NFL Offensive Line Rankings 2023
Most of the big-ticket free agents have found new homes and the NFL draft is just over two weeks away, and it's time to take a look at the NFL Offensive Line Rankings for 2023.
Plenty of depth charts and team outlooks will change as the newest crop of rookies come into the league. However, we can also look at depth charts after free agency and assess where teams currently are and what they may be targeting in the draft.
Offensive line play is traditionally overlooked, especially when it comes to fantasy football. However, offensive lines make up nearly half of the offensive personnel and can make or break all fantasy-relevant positions. Having an understanding of which units are strong can make or break fantasy teams as you analyze late-round picks to target in fantasy drafts to build depth.
This article will offer a preliminary ranking of all offensive line (OL) units in the NFL as we prepare for the NFL draft. Expect updates to this article after the NFL draft (especially considering the top-end tackle talent in the class) and again as training camps start to shake out depth charts. But for now, we can look at preliminary depth charts to determine which teams are in good shape heading into next year.
If you are looking for fantasy football or NFL tools, data analysis, and more check out the FTN FantasyHQ here. You will find many sets of offensive line tools including:
Let’s get to the rankings. As always, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter (@fornekdf) to give thoughts/opinions or ideas you agree or disagree with.
2023 NFL Offensive Line Rankings
Below is every team ranked 1-32 by how their offensive line shapes up for 2023.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, Cam Jurgens, Lane Johnson
The Eagles topped this list ahead of the 2022 season and will continue to stay there until further notice. Four of five of Philadelphia’s offensive line starters will return to the starting lineup after Jason Kelce decided to return. That group of players (Mailata, Dickerson, Kelce and Johnson) allowed just 71 pressures and seven sacks last season according to PFF. The loss of right guard Isaac Seumalo is significant, but the team has two capable players to compete for the starting spot in 2022 second-round pick Cam Jurgens and 2023 third-rounder Tyler Steen. Neither player had much experience at guard in college, but both have the tools necessary to play the position for the Eagles next season. As it stands, the only thing that stands in the way of the Eagles from dominating up front again is health.
2, Detroit Lions
Taylor Decker, Jonah Jackson, Frank Ragnow, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Penei Sewell
Like Philadelphia, Detroit returns four of five offensive line starters from a unit that dominated the line of scrimmage in 2022. Unlike the Eagles, Detroit’s only non-returning starter (Halapoulivaati Vaitai) has been a starter on the team before and just missed last season due to an injury. The Lions have one of the best tackle tandems in the league (just six combined sacks surrendered) and one of the best young centers in the NFL in Frank Ragnow (13 pressures on 627 pass-blocking snaps). So why aren’t they headlining this list? The uncertainty of Vaitai’s health, the general struggles of Jonah Jackson at left guard, and the loss of depth on the interior of the offensive line with Evan Brown leaving in free agency.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Jake Matthews, Matthew Bergeron, Drew Dalman, Chris Lindstrom, Kaleb McGary
Everything came together for the Falcons’ highly drafted offensive line in 2022, which made them arguably the biggest surprise of any team on this list last season. Right guard Chris Lindstrom asserted himself as one of the top interior linemen in the league and Kaleb McGary took a step forward in his development leading to a big extension this offseason. Drew Dalman had some struggles in protection (27 pressures in 517 pass-blocking snaps), but otherwise, this unit was sound in protection. As a bonus, Atlanta featured the best average run-blocking unit according to PFF (81.2 average run-blocking grade), paving the way for Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offense and helping rookie Tyler Allgeier rush for 1,035 yards in his first NFL season. Atlanta potentially upgraded the left guard position by drafting Syracuse tackle/guard Matthew Bergeron in the second round of the NFL draft as well. The rookie allowed just 23 hurries and 10 sacks in 2,136 career snaps in college and should translate well to the interior of the offensive line. This unit is poised to open big rushing lanes for Bijan Robinson next season.
