There wasn't room for the Offensive Line story in this year's magazine, but it lives on anyway. Within the next couple of days there will be a downloadable PDF of the story available under Your Stuff, and we're running it here in two parts.
First up, the NFC; tomorrow, the AFC. This is our estimation of how to rank the offensive lines as we approach training camp. (Numbering indicates overall ranking among the league's 32 teams.)
In the colorful table, part of which is shown here (the full version is on our Facebook page and will be available in the PDF), blue is All-Pro caliber, green is above-average, yellow is average, orange is probably below-average and red is definitely below-average. Player grades also factor in injury risk (an above-average player who's missed half of the last two seasons or is coming off surgery might show up with an average grade) and age.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are replacing a starter for the second year in a row, but there might not be much of a dropoff. Four times in the last two years, Tyler Steen has been on the field for at least 75 percent of the team’s plays, and the Eagles have won all of those games, scoring 28, 15, 37 and 28 points. He was a third-round pick in 2023; he replaces Mekhi Becton, who got a $10 million deal from the Chargers. The other positions all look rock solid. Both tackles (Jordan Mailata, Lane Johnson) were 2nd-team All-Pros a year ago, while guard Landon Dickerson and center Cam Jurgens made the Pro Bowl. The Tush Push continued even with Jason Kelce retiring, and Saquon Barkley ran for over 2,000 yards.
3. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota was one of the offseason’s more aggressive shoppers, remaking the middle of its line by plucking Will Fries ($17 million per year) and Ryan Kelly ($9 million) from the Colts. Then they used their first-round pick on Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson, who’ll start at left guard. Some early growing pains are possible, but they’re obviously comfortable it will work. At tackle, they’re set with 2-time Pro Bowler Brian O’Neill on the right and Christian Darrisaw on the left. Darrisaw missed the second half of last season with a knee injury. The signings in the interior (as well as the addition of Jordan Mason) suggest an increased effort to run the ball this season.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Only Tristan Wirfs – probably the game’s best tackle – has any hardware to show for it, but this is a line filled with above-average players, and will have the same five starters as last year’s group. First-rounder Graham Barton was excellent as a rookie; give him some of the credit for this ground game’s strong season. Cody Mauch, selected in the second round the previous year, has started every game his first two seasons. Ben Bredeson is average at best, but Tampa Bay was happy enough with him to bring him back on a three-year, $22.5 million deal. They’ve got a new offensive coordinator (again) but no reason to think the line won’t be a strength.
9. Chicago Bears
Like Carolina a year ago, Chicago’s offseason focus was putting dramatic upgrades in front of its struggling rookie quarterback; better late than never. Acquiring Joe Thuney, an All-Pro in each of the last two seasons, for just a fourth-rounder was an offseason coup. He’s 32, but Chicago will be much better there. Both Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman have battled injuries the last two years, but are younger (26-28) and there’s no reason to think they won’t bounce back. They’re going with the same tackle duo, which doesn’t seem ideal (Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times), but a lot of the sacks were on the quarterback, and right tackle Darnell Wright in particular looks like a keeper. Things are looking up for this group.
10. Green Bay Packers
Signing Aaron Banks to a contract averaging $19 million was uncharacteristic for the Packers, who’ve long preferred building through the draft. It’s a quiet admission that a couple of those picks have underperformed, with last year’s first-rounder Jordan Morgan missing most of his rookie year (he’s moving to guard). But Elgton Jenkins (who’s played at the Pro Bowl level at both guard and tackle) has been excellent; he’s moving to center now. And Zach Tom is one of the better right tackles. Jordan Love was sacked only 14 times last year, about half as often as in his first season as a starter.
11. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are one of eight teams starting at least three former first-rounders, but they’re the only one that not only drafted all of them but has been successful enough that they’re all on second (or third) contracts with the team. Jake Matthews is 33 and has been to just a one Pro Bowl, but he’s been an iron man – hasn’t missed a start in 10 seasons. Chris Lindstrom has been better (a 2nd-team All-Pro the last three years) and he’s missed one game in five seasons. Kaleb McCary completes that trio of durability, missing only seven games in six years. They’re breaking in a new center, with Drew Dalman gone to Chicago, but Ryan Neuzil held up fine in seven fill-in starts a year ago.
13. San Francisco 49ers
Injuries hurt this group the second half of last season, most notably with three-time All-Pro Trent Williams missing the last seven games. He’s 37 but still elite when healthy. Jake Brendel is a rock at center, starting every game the past three seasons; Colton McKivitz has done the same at right tackle the past two. They’re replacing Aaron Banks at left guard, and there will be at least some dropoff there. Banks got a contract averaging $19.3 million from the Packers, while Ben Bartch is a backup who was released by Jacksonville two years ago. At the other guard spot they’ve got Dominick Puni, who started every game as a rookie. The 49ers were able to rank 12th in rushing last year, despite Christian McCaffrey missing most of the season.
14. Los Angeles Rams
There’s a major question mark with left tackle Alaric Jackson, graded more conservatively than his play the past two years has warranted. He’s dealing with a blood clot issue, making him uncertain for the start of the season. The Rams signed D.J. Humphries as an insurance policy; he signed a contract averaging over $22 million three years ago but missed almost all of last year after tearing his ACL late in the 2023 season. That position aside, it’s a solid enough line, with an above-average guard duo (Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson). They’re bringing back Coleman Shelton at center; he was part of a disastrous line in Chicago last year, but was acceptable for the Rams the previous two seasons.
