2026 Offensive Line Power Rankings

By
Logan Ulrich
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There might not be a better example of how much smarter the conversation is around the NFL these days than offensive line analysis. We’ve come a long way with resources like blocking win rate from ESPN, PFF grades and a growing number of subject matter experts weighing in on social media and various outlets. 

That’s a great thing because the offensive line is one of the most important position groups on every team. Short of losing a quarterback, the fastest way to sink a team is poor offensive line play, as it makes everything, run or pass, start to feel impossible. Even special players like Patrick Mahomes, Bijan Robinson or Justin Jefferson can start to look mortal when the blockers aren’t doing their job. 

It also feels like there’s not much of a middle ground when it comes to fans discussing their offensive line, with the unit either being a scapegoat for the team’s struggles or an unstoppable force. So with this article, the goal is to provide a little perspective on how all 32 teams stack up. We’ve leaned on ESPN, PFF and the great Brandon Thorn for help. 

  • (*) New starter
  • (R) Rookie

1 – Broncos

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 3rd

ESPN PBWR: 8th

ESPN RBWR: 4th

Denver’s front five received the highest marks consistently across the board. No team has Pro Bowlers at every position, but the Broncos have the strongest mix overall. They’ve got the high-end starters like Meinerz and Bolles, and their fourth and fifth-best starters are still probably in the top half of their respective positions. Denver also returns all five starters and has quality depth players. 

2 – Bills

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 9th

ESPN PBWR: 4th

ESPN RBWR: 1st

It doesn’t feel like the Bills come up as often in the conversations about the best offensive lines, but they probably should. They have a front five that just mashes opponents in the run game with a lethal combination of size and nastiness. Leaning on that has been a big reason the Buffalo offense has become more efficient, taking pressure off QB Josh Allen. This unit is better in the run game than pass protection but they still remain well above average in that area. 

3 – Eagles

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 5th

ESPN PBWR: 17th

ESPN RBWR: 16th

This group dealt with some injuries last year that are worth watching going into 2026. But this is also largely the same group that paved the way for 2,000 yards rushing for RB Saquon Barkley and a Super Bowl, so the upside is enormous. They’re also shifting schemes under new OC Sean Mannion that, in theory, should make the jobs for all five players easier, as long as they can work through any kinks quickly. 

4 – Bears

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 13th

ESPN PBWR: 1st

ESPN RBWR: 5th

You get what you emphasize, and it’s telling that the first thing the Bears did after hiring HC Ben Johnson last year was revamp their front five, trading for Thuney and signing Jackson and C Drew Dalman, who unfortunately retired after this past season. Bradbury is a downgrade but this group overall remains one of the best in the league, even with a question mark about who will start at left tackle. Jones has punched above his weight his entire career and should have no shortage of motivation. 

5 – Buccaneers

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 11th

ESPN PBWR: 15th

ESPN RBWR: 27th

The win rates from ESPN don’t look impressive but that’s because the Buccaneers were riddled with injuries last year. The starting five missed a total of 32 games and played at well less than 100 percent in others. Sometimes that’s just reality in the NFL, as it’s hard enough to keep one player on the field for 17 games, let alone five. Tampa Bay’s front five should be much more productive with better injury luck, however. Wirfs is one of the best tackles in football, while Goedeke, Mauch and Barton are all plus starters as well. 

6 – Chiefs

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 8th

ESPN PBWR: 2nd

ESPN RBWR: 25th

There’s clearly room for Kansas City to improve in the run-blocking department, and some of the changes this offseason were aimed at facilitating that. However, the heart of this unit remains Humphrey and Smith, two of the best in the league at their position. Simmons didn’t play a full season but he flashed elite potential in his time on the field. The Chiefs invest a lot to ensure Mahomes is protected and so far the ROI has been strong. 

7 – Cowboys

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 19th

ESPN PBWR: 19th

ESPN RBWR: 11th

I’m leaning on Thorn’s individual evaluations of Dallas’ starters for this ranking, as both PFF and ESPN were a little lower on the Cowboys last year. It didn’t stop them from having the No. 2 offense in football, though, and I think there’s upside with young players in Guyton and Booker who have high ceilings to tap into. Smith is elite, Beebe is another ascending player, and Steele still has some gas as a competent starter. 