4. Baltimore Ravens
Ronnie Stanley, Ben Cleveland, Tyler Linderbaum, Kevin Zeitler, Morgan Moses
The Ravens don’t feature the most star power on the offensive line, but they are a solid unit that is made up of consistent starters who do their jobs well. Tyler Linderbaum provided the consistency expected from a first-round center (29 pressures and three sacks on 632 pass-blocking snaps) and veteran tackles Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses continued their all-around solid play. Projected starting guard Ben Cleveland played just 95 snaps last year but has some spot starting experience and could be upgraded in the draft if the team prefers him as a depth piece along the line. This is a solid unit with depth provided by Patrick Mekari and Daniel Faalele.
5. Cleveland Browns
Jedrick Wills, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, Jack Conklin
The Browns' collective offensive line took a step back from their usual domination last season. Both Jedrick Wills (41 pressures and six sacks in 652 passing snaps) and Jack Conklin (13 pressures and two sacks in 508 snaps) gave up more pressure than usual. Luckily, the Browns got stellar play from Joel Bitonio and Ethan Pocic to stabilize the interior of the offensive line. Even with their struggles on the edges, the Browns projected starters allowed just 110 pressures and 14 sacks on the season. Cleveland once again returns all five of their starters and as long as they get the same continued dominance on the interior along with bounce backs from Wills and Conklin, they should hit their top-five potential once again in 2023. The team also invested in Dawand Jones with pick 111 in the 2023 NFL Draft. Jones is a mountain of a man who will likely be a swing tackle to start his career but could develop into solid insurance for Wills and Conklin as they continue to get older.
6. Los Angeles Chargers
Rashawn Slater, Jamaree Salyer, Corey Linsley, Zion Johnson, Trey Pipkins
This ranking assumes that Rashawn Slater can fully recover and is ready to start the season after suffering a season-ending biceps injury in Week 3. Slater looked dominant once again to start the season (three pressures and one sack in 113 pass-blocking snaps). Additionally, Corey Linsley continued to be one of the best centers in the NFL, stabilizing the offensive line. The team will need better play from the right side of the line (Zion Johnson and Trey Pipkins accounted for 74 of the team’s 165 pressures), but the team is in a perfect position to add an offensive lineman in the upcoming NFL draft. Jamaree Salyer is slated to play right guard at this point in the offseason but could easily factor in at right tackle after an encouraging rookie season (five sacks in 696 pass attempts). A healthy Slater makes everybody across the line better and could push this unit into the top five.
7. Green Bay Packers
David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Jon Runyan, Zach Tom
Injuries to David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins early in 2022 allowed the Packers to play many different offensive line configurations and build depth across the unit. Assuming both Bakhtiari and Jenkins can stay healthy in 2023, that puts the Packers in a prime position to reclaim a spot as a top-10 unit in the NFL. Seven different players on Green Bay’s offensive line played at least 451 snaps last year and none of them allowed more than 28 pressures or five sacks on the season. Few teams can match the Packers' depth and experience heading into 2023 and they could easily climb into the top five with a little bit of luck on the health front.
8. Dallas Cowboys
Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin, Terence Steele
There are plenty of ways that Dallas can play their offensive line situation in 2023. They can roll with the best configuration (listed above), roll with a similar situation as the end of last season when Tyron Smith returned from injury (moving Tyler Smith to left tackle and Tyron to right tackle). They can also choose to utilize Terence Steele (assuming he signs his second-round tender) at right tackle or left guard or make him a swing tackle with free agent acquisition Chuma Edoga filling in for departed free agent guard Connor McGovern. The Cowboys run six deep in terms of experienced offensive linemen, but their best form involves Tyron Smith bouncing back from three straight injury-plagued seasons. This unit still has plenty of talent, they will just need to answer questions about Tyron Smith’s health and the plan at left guard to climb this list.
9. San Francisco 49ers
Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Spencer Burford, Colton McKivitz
The 49ers came into the 2022 season with questions along the interior of the offensive line surrounded by two strong tackles. Fast forward one year and the team has seemingly answered the questions on the inside but finds themselves replacing the steady play of Mike McGlinchey at right tackle. Trent Williams continues to defy age, finishing as PFF’s fifth-ranked tackle in the NFL and showing no signs of slowing down. The 49ers also got strong play from Aaron Banks and Jake Brendel in their first seasons as starters and opted to roll with Spencer Burford at right guard after he spent most of last season rotating with Daniel Brunskill, who left in free agency. The strength of the offensive line will come down to how well Colton McKivitz (one pressure in 32 pass-blocking snaps) can replace McGlinchey. Regardless, this unit returns four of five starters and should be poised to continue their strong play as long as Williams holds up.
