Offensive Line Rankings and Tiers – End of Season

This is Offensive Line Rankings and Tiers – An End of the NFL Season Review! As the season comes to an end, it feels like the perfect time to revisit the offensive line rankings from early in the season. The 2023 season has been rife with injuries in the trenches which has had a significant impact on the outcomes of teams across the league. The teams that have been able to avoid those injuries or lean on depth are unsurprisingly the teams at the top of the standings.

Now is also the time to start identifying the situations of teams going into the offseason and the 2024 season. Since offensive line play is so crucial to offensive success (ask Bryce Young), understanding the returning starters, needs, and financial situations of different teams leads to real-life and fantasy success. Check out the end-of-season 2023 offensive line rankings (with a bonus paragraph regarding 2024 outlooks) below.

Tier 1: The Elite Units

1. Detroit Lions

Taylor Decker, Jonah Jackson, Frank Ragnow, Graham Glasgow, Penei Sewell

The Lions came into 2023 competing with the Eagles for the distinction of the top offensive line. At this point, it is hard to argue against them as the top offensive line in the NFL this season. Only right tackle Penei Sewell has played in every game this season. However, the Lions have been able to navigate small injury woes throughout the season. This is thanks to their experienced depth. The combination of Sewell (one sack and 11 pressures on 602 pass attempts) and Frank Ragnow (zero sacks and 13 pressures on 504 pass attempts) have been stellar this season. However, the unsung hero of this unit is Graham Glasgow. The veteran has allowed just two sacks and 33 pressures on 542 pass attempts. Glasgow has accomplished this while splitting time between all three interior positions.

Outside of an unforeseen injury, there is no reason to believe Detroit’s offensive line will be anything but great over the final two weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs.

2024 Outlook: The core of Detroit’s offensive line (Taylor Decker, Frank Ragnow, and Penei Sewell) is under contract and will be back in 2024. The Lions must make some decisions at the guard spot. Their top three players at the position (Graham Glasgow, Jonah Jackson, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai) are set to hit free agency. Detroit will need to decide who to prioritize with so many spots on their defense in need of an upgrade.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, Cam Jurgens, Lane Johnson

The Eagles and Lions are very clearly a 1A and 1B on this list with a wide gap between these teams and No. 3 on the list.

Ultimately, the difference in the offensive line ranking comes down to injury issues and Philadelphia’s struggles preventing pressure along the offensive line this season. Both right guard Cam Jurgens and left guard Landon Dickerson have missed time this season, leading to Sua Opeta (two sacks and 20 pressures on 286 snaps) playing a more prominent role. Three different linemen for the Eagles have surrendered over 30 pressures on the season. The leader in this category is left tackle Jordan Mailata (43). This is still a very good offensive line. They just haven’t been as good as Detroit in 2023.

2024 Outlook: All five of Philadelphia’s offensive linemen are under contract in 2024. However, Jason Kelce‘s status must be watched after he flirted with retirement before the 2023 season. If he opts to retire, either Landon Dickerson or Cam Jurgens would likely kick over to center with 2023 third-round pick Tyler Steen the front runner to replace either guard after having a developmental “redshirt” year in 2023.

Tier 2: Great, just not Elite

3. Baltimore Ravens

Ronnie Stanley, John Simpson, Tyler Linderbaum, Kevin Zeitler, Morgan Moses

The Ravens have been healthy for most of 2023 on the offensive line. They have gotten at least 11 starts from all five of their starters. Both Tyler Linderbaum (76.4 PFF grade) and Morgan Moses (77.9 PFF grade) are enjoying career years. One area of concern is left tackle Ronnie Stanley. Stanley seems to be struggling after years of injuries. The veteran left tackle has surrendered career highs in sacks (4) and pressures (37) on just 399 pass-blocking snaps this season.

2024 Outlook: Baltimore will need to hope Ronnie Stanley can bounce back in 2024 with a dead cap hit of $17 million compared to a savings of $8.3 million. Baltimore is cash-strapped. Therefore, it will be difficult to keep both right guard Kevin Zeitler and left guard John Simpson without restructuring other deals. 2023 sixth-round pick Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu was competing to be a starting guard all summer before losing out to Simpson. As a result, he could be primed for a starting role in 2024.

4. Atlanta Falcons

Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Drew Dalman, Chris Lindstrom, Kaleb McGary

Staying healthy was key for the Falcons coming into 2023. For the most part, the team accomplished that goal. All five of their starting offensive linemen have played at least 12 games and 720 snaps this season. The unit has been generally solid. They have given up just 18 sacks while surrendering 106 pressures. The team has also gotten solid play from backup tackle Storm Norton (one sack and six pressures on 153 pass block snaps) in a pinch. This has been a solid group. However, the team will need rookie left guard Matthew Bergeron (59.4 PFF grade) to level out down the stretch.