8 – Seahawks

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 20th

ESPN PBWR: 12th

ESPN RBWR: 8th

Two things turned this unit from a weakness to a strength last year for the Seahawks. One was the addition of former OC Klint Kubiak and a shift to wide zone rushing principles. The second was landing Zabel in the first round, helping to solidify the interior. Kubiak is gone but the Seahawks will stay in the same scheme and have the benefit of continuity up front. Both Cross and Lucas are above average tackles, too. 

9 – Rams

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 1st

ESPN PBWR: 5th

ESPN RBWR: 2nd

When it comes to offensive line play, it’s more about how the unit performs together than the sum of the individual pieces. That’s how you get results like the Rams last year where the production outstrips just the name-brand recognition from the individual players. Avila and Dotson are quality starters but they’re the only players individually here who push the top half of their position in Thorn’s ranks. That said, if there’s a weakness that could derail the Rams’ Super Bowl hopes in 2026, it’s the offensive line, which is already likely losing Jackson to a suspension for a portion of the season. 

10 – 49ers

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 2nd

ESPN PBWR: 10th

ESPN RBWR: 13th

Like the Rams, the 49ers benefit from a sum of the parts exceeding the whole dynamic. Both teams are helped out by dynamic, innovative and detail-oriented play-callers, the two best in football arguably in Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan. Unlike the Rams, though, the 49ers have one of those dudes in Williams, a future Hall of Famer who even at 38 years old has a compelling case for best tackle in football. McKivitz and Brendel are grunts who do a good job in their roles, while Puni has some promise as a future plus starter. 

11 – Colts

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 4th

ESPN PBWR: 27th

ESPN RBWR: 7th

The left side of the Colts’ line is rock solid. Nelson has battled back from a few injury-marred years to reestablish himself as one of the NFL’s top guards. Raimann is a quality tackle, too, while Bortolini was a breakout in his first year as a starter in 2025. Indianapolis is hoping for similar results with Travis after moving on from longtime starting RT Braden Smith. 

12 – Steelers

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 23rd

ESPN PBWR: 3rd

ESPN RBWR: 9th

The Steelers flew a little under the radar last season and there are some personnel changes that create some uncertainty for 2026. Fautanu is moving to the left to replace OT Broderick Jones, who had a neck injury last year. McCormick is also moving to the left to replace veteran G Isaac Seumalo. Pittsburgh drafted a couple of rookies in first-round OT Max Iheanachor and third-round G Gennings Dunker, but they have to beat out veteran incumbents and so far Anderson and Cook have looked good in camp. Frazier is quickly becoming an elite center. 

13 – Vikings

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 22nd

ESPN PBWR: 25th

ESPN RBWR: 3rd

The Vikings feel like a team that underachieved last year because of injuries and just general tension on offense. If healthy, though, they have one of the league’s best tackle duos and some punch at guard. That run block win rate rank is also eye-catching, especially considering that’s an aspect of their offense they want to emphasize more in 2026. 

14 – Giants

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 17th

ESPN PBWR: 11th

ESPN RBWR: 18th

If Thomas stays healthy for the preponderance of the season and Mauigoa hits the ground running as a rookie, this ranking could be too low. Eluemunor and Runyan are both solid starters in Thorn’s estimation, enough to cover up for any deficiencies from Schmitz at the pivot. They ranked solidly across the board last year without many glaring weaknesses. 

15 – Chargers

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 28th

ESPN PBWR: 32nd

ESPN RBWR: 31st

I’ve tried to ground this list in some measurements from last year but with the Chargers, you can throw most of it out. Slater missed the whole year, Alt played just six games and there are three new starters on the interior. That makes the unit a big unknown heading into 2026, yet there are reasons for optimism. Slater and Alt are both outstanding tackles. Biadasz is a competent starter and an upgrade over what the Chargers have had for a few years. There’s a lot of competition for the starting guard spots, and new OC Mike McDaniel’s scheme should help take pressure off all five. 

16 – Patriots

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 15th

ESPN PBWR: 13th

ESPN RBWR: 12th

This group was solid last year and added a potential major upgrade in Vera-Tucker. However, his lengthy injury history tempers that optimism. New England needs Campbell and Wilson to take steps forward in Year 2. There’s hope Wilson will now that he’s moved to his natural position. Time will tell if Campbell needs to make that kind of move or if he can hang at left tackle. 