10. Minnesota Vikings
Christian Darrisaw, Ezra Cleveland, Garrett Bradbury, Ed Ingram, Brian O'Neill
If this list was strictly ranking all of the tackle tandems in the NFL, then Minnesota would undoubtedly be higher on this list. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw and right tackle Brian O'Neill combined to give up just 47 pressures and 11 sacks on 1,320 pass-blocking snaps last season. Unfortunately, this article takes into account the interior offensive line as well. The combination of Ezra Cleveland, Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram surrendered 147 pressures. Ingram was especially brutal, registering just a 42.6 pass-blocking grade on PFF, which was 109th among guards. The Vikings can leap in these rankings, but it is going to take a significant improvement from their interior blockers.
11. Kansas City Chiefs
Jawaan Taylor, Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Lucas Niang
The Chiefs rode a dominant offensive line to another Super Bowl championship, then promptly blew the unit up this offseason. Kansas City allowed both left tackle Orlando Brown and right tackle Andrew Wylie to walk in free agency, replacing one in free agency (Jawaan Taylor) and the other from depth (Lucas Niang). Kansas City will need a bounceback from right guard Trey Smith after he struggled in his sophomore season (41 pressures and two sacks in 821 passing snaps). They’ll also hope that Taylor’s best season at right tackle with Jacksonville (21 pressures and five sacks in 771 pass-blocking reps) can translate to the left side of the line. The Chiefs took an upside swing on oft-injured tackle Wanya Morris out of Oklahoma in the third round of the draft as insurance. The former five-star recruit never logged 600 snaps in a season as a Sooner, but he has all of the physical tools to develop into a swing tackle at the NFL level. Kansas City is still a fringe top-10 unit despite the loss of both tackles, but until this unit has time to gel, it is hard to put them much higher.
12. Denver Broncos
Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Lloyd Cushenberry, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey
Few teams attacked the free agent market along the offensive line like the Denver Broncos. Denver signed Mike McGlinchey to man the right tackle position and replaced free agent left guard Dalton Risner with Ben Powers from the Baltimore Ravens. They will hope that these additions can provide a stronger foundation for the unit. Their improvement will also be contingent on the health of left tackle Garett Bolles (325 snaps in 2022) and the continued development of Lloyd Cushenberry and Quinn Meinerz at center. On paper, this is a better unit than last year, but they will need to stay healthy to truly reach their potential under new head coach Sean Payton.
13. Seattle Seahawks
Charles Cross, Damien Lewis, Evan Brown, Phil Haynes, Abraham Lucas
The Seahawks hit big on the draft last season, securing two tackles who flashed the makings of NFL-caliber players. Both Cross (50 pressures) and Lucas (30 pressures) had their struggles in their first season in the league, but both flashed the ability to be long-term answers on the book ends. Seattle got a strong season from Damien Lewis (PFF’s 27th-ranked guard) and upgraded the center position by acquiring Evan Brown in free agency after he had a strong final season with the Detroit Lions. Seattle will need to see continued growth from Cross and Lucas to climb the rankings, but it seems like they’ve got a solid core established for the foreseeable future. Expect right guard Phil Haynes to compete for a starting spot with 2023 third-round pick Anthony Bradford from LSU. Bradford had his struggles as a pass blocker in his lone season as a starter (five hurries and four sacks on 507 pass-blocking attempts), but he is a mauler in the run game and could find his way into the starting lineup of Seattle’s run-based offense.
14. Chicago Bears
Braxton Jones, Nate Davis, Cody Whitehair, Teven Jenkins, Darnell Wright
The Bears committed to being terrible during the 2022 season, and it paid off when they headed into the 2023 offseason with the league’s most cap space and the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which they ultimately traded for assets. Thankfully along the way, the Bears discovered some solid pieces among the offensive line moving forward. Rookie Day 3 pick Braxton Jones finished as the top-graded rookie tackle in the NFL, and Teven Jenkins kicked inside to guard and had flashes of domination through the season The team now has two potential building blocks along the line and added veteran guard Nate Davis (14 pressures and three sacks in 385 pass blocking reps). Chicago was able to plug the biggest hole in their offensive line by drafting pro-ready right tackle Darnell Wright with the 10th pick of the NFL draft. The former Tennessee Volunteer allowed zero sacks on 507 pass-blocking snaps against (mostly) SEC edge rushers and was a mauler on the ground. Chicago has the pieces to push into the top-10 offensive line rankings by the end of the season if all the pieces gel together quickly.