2024 Outlook: Atlanta’s entire offensive line will return in 2024. Additionally, there is no clear-cut candidate among the five starters. The team could choose to bring back Matt Hennessey (who missed 2023 with an injury) or Storm Norton as depth pieces or could choose to build depth through the draft. If continuity is key to success, then the Falcons should head into 2024 regarded as a top-5 unit once again.

5. Los Angeles Rams

Alaric Jackson, Steve Avila, Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, Rob Havenstein

The Rams were arguably my biggest miss coming into the season. The unit had very little NFL experience but has been one of the best units in the NFL. This has helped Matthew Stafford enjoy a resurgence while putting Kyren Williams on the map in the backfield. The right side of the offensive line has been especially impressive with the combination of Kevin Dotson and Rob Havenstein combining to allow just five sacks and 42 pressures on 465 pass-blocking snaps. Dotson especially has been a revelation after coming over from the Steelers. He ranks as PFF’s No. 2 overall guard in 2023.

2024 Outlook: Los Angeles will head into the offseason with $43 million in cap space and three starting offensive linemen (Coleman Shelton, Kevin Dotson, and Alaric Jackson) in need of a new contract. Dotson has earned a significant pay bump. This could limit the team’s ability to return all three players. Joseph Noteboom was relegated to backup duty in 2023 but could take over for Jackson if the team has to jettison their left tackle for salary cap savings.

6. Las Vegas Raiders

Kolton Miller, Dylan Parham, Andre James, Greg Van Roten, Jermaine Eluemunor

The Raiders’ offensive line put together one of the best seasons in 2023 despite turmoil at the quarterback position. Las Vegas has six different offensive linemen with over 450 snaps this season and five of them have PFF grades above 69.0. The unit has been credited with just 21 sacks this season while providing the league-average amount of time until the pressure in the pocket (2.71 seconds). Thayer Munford Jr. has developed into a solid swing tackle in his second season. Munford Jr. is allowing just four sacks and 25 pressures on 277 pass-blocking snaps while playing both right and left tackle.

2024 Outlook: The Raiders enter the 2024 offseason with $51 million in cap space and three starting offensive linemen (Andre James, Jermaine Eluemunor, and Greg Van Roten) set to hit free agency. Both James and Van Roten have earned new deals. The team could opt to move on from Jermaine Eluemunor to see if Thayer Munford Jr’s solid play continues in an expanded role.

The Raiders are projected to have the No. 12 pick in the NFL Draft and could opt to draft one of the second-tier tackle prospects as well if they like Munford Jr. as a swing tackle long-term. There are plenty of options this offseason for the silver and black.

7. Denver Broncos

Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Lloyd Cushenberry III, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey

Denver invested heavily in their offensive line during the 2023 offseason. For the most part, the results paid off. Both Ben Powers (61.7 PFF grade) and Mike McGlinchey (66.5 PFF grade) have provided solid enough play to help stabilize the unit. It also helps that Quinn Meinerz has ascended into one of the better guards in the NFL. Meinerz is allowing just two sacks and 21 pressures on 553 pass-blocking snaps in his third season. McGlinchey still leaves a bit to be desired in pass protection (six sacks and 48 pressures on 562 pass-blocking snaps). However, he’s been an extremely impressive run blocker in his first season with Denver.

2024 Outlook: Denver is currently projected to be $12 million over the salary cap in 2024. That is before the team chooses to eat $85 million after cutting Russell Wilson. Cutting Garret Bolles ($16 million in savings) would provide relief. However, cutting Bolles seems counterintuitive for a team set on establishing their identity in the trenches. Center Lloyd Cushenberry III is the only starter projected to be a free agent and could be replaced on Day 2 or 3 of the 2024 NFL draft.

8. Minnesota Vikings

Christian Darrisaw, Dalton Risner, Garrett Bradbury, Ed Ingram, Brian O’Neill

The Vikings flirted with a top-three ranking for most of the season before an injury to right tackle Brian O’Neill bumped them down the list. Still, this is a unit that has played extremely well thanks to the continued development of Christian Darrisaw at left tackle (five sacks and 26 pressures on 560 pass-blocking snaps). Dalton Risner has been solid since signing with the team (0 sacks on 397 pass-blocking snaps). However, he hasn’t been a noticeable upgrade over Ezra Cleveland. Right guard Ed Ingram has provided league-average play at right guard. The problem is Ingram leads the team in pressures surrendered this season (38).