17 – Jaguars

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 18th

ESPN PBWR: 9th

ESPN RBWR: 6th

Van Lanen might start the season on the PUP list, but the Jaguars have a big luxury with OL Walker Little, so any normal dropoff after losing a starting tackle would be mitigated. There’s not the most name-brand value on this line and no one outside of Van Lanen graded out particularly well in Thorn’s ranks, but the Jaguars performed very well in both of ESPN’s win rate metrics. Some of that could be chalked up to first-year HC Liam Coen’s scheme. It’ll be interesting to see how sticky that is into this year as defenses get a chance to build film on the system. 

18 – Bengals

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 30th

ESPN PBWR: 28th

ESPN RBWR: 10th

This group has caught some flak this offseason and the Bengals haven’t attacked the offensive line like some other teams have. Still, some context is needed on why I’m ranking them relatively aggressively. Cincinnati does more true dropback game than most teams because that’s where QB Joe Burrow excels. Those reps put a lot of stress on the offensive line, and for the most part they hold up. When they are asked to run block, they do a good job, and they have some young players in Fairchild and Mims who Thorn thinks could become quite good as they keep developing. 

19 – Saints

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 21st

ESPN PBWR: 29th

ESPN RBWR: 23rd

This is another front five that I think projects better for this season. They have a young tackle duo that both were taken in the first round and should continue to improve with age. Edwards solidifies the interior and makes for a quality trio with McCoy and Ruiz. Like the rest of the team, the Saints’ offensive line finished the year better than it started, so the grades and win rates don’t tell the full story. 

20 – Lions

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 14th

ESPN PBWR: 31st

ESPN RBWR: 20th

The Lions were a prolific offense yet again in 2025 and had a better point differential than most of the teams that made the playoffs instead of them. If you want to see why they missed, it starts with some of these blocking numbers, as a unit that had previously been a strength of the team slipped into mediocrity. The Lions shook things up majorly this offseason to try and get back to their roots, signing Mays and drafting Miller. All five starters have that “put you in the dirt” attitude that HC Dan Campbell prizes. Detroit should be better running the ball while pass protection remains a little bit more of a question mark. 

21 – Raiders

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 10th

ESPN PBWR: 22nd

ESPN RBWR: 22nd

Don’t let the PFF grade and win rates fool you — the Raiders’ offensive line was hot garbage last year. The grades are for the current lineup that has two new starters and a third in Miller who played just a handful of games. The new faces are a huge reason for optimism about the Raiders, as is the addition of Kubiak who has a long history of getting his offensive line to overachieve from its prior results. 

22 – Commanders

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 24th

ESPN PBWR: 18th

ESPN RBWR: 21st

Tunsil is one of the best left tackles in the league. Cosmi is a really good guard, too. After that, the rest of the room has some limitations. Conerly has high-level potential but needs to continue to hone the details of his game and that can be expected to be a work in progress this season. Allegretti and Paul are closer to replacement-level players in Thorn’s view. 

23 – Ravens

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 26th

ESPN PBWR: 7th

ESPN RBWR: 17th

Center looms as a glaring weakness, with the job set to come down to a competition between Pinter, a career reserve, or Ethan Pocic, a journeyman coming off a torn Achilles. Ioane might be the best player of the group in a year or two but for now he’s a rookie. The tackle duo of Stanley and Rosengarten is stable. Overall, this group shouldn’t sink the Ravens’ season but it might not be as much of a strength as it has been in some prior years. 

24 – Panthers

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 7th

ESPN PBWR: 23rd

ESPN RBWR: 28th

It’s a credit to how the Panthers attacked this offseason that they’re down two starting tackles and still in reasonably solid shape. If they were starting Stone Forsythe and Brady Christensen, who are far more in line with the average backup tackle around the league, they’d rank considerably lower. The strength of the unit is a punishing duo at guard, and the Panthers want to be a run-heavy team to take pressure off their quarterback. They’ll have Hunt healthy after he missed most of last season but they’re breaking in three new starters which could create some bumps. 