15. Cincinnati Bengals
Orlando Brown, Cordell Volson, Ted Karras, Alex Cappa, Jonah Williams
The Bengals are just one year removed from a complete overhaul of their offensive line after adding Ted Karras, Alex Cappa and La'el Collins in free agency before the 2022 season. While those changes had largely positive effects, it wasn’t enough to get the Bengals over the hump in a loaded AFC. The team chose to invest big in free agency, adding Orlando Brown to seemingly man the left tackle position and seemingly kicking Jonah Williams to right tackle (if the team chooses to not honor his trade request). Brown is coming off an inconsistent 2022 season (58 pressures and four sacks in 893 snaps), but he will hopefully lock down the left side of the offensive line. Time will tell if the Bengals can get Jonah Williams to buy into playing right tackle, but even if they can’t Collins is still under contract and has shown the ability to be productive. The uncertainty at the position (and the general struggles of Cordell Volson in his rookie season) are the only reasons the Bengals aren’t higher on this list.
16. Indianapolis Colts
Bernhard Raimann, Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Braden Smith
Things change quickly in the NFL. Just two years ago, the Colts had one of the best young offensive lines in the NFL and were poised to dominate in the trenches for years to come. Fast forward to the 2023 offseason, and we are questioning anybody outside of right tackle Braden Smith. Both Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly struggled to find their way after an injury-riddled 2021 season and the team struggled at right guard after letting Mark Glowinski leave in free agency. The Colts have also struggled to fill the void after left tackle Anthony Castonzo’s retirement after the 2020 season. Thankfully, rookie left tackle Bernhard Raimann looked solid after making the leap from the MAC in college (27 pressures and five sacks in 428 pass-blocking snaps) and Braden Smith continued to be one of the most consistent right tackles in the NFL. Indianapolis took athletically gifted tackle Blake Freeland in the fourth round of the NFL draft, but he has some serious strength to add if he wants to be an NFL-caliber tackle. Indianapolis could be in good shape if Nelson and Kelly bounce back but probably need to upgrade the right guard position to regain their status as a top-10 offensive line.
17. Miami Dolphins
Terron Armstead, Liam Eichenberg, Connor Williams, Robert Hunt, Austin Jackson
Miami nailed their two free agent acquisitions last offseason in Terron Armstead and Connor Williams. Armstead remained mostly healthy, playing 13 games and Williams was effective after moving to center, finishing as PFF’s 19th-rated center in the NFL. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, Liam Eichenberg struggled moving from tackle to left guard (27 pressures on 409 pass-blocking snaps) and the team lost starting right tackle Austin Jackson after just 84 snaps. The Dolphins are solid throughout the offensive line, but the injury concerns of Armstead and Jackson will prevent them from moving higher on this list until they prove they can stay healthy. If they do, then Miami can be in the running as a top-10 unit in the NFL.
18. Carolina Panthers
Ikem Ekwonu, Brady Christensen, Bradley Bozeman, Austin Corbett, Taylor Moton
The Panthers have built up a solid, but not spectacular offensive line unit. Four of five of their returning starters played in all 17 games last season (Bradley Bozeman missed six games). Despite the high snap counts, no Panthers offensive linemen allowed more than 27 pressures or six sacks on the season. Additionally, four of Carolina’s offensive linemen finished with a PFF grade above 63.0 with the lone exception being Brady Christensen. As a bonus, left tackle Ikem Ekwonu showed all the ability to stay at tackle after the pre-draft discourse that he would be better served as a guard. Carolina lacks star power for now, but they showed they can have a consistent floor even if they lack a high-end ceiling.
