It's time to kick off my 2024 NFL season previews, and what better place to start than the beefy guys up front with my 2024 NFL offensive line rankings?
It may seem crazy to start coverage in the trenches, but this is the first piece of NFL content I write each season — and with good reason!
It's not exactly glamorous analyzing those five giants but if you think about it, five is almost half of the 11 men on offense! These guys almost never touch the ball outside of snapping it, but even in 2024, football is still won and lost in the trenches.
No position group in football is more impactful yet overlooked than the offensive line — and that can give us an edge as bettors and analysts.
A good line can elevate an average supporting cast, but even the most talented quarterbacks and skill players can't do much if the defense is living in the backfield on every play. Offensive lines are more multiplicative than additive. A great line multiplies an offense's greatness, while a bad one can stymie the entire attack.
Last year's offensive line rankings gave us the Lions and Browns as surprising playoff contenders before their breakout campaigns, and it also warned us off of the Jaguars, Seahawks, and Giants, who all went on to disappoint.
So, what are some of the key considerations?
- Offensive lines are a team effort. It's less about one or two stars elevating the unit and more of a "weakest link" game. Much like an NBA defense, an O-line needs five guys working together in sync at its peak.
- Depth and versatility are huge value adds. Guys will inevitably miss time during a long, grueling season, so which teams are built to withstand?
- Scheme matters. It's typically easier to run block (attack) than pass block (react and defend). Run-heavy teams tend to get better O-line results, and play-action-heavy schemes make things much easier on lines.
- Continuity is extremely valuable, especially early in the season, since the five guys on the line are working together.
Let's rank all 32 NFL offensive lines, focusing on continuity, depth, scheme, and balance as we head into the new 2024 season. What implications does it all have for NFL bettors?
2024 NFL Offensive Line Rankings
| Tier Number | Category |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 | The Unanimous No. 1 |
| Tier 2 | The Upper Echelon |
| Tier 3 | The Wild Cards |
| Tier 4 | Fine, Thanks For Asking |
| Tier 5 | The Shanahan System Works |
| Tier 6 | Improving Doesn't Necessarily Mean Good |
| Tier 7 | Danger, Will Robinson! |
| Tier 8 | The Consensus Bottom Five |
| Betting Takeaways |
Tier 1 — The Unanimous No. 1
1. Lions (Last Year's Preseason Ranking: 3)
I'm not an offensive line expert, so I'm really on heavy lifting from experts at Pro Football Focus (PFF), Establish the Run, 33rd Team, and Sharp Football Analysis to do some of the film and data analysis for me as I build my offensive line rankings.
In this case, every source agrees on exactly one thing: the Lions offensive line is No. 1 with a bullet.
Dan Campbell wanted to bite kneecaps and built a team that reflects that. It's no coincidence that the Lions came a few plays away from the Super Bowl with an identity built around smash-mouth football and winning in the trenches.
RT Penei Sewell and C Frank Ragnow are as good as anyone in the league at their positions, and Detroit replaced departed G Jonah Jackson with reliable veteran Kevin Zeitler for a line that really has no weak links. The Lions are a bonafide Super Bowl contender once again.
In this case, it's really not even that interesting that the Lions are No. 1 as much as they're alone at the top. In most seasons, it feels like there are three to five elite offensive lines. This year it might just be Detroit. Does that say more about the Lions or the rest of the league?
Tier 2 — The Upper Echelon
2. Eagles (Last Year: 1)
3. Colts (Last Year: 16)
4. Browns (Last Year: 2)
5. Chiefs (Last Year: 4)
The names in this tier are mostly familiar if you study offensive lines from season to season; note that four of last year's top five are right back in the top five again this fall. But that doesn't mean there hasn't been some real dropoff for those stalwarts, even ranked this high.
The Eagles ranked No. 1 in each of the past two years, but Hall of Fame C Jason Kelce has retired now, leaving a serious hole on this line. Cam Jurgens will move to C, but that still leaves a hole at RG. Will the Tush Push be as effective without Kelce? Can Mekhi Becton stay healthy and be an X-factor off the bench? Rest assured that O-line coach Jeff Stoutland will maximize this unit.
The one new team in this year's top five is the Colts, who had slipped from No. 7 to 10 to 16 over the past three years in my rankings before a huge rebound. Credit Shane Steichen's system, with a boost from Tony Sparano coaching up the line, and credit the development of LT Bernhard Raimann alongside studs LG Quenton Nelson and C Ryan Kelly.
The Colts return all five starters. If there's one team that can upend Detroit atop the rankings, it might be Indianapolis with another step forward.