2024 Outlook: The Vikings are poised to return four of their starters in 2024 with Dalton Risner as the only player set to hit free agency. The team will need to do some work filling out the depth chart with six of their backups slated to hit the open market. The Vikings are currently slated for a mid-round draft slot. This makes a player like Washington’s Troy Fautanu intriguing in the first round. The Washington tackle is considered a plug-and-play guard in the NFL. He is very similar to Titans’ rookie Peter Skoronski in 2023.

9. Indianapolis Colts

Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Braden Smith

The Colts offensive line rebounded in a big way in 2023. They climbed back into the top 10 thanks to the health and the development of young players. Three of Indianapolis’ starting offensive linemen (Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, and Braden Smith) have allowed fewer than two sacks and 20 pressures on the season. The surprise of this unit has been left tackle Bernhard Raimann. Rainmann took a leap in his second season. He leads the team in PFF grade (81.6) while securing his spot as the left tackle of the future.

2024 Outlook: The Colts will hope that this resurgence is real with all five starting offensive linemen set to return in 2024. Indianapolis needs to see more development from Blake Freeland. Freeland came into his rookie year as a super-athlete with raw technique.

Freeland gave up four sacks and a team-high 44 pressures on 419 pass-blocking snaps this season while mainly replacing Braden Smith on the right side of the line. The BYU product emerging as a solid swing tackle option would provide the Colts with a lot of flexibility going forward.

10. Dallas Cowboys

Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin, Terence Steele

Dallas got exactly what they hoped for from Tyron Smith in 2023. The veteran left tackle has been on the field and looked like his old self. He is surrendering just 15 pressures on 454 pass attempts. Unfortunately, that good has been offset by the awful play of right tackle Terence Steele. Steele has given up a team-leading seven sacks and 49 pressures. That is less than ideal considering the $86.8 million extension he signed in September. The interior of the offensive line has been great thanks to arguably the top guard duo in the league in Zack Martin and Tyler Smith. Dallas has four above-average offensive linemen. They just need the fifth to return to form.

2024 Outlook: The Cowboys will have a tough decision this offseason with Tyron Smith hitting free agency. On one hand, he’s shown that when healthy, he is still capable of being a force at left tackle. On the other, he is getting old and has struggled to stay on the field. The team has a ready-made replacement in left guard Tyler Smith who played well at left tackle in 2022.

Tyler Biadasz is also set to hit free agency and should be a no-brainer to resign. The team could also opt to bring back-up lineman Chuma Edoga back on a cheap deal after he provided solid depth play at left guard and left tackle this season.

Tier 3: Good Seasons with Obvious Flaws

11. Kansas City Chiefs

Wanya Morris, Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Jawaan Taylor

Key Injury: Donovan Smith (LT)

Kansas City gambled this offseason, letting both of their starting tackles walk in free agency. The results have not been great. The combination of Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor combined to allow seven sacks and 84 pressures off the edge this season. Both players have PFF grades below 56.0 in their first season with the Chiefs. Left guard Joe Thuney (74.7 PFF grade) and center Creed Humphrey (80.8 PFF grade) continue to be top players at their position. However, Trey Smith has seemingly stagnated in his third year. Smith has given up 33 pressures on 681 pass-blocking snaps this year.

2024 Outlook: Donovan Smith seems destined to be a one-year wonder with Kansas City as he’s set to hit free agency. The team may have stumbled into a replacement down the stretch with 2023 third-round pick Wanya Morris. The former 5-star recruit struggled with injuries at Oklahoma. But he has looked as good as Smith while filling in for him down the stretch.

The rest of the starters should remain. However, the team may want to bring back Nick Allegretti and Prince Tega Wanogho as depth pieces who have been in the system for years.

12. Buffalo Bills

Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern, Mitch Morse, O’Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown

The Bills offensive line found their stride in 2023. All five starters have played in 15 games this season, totaling at least 983 snaps. The unit has struggled giving up pressures (143). But, teams have converted just nine of those into sacks. Rookie right guard O’Cyrus Torrence has fared well in his first season. He’s allowed just two sacks while tallying a 56.6 PFF grade. There is certainly room for growth. However, the Florida product has held his own in his first season.

2024 Outlook: All five of Buffalo’s starting offensive linemen are under contract in 2024 and only two depth pieces (David Edwards and Germain Ifedi) are set to hit free agency. Unfortunately, Buffalo is heading into the offseason $43 million over the projected salary cap. That could lead to a tough decision regarding 31-year-old center Mitch Morse ($8.5 million savings if cut). It seems far more likely the team will try to restructure other pieces to keep this unit intact in the middle of their Super Bowl window. Any upgrades would likely come via the NFL Draft.