19. New England Patriots
Trent Brown, Cole Strange, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu, Riley Reiff
The Patriots' offense struggled as a whole in 2022, and some of the problems started up front. Trent Brown, normally a strong left tackle, led the team with 39 pressures and eight sacks surrendered. The team was forced to rotate between ineffective right tackles Isaiah Wynn and Yodny Cajuste (35 pressures and seven sacks combined). Surprising first-round pick Cole Strange took time to acclimate to the NFL after playing at FCS Chattanooga for his college career. The positives? David Andrews continued his steady play at center and right guard Mike Onwenu flourished in his first year as a full-time starter. Unfortunately, all the premier tackles were off the board for the Patriots, so they’ll be rolling the dice with Riley Reiff at right tackle to start the season. New England also grabbed a developmental center (Jake Andrews) in the fourth round of the draft, but he has some serious strides to make in the passing attack (23 pressures, six sacks in 1,471 career pass-blocking snaps). This team will need Brown to bounce back and Strange to show big growth in his second season to climb back into the top 15 of offensive rankings going forward.
20. New York Jets
Mekhi Becton, Laken Tomlinson, Joe Tippmann, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Max Mitchell
The Jets continued to struggle with injuries along the offensive line. Of the projected starters, only Laken Tomlinson played more than seven games during the 2022 season. Mekhi Becton suffered another injury before the season, essentially costing him a second full season of development. Alijah Vera-Tucker was unable to build upon a solid rookie season but showed growth when he was on the field. Max Mitchell was forced into action after being taken as a developmental pick. The team also retained Duane Brown as injury depth at tackle. The Jets were a popular pick to grab a tackle with their first pick of the NFL draft, but those dreams were dashed once the Steelers jumped them for Broderick Jones. Still, the team was able to upgrade their line with second-round center Joe Tippman out of Wisconsin. When healthy, this could be one of the most formidable offensive lines in the league (especially if Becton can stay in the shape he’s shown throughout his offseason workouts). Unfortunately, this unit is full of players who just haven’t shown the most important ability: availability.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
Broderick Jones, Isaac Seumalo, Mason Cole, James Daniels, Chukwuma Okorafor
The Steelers made moves before the 2022 season to reinforce their offensive line, but those moves weren’t enough to significantly boost their production. On the plus side, all five of the Steelers' starting offensive linemen played in 17 games last season. Unfortunately, all five of them also surrendered at least 16 pressures, including a combined 80 pressures (and 10 sacks) by left tackle Dan Moore and right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor. The Steelers addressed a weakness at left guard by signing former Eagles guard Isaac Seumalo in free agency and moved up in the first round to secure their left tackle of the future in Broderick Jones out of Georgia. Jones had only one full season as a starter for the Bulldogs, but flashed excellent athleticism on the edge, allowing just seven pressures on 470 pass attempts. The left side of the offensive line has now been fortified in Pittsburgh, but we still need to see them perform to move them much higher up this list.
22. Arizona Cardinals
D.J. Humphries, Paris Johnson, Hjalte Froholdt, Will Hernandez, Kelvin Beachum
The Cardinals were frequently linked to Paris Johnson during the 2023 draft cycle, and they eventually got their guy after trading back (and up again). However, Johnson’s fit on the offensive line is a bit confusing at first. D.J. Humphries struggled with injuries last season but still provided strong tackle play. Additionally, right tackle Kelvin Beachum has been solid throughout his career. For now, it is easiest to slot Johnson in at the biggest position of need (left guard) and let training camp shake it all out. The team will also hope that free agent acquisition Hjalte Froholdt the center position after being a depth piece for most of his career with the Cleveland Browns. Regardless, this unit was significantly improved in the draft process no matter how they choose to deploy their three tackles.
23. New Orleans Saints
Trevor Penning, Andrus Peat, Erik McCoy, Cesar Ruiz, Ryan Ramczyk
The Saints have been known for having a strong offensive line over the years, but they took a significant step back in 2022. Their entire interior offensive line suffered from lingering injuries throughout the season, resulting in a combined 40 pressures and seven sacks combined. Rookie first-round pick Trevor Penning suffered a preseason foot injury that limited him to just 124 snaps. As expected, he was dominant as a run blocker (80.2 run-blocking grade per PFF) but struggled mightily in the passing game (38.7 PFF grade as a pass blocker). Thankfully, Ryan Ramczyk continued to establish himself as one of the best right tackles in the NFL (20 pressures in 536 snaps). The injuries have allowed the Saints to build depth at tackle and guard, but they will need their starters to stay healthy to break into the top-15 offensive lines in the NFL.