15. Detroit Lions
The Lions have had one of the league’s strongest offensive lines in recent years, but it’s looking like they’ll now be below average at two interior spots. Frank Ragnow retired, and he was one of the best centers in the game. They’re replace him with either Graham Glasgow or second-rounder Tate Ratledge. If it’s Glasgow (who’s played some center in the past with the Lions and Broncos), they’ll need to replace him at guard. They also need a new starter to replace Kevin Zeitler, who signed a $9 million contract with Tennessee. They’ll likely go with Christian Mahogany (a sixth-round pick a year ago who started one game as a rookie). … The tackle duo still looks great, with Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker.
17. Carolina Panthers
When they drafted Bryce Young No. 1 overall, Carolina was in the bottom 10 in offensive line spending. That didn’t work out so well, so now they’re at a league-high $96 million for the position group, handing out two of the 10 biggest contracts in guaranteed money to Robert Hunt and Taylor Moton. Damien Lewis ($13 million per year) is also up there, and Ikem Ekwonu (still on his rookie deal) may be eventually. That investment, along with revised play-calling resulted in the team allowing 29 fewer sacks while averaging over a half yard more per carry. There are still issues – Austin Corbett has played only nine games the last two seasons – but an impressive step up from just over a year ago.
20. Washington Commanders
The Commanders made the offseason’s biggest move at this position group, sending Houston four picks (including second- and third-rounders) for Laremy Tunsil. Tunsil doesn’t seem to be a coaching staff favorite (the Dolphins also traded him away), but five Pro Bowls suggest he’s doing something right. Center Tyler Biadasz also has a Pro Bowl on his resume. Elsewhere there are questions, especially with Sam Cosmi. He’s started every game the last two years, but might not be ready for the start of the season after tearing his ACL in January. Last year’s third-rounder Brandon Coleman held his own at left tackle, but the Tunsil acquisition suggests dissatisfaction; they’ll try him on the right.
22. New York Giants
The performance hasn’t been there, but it’s not for lack of trying; this is one of the league’s five highest-paid lines. Keeping players healthy would help: Andrew Thomas was a 2nd-team All-Pro in 2022 but has missed 18 games the past two seasons. Their other recent first-rounder, Evan Neal, also has been plagued by injuries and hasn’t been good even when healthy (he’ll probably be a backup this year). The Jon Runyan signing last year worked out, but even he missed a month and underwent ankle and shoulder surgeries at the end of the season. Even assuming everyone is healthy, they’ll be protecting sack-prone Russell Wilson, and possibly a rookie once the season goes south.
25. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals can put a pair of former first-round tackles on the field, but only Paris Johnson has played up to that status. Jonah Williams (hurt in his first year with Arizona after Cincinnati let him walk) hasn’t stood out. The interior starters are mid-rounders (or undrafted); they’ll hope for a step up from last year’s third-rounder Isaiah Adams (5 rookie starts) after letting Will Hernandez go. Team metrics are good (the offense averaged a 3rd-best 5.3 yards per rushing attempt, while allowing 30 sacks), so while this looks like a lesser group on paper, they’ve been able to play at an adequate level.
26. Dallas Cowboys
How the mighty have fallen. This line struggled a year ago, and now it needs to replace future Hall of Famer Zack Martin. Dallas sends out a trio of first-rounders, but this year’s (Tyler Booker) is an unknown and Tyler Guyton struggled as a rookie, casting doubt as to whether he’s the answer at left tackle. Tyler Smith has been their best player, playing well at multiple positions. Another pick out of last year’s draft, third-rounder Cooper Beebe, started all season at center, so they’re set there, but Terence Steele’s deficiencies at right tackle seem more significant now that the line around him isn’t as good. They badly need Guyton (and Booker) to pan out.
27. New Orleans Saints
The Saints can trot out four first-round picks, all of whom they’ve drafted since 2020. But returns haven’t been great, with none of those players sniffing a Pro Bowl yet. Taliese Fuaga started every game as a rookie, at least, so perhaps he and this year’s selection (Kelvin Banks) will give them the tackle duo they’ve lacked in recent years. Trevor Penning has been a massive disappointment, so they’re moving him to guard in hopes he can pull a Mekhi Becton. A former second-round pick, Erik McCoy, has been the line’s best player in recent years. The talent is there, and maybe Kellen Moore has some new ideas to get this group playing at a higher level, but it needs to show up on the field before counting on it.
31. Seattle Seahawks
The franchise hasn’t invested much in this area. Just two first-round picks since 2016 on offensive linemen (both in the last four years, at least), and they’re currently spending less on the position group than any other team. Charles Cross, their first-rounder in 2022, has worked out (they’ve picked up his fifth-year option); eventually they’ll probably be paying him. They’ll hope for similar or better from 18th pick Grey Zabel, whom they said was their highest-rated interior lineman. The other three spots all look problematic: two mid-round picks with a combined 9 NFL starts, and Abraham Lucas (who’s been healthy for just 6-7 games in each of the last two seasons).