Hey everyone, nice to meet you. I’m Scott DiBenedetto, and I'm making my Fantasy Points debut. I spent seven years in-house with the Cleveland Browns personnel department as a Scout and worked for the team from home the three years prior to that in an analytics/research role. I’m excited to bring my scouting perspective to Fantasy Points and let you all in on how a personnel department thinks about players and teams. Enjoy.
Whoever first said, “Games are won and lost in the trenches,” was clearly onto something that has withstood the test of time. On either side of the ball, if your team can’t control the line of scrimmage, well, they’re gonna have a bad time. The trenches are a critical part of every team’s season, and it becomes hyper-important once playoff time comes around. Recent examples are Tampa Bay’s pass rush demolition of Kansas City’s offensive line in Super Bowl LV, and KC’s OL recovery vs Philadelphia in LVII.
How do the decision-makers in the NFL view the trenches? Let’s check in with new Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who hit us with this electric quote earlier this year:
Still thinking about this quote from Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh on the importance of the offensive line (March 2024): pic.twitter.com/bHvvkn1mVS
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) June 21, 2024
What makes a good offensive line?
Throughout my years of experience, I learned the key factors that lead to a quality offensive line:
Continuity — The more the same guys play with each other, the better the communication is, and the more confident and effective they’ll play.
Injury woes — Injuries with this group can derail any team. Plugging in a new center or losing a stud left tackle halfway through the year will be felt by every skill position.
Quality additions — There’s typically turnover every year with OL groups. Adding the right veteran or draft pick could be the missing piece to becoming an elite unit.
Veteran to rookie/young player split — It’s hard playing OL in the NFL, so the more help and comfortability a rookie/second-year player has from solid vets around him, the better.
Coaching — OL is the most technique-heavy position, so having the right person running the meeting room cannot be understated. A perfect example of this was my experience with Cleveland. From 2017-18, the OL was coached by Bob Wylie, a cartoon character of a person who was past his prime as a coach. Then, in 2020, we got Bill Callahan, and everyone benefited from best-in-the-league tutelage.
Scheme fit — The GM and Head Coach must realize which players fit the schemes they’re trying to run. For example, a plodding guard will have a tough time blocking laterally in a wide zone scheme.
Sure, these days, extraordinary QB play from the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson makes life easier on their OL, but it can also add unwarranted pressure when the QB holds the ball too long. And let’s not forget the running game — nothing gives the hog mollies more confidence than repeatedly going forward and pushing defenders around.
Scott DiBenedetto’s 2024 NFL Offensive Line Rankings
Let’s examine the projected starting OLs across the league and see how the big boys will factor into fantasy, despite “pancakes” not being a stat. (Maybe Fantasy Points Data can help with that someday…)
* Denotes Rookie
$ Denotes New Acquisition
1. Detroit Lions
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Taylor Decker
LG Graham Glasgow
C Frank Ragnow
RG Kevin Zeitler $
RT Penei Sewell
Yes, you’re reading this right – the Detroit Lions have the best offensive line in football. Sewell and Ragnow are arguably the two best players at their respective positions, and they combined to allow just two sacks on 1251 snaps last year. It might sound cliché, and NFL offensive line coaches may not openly admit it, but the phrase “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link” holds true for offensive line play. But With Detroit, there isn’t a weak link – Sewell and Ragnow are studs, and every other projected starter is probably still top-15 at their respective position.
Detroit’s offensive line was already terrific last year. Their RBs ranked 2nd-best in yards before contact per attempt (1.87). And in pass protection, Detroit ranked 3rd-best in pressure rate allowed over expectation (-2.1%). RG Kevin Zeitler is the only new addition, and he was excellent last year in his 12th season. Among 60 qualifying guards per PFF, Zeitler ranked 6th-best in pressures allowed per snap (0.033), replacing Jonah Jackson, who ranked 43rd by the same stat (0.055).
Detroit was one of the best stories of 2023, and I don’t see them taking a step back in 2024. Offensively, they have the deadly combination of a veteran-heavy OL alongside some explosive younger skill players. This team will be fun to watch this season.
2. San Francisco 49ers
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Trent Williams
LG Aaron Banks
C Jake Brendel
RG Jon Feliciano
RT Colton McKivitz
San Francisco retains the entirety of its Super Bowl-starting OL. This was an offensive line that (when fully healthy) was good to great at pass-blocking and elite at run blocking.
LT Trent Williams again showed his dominance, ranking as PFF’s highest-graded LT and as my No. 1 LT. But his impact was most felt when he was off the field. Brock Purdy “earned” a 3-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio in games in which Williams suffered an injury (Week 6) or played on fewer than 50% of the team’s snaps (Weeks 7, 8, and 16). In all other games with Williams, that improved to 28-to-2. And something similar happened to Christian McCaffrey, who saw his yards before contact per attempt average fall from 2.30 (would have ranked 3rd-best among RBs) to 1.83. Somehow, Williams did not garner a single MVP vote last year. Additionally, opposite bookend RT Colton McKivitz was middle-of-the-pack in his first season as a full-time starter.