24. Houston Texans
Laremy Tunsil, Kenyon Green, Juice Scruggs, Shaq Mason, Tytus Howard
Similar to the Vikings, if this were a list of the best tackle tandems in the NFL, Houston would undoubtedly be 20 spots higher on the list. Unfortunately, offensive line units comprise five different players, and the Texans' interior O-line leaves a lot to be desired. Laremy Tunsil continued to provide his exceptional play at left tackle, justifiably earning the extension he signed this offseason. Tytus Howard continued to develop at right tackle and is a solid starter in the NFL. Unfortunately, the interior combination of Kenyon Green, Scott Quessenberry and A.J. Cann struggled, allowing a combined 117 pressures and 16 sacks on the season. The Texans addressed the guard position by trading for Shaq Mason early in the offseason, and the team will hope that Kenyon Green will show huge developmental strides in his second season. The team probably reached on Juice Scruggs in the second round (27 pressures and three sacks in 1,128 pass-blocking snaps), but he can’t be much worse than 2022 starter Scott Quessenberry. This line can be very good, but several pieces need to make strides to crack the top-20 offensive line units.
25. Buffalo Bills
Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern, Mitch Morse, O'Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown
If the Bills' roster has one Achilles heel, it would be the poor play of their offensive line over the years. Buffalo’s offensive line allowed 180 pressures and 18 sacks on the season. The team tried to address their offensive line woes before the 2022 season by acquiring Rodger Saffold, but he provided just a 44.0 PFF grade at left guard. The Bills went to the free agency well once again this offseason to try and solve their offensive line woes, this time targeting Connor McGovern to hopefully solidify the left side of their line. They also got an extremely solid value in the draft, snagging arguably the top interior offensive lineman (O'Cyrus Torrence) at pick 59. Torrence held down the right guard position at Florida for three years and hasn’t allowed a single sack in his tenure at guard. He will instantly slot into the starting role and should help provide stability on the interior of the offensive line. This unit still has its warts, but they are in better shape now than they were before the draft.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars
Anton Harrison, Ben Bartch, Luke Fortner, Brandon Scherff, Walker Little
The Jaguars take a minor dip in the rankings with left tackle Cam Robinson’s pending suspension. The team was able to prioritize adding Anton Harrison in the first round, but he’s probably more of a project in his first year in the league. Expect Harrison to get the first crack at left tackle in Robinson’s absence with Walker Little holding down right tackle. Once Robinson returns, expect some shuffling along the line. This team will need to see growth from Ben Bartch and Luke Fortner on the interior to continue their ascent in the AFC. This team could climb a little bit if Robinson gets a reasonable suspension.
27. Tennessee Titans
Andre Dillard, Dillon Radunz, Aaron Brewer, Daniel Brunskill, Peter Skoronski
The Titans had years of consistency along their offensive line that allowed them to dominate teams on the ground. However, age and injury finally caught up to the team before the 2022 season, leading to a new unit that performed poorly by the Titans' recent standards. Three different linemen from 2022 (Dennis Daley, Aaron Brewer and Nicholas Petit-Frere) allowed over 35 pressures and had PFF grades under 60.0 last season. The Titans utilized free agency to try and find an upgrade, investing in former first-round pick Andre Dillard and 2022 49ers rotational guard Daniel Brunskill to the fold to try and upgrade the left side of the offensive line. Time will tell if these players can produce with expanded roles, so it is hard to put them higher on this list. Tennessee also drafted the best offensive lineman (Peter Skoronski) with the 11th overall pick of the NFL draft. Skoronski is undersized but give me flawless technique over pure traits every day of the week. He will likely get the first crack at right tackle but has All-Pro upside at guard if that experiment doesn’t work. This team has a lot of questionable pieces, but if they all hit, they can be a formidable offensive line once again.
