on the entire Ravens roster, Marshall Yanda has been a mainstay on Baltimore's offensive line for quite a while now. Yanda is such an important cog to the offensive line that his injury in 2013 led the Ravens to their first season at .500 or below in some time. However, when healthy, the offensive line has been able to flourish like none other. Just look at last season for a prime example of what a healthy Yanda brings to the table.
Because of that, Marshall Yanda finds himself at number 5 overall on Pro Football Focus' top 101 players of 2014. Great at run blocking and pass protection, Yanda has earned this position through another year of excellent play. Graded as 7th best of all guards in the regular season at pass blocking, Yanda only allowed 1 sack all season long.
Run blocking is where Yanda really shines. His big body and attitude put him well above all the competition when graded on run blocking at a +34.2 overall grade for first. Second didnt even come close with a grade of +18.5. Combined together, it gave Yanda an overall season grade of +43.4 for one of the best seasons for an offensive lineman ever.
PFF goes into great detail with the top 10 players and for good reason. They graded his best game as being in week 14 against the Miami Dolphins with a +5.4 grade. With no negatively graded plays as a run blocker, Yanda impressed the PFF staff so much by making difficult blocks look easy.
The Ravens have stated that Yanda is one of the players that they most want to sign to an extension this offseason, and it comes as no shock on why that is. While Yanda is getting older (he's 30 now), he has still been a model of consistency along an offensive line that sees some of the best defenses in the league every season. Yanda will likely be made the highest paid offensive guard in the NFL when all is said and done because of just how dominant he has been and the importance of his spot along the line in helping both Jeremy Zuttah and Ricky Wagner on the sides of him. At the very least, I'm sure quarterback Joe Flacco and rusher Justin Forsett would give him some of their money to make it happen.