13. Green Bay Packers

Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Jon Runyan, Zach Tom

Key Injury: David Bakhtiari (LT)

The Packers got just 55 snaps out of David Bakhtiari before he was shut down with another knee injury. Green Bay has been able to weather that storm thanks to solid play from unproven tackle Rasheed Walker (five sacks and 29 pressures on 447 pass-blocking snaps). Other than that, it is business as usual for Green Bay in the trenches. This is a solid unit lacking star power, as evidenced by all five linemen having PFF grades between 53.0 and 77.0 this season.

2024 Outlook: It seems very likely that the Packers will move on from Bakhtiari this offseason after another year of a season-ending injury. The veteran has now played just 13 games in the last three seasons. Additionally, he would provide $21.5 million in savings (with a $19.5 million cap hit) if he’s cut. Releasing him would allow the team the flexibility to bring back right guard Jon Runyan and depth tackle Yosh Nijman to keep this unit intact for another year.

14. San Francisco 49ers

Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Spencer Burford, Colton McKivitz

The 49ers’ lofty ranking comes down to the continued exceptional play of Trent Williams. The veteran left tackle has played in 13 games (732 snaps) and is graded as PFF’s No. 2-ranked tackle (86.4 grade) in his age-35 season. Williams has given up just 17 pressures on 403 snaps this season. The rest of this unit is wildly average. San Francisco needs more from the right side of their line. The duo of Spencer Burford and Colton McKivitz have combined to give up 14 sacks and 75 pressures this season. Depth piece Jon Feliciano (80.0 PFF grade) has been great splitting time between left guard, right guard, and center.

2024 Outlook: The 49ers will head into the offseason with very little financial flexibility. The team should consider restructuring to find a way to retain Jon Feliciano‘s services after his strong play as a replacement interior lineman this season. The 49ers seem like a lock to take a shot on this draft class’s exceptional tackle depth on Day 1 or 2 of the NFL Draft given the struggles of Colton McKivitz this season. The team also needs to find a long-term replacement for Trent Williams, who is 35 years old.

15. Miami Dolphins

Terron Armstead, Lester Cotton, Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones, Austin Jackson

Key Injuries: Isaiah Wynn (LG), Connor Williams (C), Robert Hunt (RG)

When healthy, there are not many offensive line groups more talented than the Miami Dolphins. Unfortunately, they just can’t stay on the field. Of their projected starters coming into the season, only right tackle Austin Jackson has played in more than nine games for Miami this year. The team’s other four starters (Terron Armstead, Robert Hunt, Connor Williams, and Isaiah Wynn) combined to allow just two sacks and 19 pressures through the first nine weeks. That group averaged a 73.6 PFF grade when on the field. Kendall Lamm (64.4 PFF grade) has been serviceable playing the tackle spots this season. However, outside of him, the rest of the backups are not good.

2024 Outlook: Miami heads into the offseason $40 million over the projected salary cap. That is troubling considering key contributors along the offensive line like Connor Williams, Isaiah Wynn, Robert Hunt, Kendall Lamm, and Robert Jones are slated to hit free agency. Miami certainly can’t bring all of those players back. This means this team could have an entirely new look in the trenches next season.

Tier 4: Average and Forgettable

16. Washington Commanders

Charles Leno Jr., Saahdiq Charles, Nick Gates, Sam Cosmi, Andrew Wylie

Washington jettisoned expensive veterans on their offensive line before the 2023 season. Despite the high sack numbers (which mostly falls on Sam Howell‘s shoulders), this unit has performed admirably given their inexperience. Charles Leno Jr. (72.5 PFF grade) and Sam Cosmi (81.5 PFF grade) continue to provide strong play at their respective positions while free agent acquisition Andrew Wylie (69.2 PFF grade) has been good despite poor pass-blocking numbers (nine sacks and 42 pressures). Washington has a solid offensive line foundation that could be good with a quarterback who gets the ball out on time in the pocket.

2024 Outlook: Washington’s offensive line will remain mostly intact in 2024. The team needs to decide whether or not to keep left guard Saahdiq Charles and depth interior piece Tyler Larsen. Both players showed flashes this season that would justify bringing them back. This is especially true considering the Commanders have $81 million in cap space to burn. The Commanders will likely address the quarterback position with their top-5 projected 2024 draft pick. They could target Kansas State guard Cooper Beebe in the second round of the NFL Draft if they want to fortify their interior line.

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tristan Wirfs, Aaron Stinnie, Robert Hainsey, Cody Mauch, Luke Goedeke

All of the credit in the world goes to Tristan Wirfs. He flipped from right tackle to left tackle this offseason without missing a beat. The veteran has a 75.6 PFF grade while allowing just five sacks and 24 pressures on 606 pass-blocking snaps this season. The team should also be pleased with the development of Luke Goedeke at right tackle. Goedeke was awful as a guard in his rookie season. However, he has allowed just five sacks and 36 pressures at right tackle this year. Tampa needs to hope that Cody Mauch can show similar growth after a rough rookie season jumping from the FCS level to the NFL (six sacks and 41 pressures). Aaron Stinnie and Robert Hainsey were fine this season. However, the Buccaneers should be looking for upgrades this offseason.