The Browns had a nightmare season on the line with injuries that sidelined the top three tackles, but all three guys are back now, which makes sophomore T Dawand Jones perhaps the best depth piece in the league on the line. Cleveland returns all five presumed starters, but there is one important name missing: Bill Callahan, perhaps the best O-line coach in the league.
Callahan heads to Tennessee to join son Brian's staff, and Andy Dickerson is promising as his replacement but is still a big drop either way. That, plus the injury recovery timelines, does leave some questions, but Cleveland should still be near the top.
The Chiefs have ranked in the top five all four of my years doing this, but this is their most tenuous hold. Kansas City has easily the best interior three in the league, but the tackles remain a huge question mark. RT Jawaan Taylor was a huge disappointment last season but came around some late, and left tackle is up in the air.
It looks like second-round rookie Kingsley Suamataia will get the nod, but he's a big variable. That could lead to a rocky start but might be the best long-term plan. Kansas City's pass blocking should be elite under Andy Heck, and Patrick Mahomes can do the rest.
Tier 3 — The Wild Cards
6. Jets (Last Year: 23)
7. Chargers (Last Year: 9)
8. Falcons (Last Year: 7)
9. Steelers (Last Year: 18)
10. Rams (Last Year: 31)
11. Cowboys (Last Year: 5)
12. Packers (Last Year: 8)
New York's line was an abject disaster in 2023, so it's probably a shock seeing the Jets ranked this high.
That's what happens when you totally overhaul a line, bringing in stud LT Tyron Smith and a couple of Ravens in LG John Simpson and RT Morgan Moses. That should give the Jets a top-10 tackle duo when Smith is healthy, and New York has No. 11 overall pick Olu Fashanu for the games Smith will inevitably miss. Add in a healthy return for RG Alijah Vera-Tucker and the sky is the limit, especially since Aaron Rodgers will make things so much easier on this line than last year's Jets QBs did.
No offensive line in the league has improved more than the Jets. Bettors should take note. This line has as much potential as any.
The Chargers continue to invest heavily on the line and have ranked top 12 all four years I've done this. That's no small feat after C Corey Linsley retired, but RT Joe Alt is a stud and should give the Chargers the best tackle duo in the league with LT Rashawn Slater once the two settle in.
Los Angeles is expected to go run-heavy under Jim Harbaugh and new OC Greg Roman, so that should help elevate the line play. That could also make former first-round pick Zion Johnson and converted RT Trey Pipkins huge wildcards at guard.
I'm a bit more skeptical of the Falcons than most. This unit took a surprise leap under Arthur Smith's extremely run-heavy scheme, but a more balanced attack and a veteran QB in Kirk Cousins coming off an Achilles injury could make things trickier. Atlanta's line could take a step back in a less friendly scheme and end up more very good than elite.
The Steelers hope to end up on the other side of that coin after bringing Arthur Smith in to lead the offense. This is an aggressive ranking for Pittsburgh, which will start two rookies and a sophomore on the line. That trio could set up a nasty run-blocking unit for a team that will likely run the ball early and often with Smith and Mike Tomlin around.
The Steelers' pass blocking could be as ugly as the run blocking is great, though. That's tougher on young players, and both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields make life difficult on their line by holding the ball as long as any QBs in the league. Expect a great run but miserable pass-blocking metrics.
The Rams and Cowboys weirdly mirror one another, built around outstanding guard play but with real questions at tackle.
For Los Angeles, that appears to be on purpose. Sean McVay has switched from zone- to a gap-based, downhill rushing attack and has built a mammoth interior line after adding Jonah Jackson to Kevin Dotson and sophomore C Steve Avila. McVay sticks with what works, and you wonder if maybe L.A. has found a slight market inefficiency by paying for guards rather than elite tackles, though injuries mounting in training camp certainly won't help.
For Dallas, this does not appear to have been a choice. Tyler Smith and Zack Martin are maybe the best guard duo in the league, but the Cowboys let LT Tyron Smith and C Tyler Biadasz walk. Tyron Smith wasn't always reliable, but he was a stud when he played, and Dallas' offensive metrics reflected it with astonishing on/off splits. Rookie LT Tyler Guyton was a surprise pick in the first round and is considered more of a long-term project.
This is the lowest the Cowboys have ranked in four years, while it's a huge leap up into the top 10 from the Rams after starting last season at No. 31 in these rankings. Take notice.
The Packers round out this wild-card tier with a pretty uncertain lineup for a unit ranked this high, but Green Bay has earned our benefit of the doubt. It could be a slow start for this team's moving parts as they figure out who plays where, but the Packers should run block well and figure this thing out soon enough, just like always.