25 – Jets

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 25th

ESPN PBWR: 26th

ESPN RBWR: 14th

New York looks like it found two franchise tackles in the first round in back-to-back years. Bringing up the level of the interior will be the next challenge. Parham was a big free agent signing this year, while Meyers and Tippmann got extensions. If the tackles take a big step, this ranking will be too low. 

26 – Falcons

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 6th

ESPN PBWR: 14th

ESPN RBWR: 30th

The reputation of this line is for being strong at run blocking, which interestingly isn’t reflected in the stats as much. That’s still a strength for the interior, less so for the two tackles. Overall, this group is starting to wear down, with Matthews in his age-34 season while Neuzil, Lindstrom and Taylor all are approaching 30. Lindstrom in particular is someone who Thorn is concerned is starting to lose a step. 

27 – Cardinals

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 16th

ESPN PBWR: 21st

ESPN RBWR: 15th

Johnson has been a hit as a top-10 pick, Froholdt is a solid starting center and Seumalo is another reliable player. Combined with the big questions on the right side of the line, though, including a rookie and a former journeyman tackle, and the Cardinals overall feel underwhelming up front. 

28 – Packers

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 31st

ESPN PBWR: 6th

ESPN RBWR: 19th

It feels wrong ranking the Packers this low and there’s a decent chance Old Takes Exposed is going to nail me for it in a few months. Green Bay’s history of developing quality offensive linemen shouldn’t be ignored, but this is as shaky as I can remember a Packers front entering a season. Morgan and Belton are first-year starters who have looked shaky so far. The Packers are banking on moves to their natural positions unlocking more but I want to see it first. Banks was a questionable big-money signing and battled injuries in his first year with the Packers. Bako-Bewele, formerly Zach Tom, is easily the best player here and a top-notch starting tackle, but he’s coming off a patellar tendon injury that can be tough for big men like him. 

29 – Dolphins

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 32nd

ESPN PBWR: 24th

ESPN RBWR: 29th

There are some promising individual talents here in Brewer, Paul and perhaps Proctor, but I still have major questions about Miami’s front. Jackson and Savaiinaea have put out legitimately awful tape in the last year, and the only saving grace is that Jackson played hurt and Savaiinaea was a rookie and out of position. Proctor will be moving from tackle inside to guard for his rookie year, so that’s worth watching. Paul is an ascending player and Brewer was an All-Pro last year. But in Brewer’s case, he’s uniquely small for his position, so it’s worth watching to see how he fits the new coaching staff. 

30 – Browns

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 27th

ESPN PBWR: 20th

ESPN RBWR: 24th

There’s usually tinkering but it’s rare to see a complete tackle-to-tackle rebuild for an NFL offensive line in one offseason. Teven Jenkins is technically an incumbent but he’s also not guaranteed to retain a starting job. Everyone else is a new addition via free agency or the draft. Jenkins and Howard are accomplished veterans but Thorn has some concerns that they might be over the hill at this stage of their career. Johnson is more adequate than a potential impact starter. 

31 – Titans

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 12th

ESPN PBWR: 16th

ESPN RBWR: 26th

Most teams have at least one really good offensive lineman, but it takes more than that on Sundays. Throw the Titans in that group, as Skoronski is legitimately one of the better guards in the league, as evidenced by his brand-new $100 million contract. The rest of this group is substandard, though. Volson and Schlottmann would be reserves for most other teams. Moore is best known for being an example of how being even an average tackle will get desperate teams to pay up in free agency, while Latham is still seeking consistency as a former high first-rounder. 

32 – Texans

Projected Starting Five

PFF grade: 29th

ESPN PBWR: 30th

ESPN RBWR: 32nd

Houston has been working hard to revamp its offensive line. No starters from 2024 are still on the roster, while Ersery and Ingram are the only Week 1 starters from last year still projected to be in the lineup this September. It remains to be seen if the Texans have managed to get better. Teller and Smith might be on the tail end of their careers, while Ersery and Rutledge are young and raw in a lot of ways. What the Texans have accomplished is getting a group with a nasty attitude, which HC DeMeco Ryans said was a priority to match their defense and how he wants to play on both sides of the ball. That’s great, but their main job is still blocking people.

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