2024 Outlook: From a free agency standpoint, the only contributors that Tampa Bay needs to worry about are left guards Matt Feiler (386 snaps in 2023) and Aaron Stinnie (596 snaps in 2023). Both players are league-average contributors and would at the very least provide depth on the interior. Tampa Bay will need to secure a center of the future after Robert Hainsey (51.1 PFF grade) struggled to take control of the position after Ryan Jensen‘s continued issues recovering from a 2022 knee injury.

18. Cincinnati Bengals

Orlando Brown Jr., Cordell Volson, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, Jonah Williams

The Bengals’ blueprint over the last few seasons has been to invest heavily in the offensive line to help Joe Burrow succeed. Unfortunately, that plan hasn’t worked as intended. The Bengals five starters have combined to allow 27 sacks and 177 pressures in 2023. The team spent big in free agency on veteran left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (and displaced Jonah Williams in the process) only to be rewarded with a team-high 56 pressures from the veteran. By no means are the Bengals a bad unit. The problem is they aren’t nearly as good as their price tag suggests.

2024 Outlook: The only starter set to hit free agency is tackle Jonah Williams. Williams has been a good sport kicking over to the right side of the line. However, we aren’t far removed from his offseason trade demand after the Bengals signed Orlando Brown Jr. The Bengals will need cap flexibility for the impending Ja’Marr Chase extension. This means the team will likely be looking for a new right tackle heading into 2024.

19. New England Patriots

Trent Brown, Atonio Mafi, David Andrews, Sidy Sow, Mike Onwenu

Key Injuries: Cole Strange (LG), Riley Reiff (RT), Conor McDermott (G/T)

The Patriots offensive line got off to a rough start thanks to injuries. However, this unit solidified as the season went on. Seven different players have played at least 373 snaps on New England’s offensive line this year. None of them have given up more than four sacks or 29 pressures. New England has been able to rely on strong veteran play from David Andrews (71.4 PFF grade), Mike Onwenu (70.0 PFF grade), and Trent Brown (80.3 PFF grade) while getting a surprising contribution from 2023 fourth-round pick Sidy Sow (four sacks and 22 pressures on 416 pass blocking snaps) in his rookie season.

2024 Outlook: New England is projected to come into the 2024 offseason with $73 million in cap space. Both left tackle Trent Brown and right tackle Mike Onwenu have played well enough to earn a portion of that money. David Andrews will continue to provide solid play at center while Sidy Sow has earned a longer look at right guard. The return of Cole Strange from a season-ending knee injury will be crucial to the long-term success of this unit.

20. New Orleans Saints

Andrus Peat, James Hurst, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Ryan Ramczyk

Another year has gone by. It seems like the Saints may have whiffed on Trevor Penning. The former first-round pick continued to struggle making the jump from the FCS level to the NFL. Penning surrendered four sacks and 19 pressures on 245 pass attempts before being benched.

Penning likely gets one more chance to show he’s the left tackle of the future. However, the team needs to start considering a move inside to guard to salvage their first-round investment.

The shift on the left side of the line has mostly worked for the Saints this season. Their collective starters have allowed just 18 sacks and 123 pressures this season. Credit goes to veterans Erik McCoy (80.0 PFF grade) and Ryan Ramczyk (73.5 PFF grade) for keeping the unit stable.

2024 Outlook: It will surprise nobody to hear that the Saints are projected to be $87 million over the salary cap heading into the 2024 offseason. Yes, the team will work their magic to be cap-compliant before the season. The problem is it will make retaining some veterans difficult. New Orleans is projected to lose Andrus Peat to free agency. Peat has played a solid left tackle in Penning’s stead after starting the season at left guard. His potential loss would be a double whammy to a team that needs depth given their cap situation.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers

Dan Moore Jr., Isaac Seumalo, Mason Cole, James Daniels, Broderick Jones

The Steelers used free agency funds and draft capital to try and upgrade their offensive line to mixed results. Free agent Isaac Seumalo has been Pittsburgh’s best offensive lineman this season. He’s given up zero sacks and 21 pressures on 535 pass-blocking snaps. The team has also seen very positive flashes from raw, 2023 first-round tackle Broderick Jones (60.6 PFF grade) since he’s moved to right tackle.

Other than that, this is a very average group that struggles with protection. The Steelers especially need to address left tackle after another season of subpar play from veteran Dan Moore Jr. (seven sacks and 51 pressures on 484 pass-blocking snaps).