Tier 4 — Fine, Thanks For Asking
13. Vikings (Last Year: 13)
14. Bills (Last Year: 22)
15. Buccaneers (Last Year: 19)
16. Broncos (Last Year: 11)
17. Raiders (Last Year: 24)
18. Bears (Last Year: 25)
19. Bengals (Last Year: 12)
Without many surefire elite offensive lines this season, it feels like there are quite a few all stuck around the middle of the league.
The Vikings have one of the league's best tackle pairings in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill but struggle inside. They need those two healthy and fell apart late last season when health went awry.
Buffalo tends to go quantity over quality on the line, opting for depth over high-end starters, not a bad plan when depth is paramount. Last season the Bills also got continuity when all five starters stayed healthy, but health likely evens out this season and C Mitch Morse is gone too. La'el Collins could be an X-factor if healthy.
The Bucs moved Tristan Wirfs to LT and turned over the line to a bunch of younger names, and it was a rocky transition but appears headed in the right direction. This is not the top-five line it was with Tom Brady around, but there's a lot of positive runway here.
If you had to pick the most average offensive line in the entire league, the Broncos might fit the bill. They came in at No. 15, 17, 15, and 16 in my four top sources, not exactly an overwhelming vote of confidence for a unit the team has invested so heavily in. RG Quinn Meinerz is an elite run blocker, LT Garrett Bolles is great at pass blocking, there's no real center, there's not much depth — just a real mixed bag of average.
The Raiders had been in my bottom 10 three years running before leaping to average after breakout campaigns from LT Kolton Miller and C Andre James. This is another team that's invested heavily in its line, and an offense expected to go run-heavy under Antonio Pierce should buoy the line play too, though the QBs certainly won't help.
Most would slot the Bears a touch higher here, even fringe top 10. This line is far better at run than pass blocking but will probably do much less of that this season with Caleb Williams and those three star receivers around, plus Shane Waldron calling the plays. Williams tends to hold onto the ball a bit too long too, which could compound the pass-blocking woes. Chicago is another unit that's leaped from my bottom 10 three years straight, but I'm still a bit skeptical.
The Bengals are on the wrong side of average. They have no real weak links but no standouts either, with mammoth but often disappointing tackles Orlando and Trent Brown bookending things while first-round rookie Amarius Mims waits in the wings. Cincinnati is fine.
Tier 5 — The Shanahan System Works
20. Texans (Last Year: 14)
21. 49ers (Last Year: 20)
22. Dolphins (Last Year: 21)
Something about Kyle Shanahan's system just works, and it's weird how these three offensive lines — one Shanahan's, and two from his disciples — so closely mirror each other with one superstar left tackle and a bunch of other misfit pieces, but somehow it all works anyway. That's the miracle of the Shanahan system, with quick-release throws and endless play action that makes life easy on offensive lines.
The Texans definitely have the most talent of the three lines and are one of the three headed in the right direction. Houston had 10 linemen play at least 200 snaps last season, so a healthier campaign from young guys like LG Kenyon Green and C Juice Scruggs next to stud LT Laremy Tunsil could go a long way. For now, the run blocking has been miserable and holds the team back.
The run blocking is great for the 49ers, as long as Christian McCaffrey and crew run left behind LT Trent Williams. When he's not injured or holding out, like he is now, Williams remains the best offensive lineman in the league. But take Williams away and this might be the single worst line in the NFL. Don't believe me? Brock Purdy had three TDs and nine interceptions in four games with limited or no Williams last season; he had 28 TDs and two picks in all the other games.
Maybe Trent Williams was the 49ers MVP last year, not McCaffrey or Purdy — and maybe that holdout could be more serious than it seems.
The Dolphins might be the most vulnerable of these three units and truthfully should probably rank a few spots lower if not for the tiering. LT Terron Armstead is as good as anyone when healthy but misses 5.4 games a season, and an already thin line lost G Robert Hunt and C Connor Williams to free agency after breakout campaigns.
Luckily, this unit blocks better for run than pass, and Tua Tagovailoa gets the ball out so quickly to those speedy receivers that the pass blocking almost doesn't seem to matter at times.
Tier 6 — Improving Doesn't Necessarily Mean Good
23. Panthers (Last Year: 17)
24. Jaguars (Last Year: 28)
25. Cardinals (Last Year: 30)
26. Titans (Last Year: 32)
The four teams in this tier ranked an average of No. 24.3 over the past three seasons, with six bottom-five finishes between them. They've been bad or awful for a long time coming, so even getting up just fringe bottom 10 is a real improvement, even if they're still not good yet.