28. Washington Commanders
Charles Leno, Andrew Norwell, Chase Roullier, Sam Cosmi, Andrew Wylie
2022. Left tackle Charles Leno was the only starter to play 17 games and posted a solid season in pass protection (37 pressures in 669 snaps) but struggled as a run blocker (55.9 PFF run blocking grade). The rest of the unit provided solid play but was held back by injury. Washington prioritized adding Andrew Wylie in free agency after a solid year as a starter at right tackle in Kansas City, but they are putting faith that Chase Roullier can stay healthy after letting Wes Schweitzer walk in free agency. The team was able to replace Schweitzer’s interior Swiss-army skillset in the third round of the draft, selecting Arkansas’ Ricky Stromberg with the 97th pick. Stromberg was a career center in college, but he allowed just 11 hurries and zero sacks in 416 pass protection reps in 2022. This offensive line isn’t particularly talented but can find its way into the top 20 if everything breaks the right way.
29. New York Giants
Andrew Thomas, Joshua Ezeudu, John Michael Schmitz, Mark Glowinski, Evan Neal
The Giants' offensive line has one of the best young tackles in the NFL with Andrew Thomas. Unfortunately, the rest of the unit is severely lacking. New York used a top-10 pick on Evan Neal in the draft, but he struggled at right tackle throughout the season, finishing with a 41.8 PFF grade and allowing 52 pressures and eight sacks on the season. Mark Glowinski is a solid guard, but the team is relying on massive growth from Joshua Ezeudu (290 snaps in 2022) and Ben Bredeson (621 snaps in 2022). New York helped their ranking by investing a second-round pick in Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz. He would have been a justifiable pick at 25 and is the far and away best center in this class. The former Golden Gopher had consecutive seasons with a PFF grade above 88.0 and gave up just 14 pressures and two sacks in his career. This team needs Evan Neal to play up to his pedigree in 2023 and if he does, then they will have a shot at being a top-15 unit going forward.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tristan Wirfs, Nick Leverett, Ryan Jensen, Cody Mauch, Luke Goedeke
The retirement of Tom Brady isn’t the only change the Buccaneers' offense will face during the 2023 offseason. Tampa Bay also allowed left tackle Donovan Smith to walk in free agency after a subpar season (35 pressures and six sacks allowed) and traded away longtime starter Shaq Mason. The Buccaneers find themselves in the bottom three despite the presence of Tristan Wirfs (likely moving to left tackle) and the assumption that Ryan Jensen will return to a fully healthy season after missing most of last season with a knee injury. Cody Mauch will likely hold down the Mason hole at right guard (13 pressures and two sacks in two seasons as a full-time starter) after being selected with pick 48 in the 2023 NFL draft. Still, this team will need significant improvement from 2022 draft pick Luke Goedeke (46.7 PFF grade) to climb the ranks.
31. Las Vegas Raiders
Kolton Miller, Dylan Parham, Andre James, Alex Bars, Jermaine Eluemunor
The Raiders got excellent play from their starting tackles last season, but the interior of their offensive line was an absolute mess. The combination of Dylan Parham, Andre James and Alex Bars struggled collectively, allowing 117 pressures and 13 sacks. Thankfully, the unit was strong enough in the run game (63.6 average run blocking grade per PFF), allowing Josh Jacobs an opportunity to have a career year to earn the franchise tag before the 2023 season. Las Vegas was poised to add one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL draft but instead opted to use their top-10 pick to bolster an anemic pass rush instead. It is hard to project this unit higher without an injection of youth to push them to the next level.
32. Los Angeles Rams
Joe Noteboom, Steve Avila, Brian Allen, Logan Bruss, Rob Havenstein
The Rams suffered many catastrophic injuries on offense last season, including several across the offensive line. Of their projected starting lineup, only Rob Havenstein played more than 425 snaps during the 2022 season. Havenstein had a solid season, but he did allow 41 pressures and six sacks on 632 pass attempts on the season. The Rams are stuck in roster purgatory after years of moving early draft picks for veteran talent, so help through the draft seems unlikely. Instead, they’ll be hoping that Joe Noteboom can stay healthy after being tabbed as Andrew Whitworth’s replacement and that interior offensive linemen Brian Allen and Logan Bruss (who missed last season due to a training camp ACL injury) can gel and provide a solid play on the inside. Second-round draft pick Steve Avila is arguably the best pass protector in this interior line class, but it is hard to envision him completely transforming this unit on his own. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough history with this unit to project them higher than the worst offensive line in the NFL heading into the 2023 season.