2024 Outlook: The Steelers’ offensive line is all set to return in 2024. Additionally, the team doesn’t have much financial flexibility to upgrade through free agency. Pittsburgh needs to consider flipping Broderick Jones to left tackle (his natural position) and letting Dan Moore Jr. and Chukwuma Okorafor battle it out for right tackle.

Tier 5: The Walking Wounded

22. Cleveland Browns

Geron Christian, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, James Hudson III

Key Injuries: Jedrick Wills Jr. (LT), Jack Conklin (RT), Dawand Jones (RT)

The Browns have understandably struggled since losing their top three tackles coming into the NFL season. Cleveland was able to weather the loss of Jack Conklin 22 snaps into the season thanks to borderline Pro Bowl play from fourth-round rookie Dawand Jones (three sacks and 21 pressures on 419 snaps). Unfortunately, he also suffered a season-ending injury, which stretched this team’s depth to its breaking point.

As a silver lining, the Browns’ interior offensive linemen have once again been stellar. They are combining to average a 70.1 PFF grade. Cleveland is firmly in the 2023 playoff picture but will need their backup tackles to perform well above their historical play to make a significant run.

2024 Outlook: The Browns starters are locked into their contracts in 2024. Therefore, their success in the trenches will come down to how well everyone recovers from their respective injuries. The Browns were able to develop an excellent swing tackle option in Dawand Jones but will need to free up some cap space to bring back depth on the interior in Michael Dunn and/or Nick Harris.

23. Chicago Bears

Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Lucas Patrick, Nate Davis, Darnell Wright

Chicago came into the season as one of my upside offensive lines thanks to their combination of solid veterans and young, upside tackles. Unfortunately, injuries forced them to rely on questionable depth. When healthy, this unit has performed quite well, especially with left tackle Braxton Jones (69.2 PFF grade) and Teven Jenkins (74.9 PFF grade). 2023 first-round pick Darnell Wright has had growing pains, but he’s proven to be a solid tackle in his first season. The rookie has allowed just seven sacks and 48 pressures on 581 pass-blocking snaps while leading the team in offensive snaps (1,006).

This unit will once again be a favorite to take a step next season if they can all stay on the field.

2024 Outlook: Chicago heads into 2024 with flexibility along the offensive line thanks to two projected top-10 picks. The team needs to consider bringing back pending free agent Lucas Patrick (zero sacks and 24 pressures on 522 pass-blocking snaps). It also seems very likely that the team will cut Cody Whitehair ($9.1 million in savings) after an underwhelming 2023 season (46.3 PFF grade). The Bears have solid tackle options, but taking Olumuyiwa Fashanu from Penn State or Joe Alt from Notre Dame isn’t out of the question with their second first-round pick to build a strong offensive line for whatever quarterback is under center going forward.

24. Houston Texans

Laremy Tunsil, Juice Scruggs, Michael Deiter, Shaq Mason, George Fant

Key Injury: Kendrick Green (LG), Jarrett Patterson (C), Tytus Howard (G/T), Kenyon Green (LG)

C.J. Stroud has been phenomenal in his rookie season. However, he could have been even better with offensive line stability. The Texans lost two left guards in Kendrick Green and Kenyon Green, a third left guard in Tytus Howard (who started the season at right tackle), and a solid starting center in Jarrett Patterson. Those injuries forced projected starting center Juice Scruggs to play at left guard and veteran George Fant to play at right tackle. Despite all of that, this has still been a solid unit. Shaq Mason (three sacks and 27 pressures on 642 pass-blocking snaps) has helped stabilize the interior of the offensive line while Laremy Tunsil (72.8 PFF grade) continues to be one of the best tackles in the league. Hopefully, the injuries don’t stunt the development of Houston’s young pieces so this offensive line can ascend in 2024.

2024 Outlook: Houston’s projected starting lineup will return in 2024, but the team is set to lose a lot of depth in the trenches. Given the team’s injury history, they will need to invest in depth by bringing back players like George Fant, Josh Jones, and Michael Deiter to promote veteran depth and continuity to keep C.J. Stroud healthy in the pocket.

25. Tennessee Titans

Jaelyn Duncan, Peter Skoronski, Aaron Brewer, Daniel Brunskill, Dillon Radunz

Key Injury: Nicholas Petit-Frere (RT), Chris Hubbard (RT)

Tennessee attempted to rebuild their offensive line through free agency and the NFL Draft during the 2023 offseason. The results of those investments have been mixed at best. Daniel Brunskill (68.1 PFF grade) has played well at right guard after being a rotational player with the 49ers in 2022. Additionally, 2023 first-round pick Peter Skoronski looks like a foundational piece on the offensive line after allowing just four sacks and 28 pressures on 458 pass-blocking snaps.