Carolina saw its LT, C, and RT play every snap last season but somehow rotated through a whopping 10 guards. The Panthers solved that problem by paying big for Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, and don't be surprised if Dave Canales speeds up Bryce Young's throwing time in a way that helps stabilize the line too, much like he did with Baker Mayfield last season. Carolina could surprise.
Trevor Lawrence gets rid of the ball so fast the Jaguars don't end up looking too bad, but the run blocking is abysmal and the pass protection really isn't great either if it had to block for a more average QB. All five projected starters were taken in the top two rounds of the draft, but Jacksonville is still trying to figure out where to play Walker Little and Anton Harrison, if at all.
I don't totally mind what's cooking in Jacksonville, but it feels like a slow roast for sure.
I'm optimistic about the Cardinals too. Sophomore T Paris Johnson moves to the left and should take a step forward opposite free agent addition Jonah Williams, and C Tjalte Froholdt broke out. Getting Kyler Murray back for a full season in a run-heavy scheme could do this unit wonders too. Like the others in this section, there's potential for at least average line play if everything clicks.
And then there are the Titans, who started and ended last season dead last in everyone's line rankings. Then Tennessee went out and got the league's best O-line coach in Bill Callahan and further invested in its trenches by drafting No. 7 pick J.C. Latham and paying C Lloyd Cushenberry. Latham never played left tackle at Alabama so it could be a process stepping in there next to sophomore LG Peter Skorornski, last year's No. 11 pick, but I'm optimistic Callahan can get this unit at least out of the cellar soon enough.
Tier 7 — Danger, Will Robinson!
27. Ravens (Last Year: 6)
If there's only one section you stop and read as your eyes skim down this article, make it this one — the Baltimore Ravens have major red flags up and down their offensive line.
The Ravens averaged a top 10 ranking over the past three seasons and finished No. 5 in PFF last season despite a number of injuries, but this unit will face about as much dropoff as any contender unit in the NFL after losing three starters, both guards and RT Morgan Moses. That leaves just good young C Tyler Linderbaum and LT Ronnie Stanley, who frankly hasn't been that good since major injuries hit.
Baltimore's two new guards were on the team and played some last year, but they were backups for a reason, and their promotion means the line's depth is compromised now too. The Ravens will also start a rookie at RT in Roger Rosengarten.
That's three — really four — questionable starters out of five on the league's No. 3 Super Bowl favorite entering the new season, and it should be a massive red flag for bettors. Baltimore has a long history of finding guys and making it work, but this is bad news for Derrick Henry, bad news for Lamar Jackson staying upright and healthy, and bad news for Ravens stock in general.
Super Bowl contenders are not supposed to start the season one spot away from the consensus bottom of the league. Be careful.
Tier 8 — The Consensus Bottom Five
28. Seahawks (Last Year: 26)
29. Giants (Last Year: 27)
30. Saints (Last Year: 15)
31. Patriots (Last Year: 10)
32. Commanders (Last Year: 29)
I really wanted to move the Seahawks higher up the list or at least out of this bottom tier, but every source I considered had Seattle bottom five. Third-year tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas have simply been too inconsistent, and the interior of the line is new and unproven and lost its best player in Damien Lewis. If the young tackles can stay healthy and get back on track in Brian Grubb's offense and maybe get a boost from new signing C Connor Williams, perhaps Seattle can rise up the ranks.
The Giants have easily the best lineman of these teams at the bottom in LT Andrew Thomas — it's just too bad he doesn't have any help. Youngsters RT Evan Neal and C John Michael Schmitz just haven't been any good or even shown real signs of life, and the new veteran guards brought in can only do so much.
The poor Saints ranked No. 2 the first time I did these rankings back in 2021, but with RT Ryan Ramcyzk likely retiring to injuries, this is one of the worst tackle duos in the league until proven otherwise. Rookie LT Taliese Fuaga needs to be good immediately, and sophomore RT Trevor Penning is forced back into the lineup after being so bad last season that he was benched after six games. New Orleans will start four former top-50 picks on its line, but they sure don't play like it.
But the two teams at the very bottom are especially problematic because both will start top-three rookie quarterbacks this season.
No offensive line has fallen off as mightily as the Patriots. I ranked this unit top 10 each of the past three seasons — though New England fans rightfully told me I was crazy last year — but this thing is an absolute mess now. You know things aren't good when your starting left tackle was so bad he got benched on a bad Steelers line and then was available for just $4 million, and G Cole Strange's injury only compounds things even further.
Bill Belichick had a number of secret sauces over the years, and one of them was O-line coach Dante Scarnecchia, who kept this unit near the top of the league season after season no matter what names the Patriots threw out there. Now the line is so bad New England doesn't even appear confident enough to give Drake Maye real snaps for fear of him getting hurt or losing too much confidence.