Unfortunately, left tackle Andre Dillard (10 sacks and 36 pressures on 286 snaps) hasn’t worked nearly as well and was eventually benched for developmental rookie Jaelyn Duncan, who has struggled in his place.

2024 Outlook: The Titans need to figure out if their future left tackle is on the roster this offseason. Dillon Radunz seems to have taken to right tackle (65.3 PFF grade) and should start the 2024 season there. That leaves Jaelyn Duncan (37.8 PFF grade) or Nicholas Petit-Frere (35.5 PFF grade) as the “best” option.  Tennessee would be wise to bring back veteran right tackle Chris Hubbard as an insurance policy and Aaron Brewer at center. Expect the Titans to be a potential landing spot for one of the NFL Draft’s top tackle prospects, especially if they find their way into a top-five pick (currently projected No. 7 overall). Joe Alt or Olu Fashanu would take this unit to the next level.

26. Los Angeles Chargers

Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Trey Pipkins III

Key Injury: Corey Linsley (C), Will Clapp (C)

The Chargers offensive line has wildly underperformed relative to their expectations coming into the season. The team has one bright spot in left tackle Rashawn Slater (76.6 PFF grade) and a bunch of question marks surrounding him. The combination of Zion Johnson, Jamaree Salyer, and Trey Pipkins III have been on the field for over 1,000 snaps this season, but have combined to give up 20 sacks and 117 pressures. This team has desperately missed veteran center Corey Linsley to provide stability on the interior.

2024 Outlook: On one hand, all of Los Angeles’ starting offensive linemen are set to return in 2024. On the other hand, there isn’t any evidence that any of them (outside of Rashawn Slater) are good at football. The team’s success will likely hinge on Corey Linsley‘s ability to return from a heart issue that cost him most of the 2023 season. As enticing as it would be to add a top-flight wide receiver with their top-5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, this team needs to prioritize a tackle prospect like Olu Fashanu or Joe Alt to replace Trey Pipkins at right tackle.

27. Seattle Seahawks

Charles Cross, Damien Lewis, Evan Brown, Anthony Bradford, Abraham Lucas

Key Injury: Phil Haynes (RG)

The Seahawks expected second-year tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas to take a big step in 2023 after solid rookie seasons. Unfortunately, both players missed a significant part of the season due to injuries. Cross has regained his rookie-year form in 12 games (71.1 PFF grade) while Lucas has come along more slowly in five games (56.8 PFF grade). The interior of the offensive line has been solid but unspectacular throughout the season. The combination of Evan Brown, Damien Lewis, Anthony Bradford, and Phil Haynes has surrendered 12 sacks and 86 pressures.

2024 Outlook: Seattle will have some decisions to make regarding their interior offensive line. All three of the team’s incumbent starting offensive linemen (Damien Lewis, Evan Brown, and Phil Haynes) are set to hit free agency, and the team has just $3 million in projected salary cap heading into the offseason. Seattle will hope that 2023 fourth-round pick Anthony Bradford can secure one of the three openings.

Tier 6: The Arizona Cardinals

28. Arizona Cardinals

D.J. Humphries, Elijah Wilkinson, Hjalte Froholdt, Will Hernandez, Paris Johnson Jr.

Arizona added a 2023 top-10 pick (Paris Johnson Jr.) into a veteran core of offensive linemen this offseason. Unfortunately, the results have been quite underwhelming. There have been some definite high points for the rookie right tackle, but he’s struggled in pass protection. This is evidenced by his team-leading 41 pressures. Four of the team’s five starters (excluding Elijah Wilkinson) have played at least 868 snaps this season. That group has surrendered 18 sacks and 113 pressures. It is extremely difficult to find anything they are great at consistently, especially when it comes to the run game.

2024 Outlook: The Cardinals will return four of their core starters and one important depth piece (backup swing tackle Kelvin Beachum). The team will need to decide if either Elijah Wilkinson or Trystan Colon has shown enough at left guard to warrant another contact with the team. Odds are the Cardinals will bring back one or both of the players as depth while attacking free agency or the NFL Draft to find a starter who can elevate this unit.

Tier 7: The Quarterback Killers

29. Carolina Panthers

Ikem Ekwonu, Cade Mays, Bradley Bozeman, Nash Jensen, Taylor Moton

Key Injuries: Brady Christensen (G/T), Austin Corbett (RG), Chandler Zavala (LG)

The Panthers’ offensive line is a mess (although not the worst in this ranking). The team has had three players (Ikem Ekwonu, Bradley Bozeman, and Taylor Moton) who have played every snap this season. Unfortunately, injuries have forced them to rotate through a slew of replacement-level guards. Ekwonu, Bozeman, and Moton have given up 17 sacks and 106 pressures. The rotational guards (Calvin Throckmorton, Cade Mays, Chandler Zavala, and Austin Corbett) have given up 11 sacks and 94 pressures. All of that is problematic when you have a small quarterback throwing to receivers that cannot separate from opposing corners. It’s been a rough season in Carolina and even worse when considering the lack of development from Ekwonu in his second season.