Jayden Daniels will play for the Commanders, but we'll see if he gets any help from his blockers.
The best thing Washington's line has going for it is the lack of continuity after its disastrous sack totals allowed a year ago led to the team investing in LT Cornelius Lucas, LG Nick Allegretti, and C Tyler Biadasz to raise the floor. But two of those three have never even been full-time starters and Biadasz is average at best, so the floor may be higher, but it's still very low. RG Sam Cosmi is a silver lining, but there's little else to get excited about unless you believe Kliff Kingsbury is going to make things easier for some reason.
Good luck with that.
5 Key Takeaways for Bettors
1. Be very, very wary of investing in Ravens futures until the line proves worth your investment.
Baltimore already got its own full section above, but that's appropriate when a key Super Bowl contender plummets from top-five offensive lines to the cusp of bottom-five entering the following season.
Maybe Ronnie Stanley finally stay healthy. Maybe rookie Roger Rosengarten will step right into a Super Bowl lineup from day one. Maybe Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele magically go from young deep draft picks to starting guards overnight.
Or maybe they don't get there until mid- or late-season if they get there at all, and maybe they undermine the very heart of this offense and leave defending MVP Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry with no room to operate.
The Ravens are +550 to win the AFC and +1000 to win the Super Bowl at legal sportsbooks. Even if you're still convinced you need Baltimore futures, there's a pretty good chance you can wait and buy cheaper later after escaping some early offensive line woes.
2. Keep a more wary eye than usual on the Cowboys and Bengals too, and maybe even the Eagles and Chiefs.
None of these teams have anywhere near as many red flags as the Ravens, but there are certainly at least some yellow or orange flags.
The Cowboys have their worst line in years. The Bengals are slowly trending in the wrong direction. The Chiefs are still top five for now but can't seem to figure this tackle problem out. Even the Eagles aren't quite as elite as they've been in recent years.
There's a good chance these lines are all good enough with great QB play, but the margin for error is thinner than usual. One key injury on the line could put a division title in doubt, and a second one could dash those Super Bowl hopes entirely.
3. If you're looking for an AFC sleeper, consider the Jets or Colts as by far the best lines in poor-blocking divisions.
The Texans were the darling AFC sleeper last year (Texans Island!!) but don't forget the Colts endured injuries at QB and RB all season and still had a shot to beat Houston in the final game of the season to steal that division crown. Indianapolis won with coaching and trench warfare, and now the Colts return all five line starters and have a shot to be this year's Lions.
The Jets line finished as one of the worst in the league in 2023 but could end up one of the best in 2024. It's a risk and a bet on health coming up roses, much like on Aaron Rodgers and Mike Williams, but it's impossible to overstate how huge a swing it is to go from bottom-five O-line and QB play to top-10 or better.
On top of those things, the entire rest of the AFC South ranks No. 20 or lower, and the AFC East isn't much better. The Jets and Colts could end up top five.
Indianapolis is +350 to win its division. The Jets are +185 but might be an even better bet to win the entire AFC at +1100.
4. The Shanahan system is great, but watch out for the Texans, 49ers, or Dolphins if they lose that stud left tackle.
You read above about how well Kyle Shanahan's system elevates line play, but you still need capable bodies out there.
These are three of the top 12 Super Bowl favorites, but all three have similar lines, built around a superstar left tackle and patchwork everything else, hoping their one stud stays healthy enough for the scheme to carry everything else.
There's a good chance Laremy Tunsil, Trent Williams, and/or Terron Armstead miss time at some point this season. These guys are nearly as important as quarterbacks on these teams as far as line value as you consider playing week-to-week — and if one of them goes out long-term, we may need to cross one of these teams off entirely.
5. Could the Panthers, Cardinals, or Titans surprise with improved line play as this year's shock worst-to-first team?
You could make a good enough case that these were the three worst offensive lines in the league at times last season, and going from terrible to even just bad is a big step forward and one step closer to average or even above average. Look no further than the big leaps teams like the Texans and Rams took in line play a year ago to see how teams can go from the doghouse to the playoffs in a hurry.
The Panthers added key names and got a real coaching staff for the first time in years. The Cardinals outperformed expectations with an outmanned roster and are helped by a run-first script and a running QB in Kyler Murray. The Titans are added young and old, with draft picks on the line and Bill Callahan here to coach them up.
Will that change things overnight? Certainly not. But could one of these teams inch its way up the O-line rankings one week at a time all season? It's always a possibility.
Looking for this year's island worst-to-first division winner?
Maybe it could be Carolina (+1500), Arizona (+1400), or Tennessee (+1000).