2024 Outlook: It is clear that the Panthers don’t have many answers to their offensive line problems in their current offensive line room. All five of the team’s starters will return, but they will need to undergo some unbelievable development to get this unit to league average. Hopefully, another year of experience for Ikem Ekwonu and a relatively normal offseason for Austin Corbett will help matters next year, but there doesn’t look to be salvation on the current roster.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

Walker Little, Ezra Cleveland, Luke Fortner, Brandon Scherff, Anton Harrison

Key Injury: Cam Robinson (LT)

The Jaguars offensive line was extremely underwhelming in 2023 and undoubtedly contributed to the offense’s woes based on expectations. Of the six players with at least 248 snaps, only one (Brandon Scherff) has a PFF grade above 64.0. Collectively, those six players have given up 16 sacks and 112 pressures.

Anton Harrison was thrown into the fire as a raw, first-round rookie and did well given the holes in his game. He’s given up just five sacks and 26 pressures on 624 pass-blocking snaps and played a steady right tackle.

A suspension and a knee injury forced Cam Robinson to play just 408 snaps. This led the team to move Walker Little to left tackle and trade for Ezra Cleveland. None of those moves did anything to move the needle and have led to Jacksonville’s continued struggles.

2024 Outlook: The Jaguars head into the 2024 offseason with $24 million in cap space and a much-needed talent infusion along the offensive line. The Jaguars have a bunch of role players from the offensive line room heading into free agency (Ezra Cleveland included), so the team will need to hit on some depth pieces in the NFL Draft. Jacksonville was able to get young players like Walker Little, Luke Fortner, and Anton Harrison some solid experience. This trio could form a solid young nucleus if they take a developmental step next season. If they don’t, expect more of the same problems in 2024.

31. New York Jets

Mekhi Becton, Laken Tomlinson, Joe Tippmann, Max Mitchell, Carter Warren

Key Injuries: Alijah Vera-Tucker (G/T), Connor McGovern (G/C), Wes Schweitzer (G/C), Duane Brown (LT)

The Jets have once again spent a season trying to navigate a series of crippling injuries along the offensive line. At least the team got a healthy season from Mekhi Becton! The veteran left tackle has surrendered 11 sacks and 42 pressures on 570 pass attempts, so the injuries may have taken their toll on his effectiveness. There also have to be significant injury concerns for Alijah Vera-Tucker as well after he lost another year on his rookie contract due to a season-ending injury. As one positive, 2023 second-round pick Joe Tippmann has been solid at center, which makes him the best offensive lineman on this unit.

2024 Outlook: The Jets will have some hard decisions next season. Laken Tomlinson, Joe Tippmann, and Alijah Vera-Tucker (either at center or at guard) will secure three of the five spots in 2024. However, the Jets have several notable free agents including Mekhi Becton, Duane Brown, and Connor McGovern to decide on. Given the needs this team has at tackle, expect the obvious connection between the Jets and David Bakhtiari. If that doesn’t happen, the Jets need to aggressively attack offensive line in the NFL Draft given the lack of other holes on this roster.

32. New York Giants

Andrew Thomas, Justin Pugh, John Michael Schmitz Jr., Ben Bredeson, Tyre Phillips

Key Injuries: Joshua Ezeudu (G), Shane Lemieux (G/C), Evan Neal (RT)

The offensive line for the Giants has been an absolute disaster. The season started with Andrew Thomas suffering a hamstring injury that has limited him to 435 snaps. 2022 first-round pick Evan Neal continued the struggles from his rookie season, looking stiff in pass protection while allowing two sacks and 30 pressures on 309 pass blocks. Giants’ fans likely saw his trip to the injured reserve as a blessing, but it is a big hit to his development. Finally, 2023 second-round pick John Michael Schmitz Jr. struggled in his first year (48.8 PFF grade) while missing four games of his own.

2024 Outlook: Can it be worse? The Giants will likely look to return depth given their injury woes, which means the team will retain some combination of Justin Pugh, Matt Peart, Tyre Phillips, and Shane Lemieux before they can hit free agency. The best-case scenario for the Giants’ is that Andrew Thomas comes back healthy, and John Michael Schmitz acclimates to the league better in 2024. The Giants also need to consider kicking Evan Neal into guard during his third season, so they can take advantage of the 2024 draft class depth at right tackle.

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