Where the 49ers could be susceptible is on the interior. LG Aaron Banks didn’t give up a sack last year, but was below-average by pressures allowed per snap and also appeared similarly sub-mediocre against the run. C Jake Brendel was awful in protection, ranking 4th-worst of 27 centers in pressures allowed per snap. The shocker was RG Jon Feliciano. The perennial “first guy off the bench” lineman became the starter in Week 10, and ended up ranking as PFF’s 6th-highest-graded guard.
I’m not really going out on a limb saying the 49ers are primed for another run. Getting WR Brandon Aiyuk locked up is important, but all the pieces are there for San Francisco to be the first Super Bowl loser to return the following year since New England in 2018. Continuity, continuity, continuity.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Jordan Mailata
LG Landon Dickerson
C Cam Jurgens
RG Tyler Steen / Mekhi Becton $
RT Lane Johnson
The Eagles had the best OL in football last year, and although they just lost a future Hall of Famer in Jason Kelce, they will remain dominant in 2024. LT Jordan Mailata and RT Lane Johnson make up the best tackle pair in the NFC. Mailata looked like a top-6 tackle in both phases of the game last year. Johnson easily looked top-6 in 2022, and even if took a slight step back last year was still decisively top-12.
LG Landon Dickerson and C Cam Jurgens are young, reliable blockers, and Jurgens is a manageable step down from the newly retired Kelce. Jurgens, the 51st overall pick in 2022, has Kelce 2.0 potential with his combination of size plus athleticism, given what he showed in college. The only real question is RG Tyler Steen, who was a 3rd round pick in 2023 but played only 71 total snaps last year.
Philly also has up-front depth, which most teams don’t. New signing Mekhi Becton comes over from the Jets and is penciled in as the “swing” lineman. He’s coming off a tough few years with New York but adds quality depth on the edges and has taken reps at RG in the offseason program. If he gets an opportunity, look for Becton to have a resurgence under OL coach Jeff Stoutland.
Can the Eagles OL survive without Kelce’s anchor? Will the Eagles continue to spam the “Tush Push,” allowing Jalen Hurts to put up top-3 numbers as a fantasy QB? Yes, because his replacement will not be an issue.
Philadelphia's late-season collapse in 2023 was tough to watch, but offensively, they’ve reloaded with RB Saquon Barkley and are in great shape to make a deep run.
4. Cleveland Browns
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Jedrick Wills
LG Joel Bitonio
C Ethan Pocic
RG Wyatt Teller
RT Jack Conklin / Dawand Jones
Cleveland is one of the few teams returning all five 2023 starters on paper, and it — if healthy — could prove to be the best OL in the league. However, RT Jack Conklin is again coming off a major knee injury. Then, 2023 rookie Dawand Jones filled in well before also going down with a knee injury. Conklin signed a team-friendly extension late in 2022, and could be tradeable given the team has a younger, cheaper, semi-proven option in house.
Bitonio, Pocic, and Teller create arguably the best interior in the NFL, but Jedrick Wills – who has ranked outside of PFF’s top-50 highest-graded tackles in each of his four seasons – still remains a question. And let’s not forget that this team lost perhaps the best OL coach in football, with Bill Callahan following his son Brian Callahan to Tennessee. So expect some hiccups early in the season.
Still, this is a terrific veteran-laden group, and one that proved it can produce no matter who is under center. Cleveland’s skill players won’t be able to blame the OL if they underperform.
5. Baltimore Ravens
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Ronnie Stanley / Patrick Mekari
LG Andrew Vorhees
C Tyler Linderbaum
RG Ben Cleveland
RT Roger Rosengarten *
This is the first instance in this rankings set of an ideal veteran-to-youth split. Baltimore has three proven starters in Stanley, Linderbaum, and Cleveland, but has a rookie 2nd-round pick (Rosengarten) and a first-year player (Vorhees) who have yet to take an NFL snap. Vorhees was a consensus top-100 prospect before falling to the 7th round due to a torn ACL at the combine, so there’s some upside there, but there’s no way to know how effective he’ll be in the NFL. Fortunately, the vets will be there to help.
Baltimore also has a great utility man in Patrick Mekari. He’s listed as Stanley’s backup, but over his time in the league, he’s played all five positions at a quality level. I wouldn’t expect him to push for a starting role out of camp, but if he’s needed, Mekari is a strong piece off the bench.
If the injury bug doesn’t hit Baltimore again, this team is poised offensively to make another run. QB Lamar Jackson can be a cure-all, but this is a consistently well-coached OL group with quality depth that will be able to open holes for “Tractorcito” Derrick Henry or whoever else carries the rock for the Ravens. I know ESPN’s Mike Clay has this offensive line ranked as a potential bottom-10 unit, but I’d be shocked if we saw a significant drop-off in performance from the top-5 level of play we saw out of them last year.
6. Indianapolis Colts
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Bernhard Raimann
LG Quenton Nelson
C Ryan Kelly
RG Will Fries
RT Braden Smith
Indianapolis is my #2 ranked AFC OL to return all five starters on paper, and was one of the more underrated units in 2023. This team loves to run when it has a healthy Jonathan Taylor, and second-year QB Anthony Richardson also benefitted from Indy’s high-end run-blocking in his limited time on the field. When you have one of the best guards in the game in Quenton Nelson, why wouldn’t you pound the rock?
Taylor started only seven games last year, but Indianapolis' RBs still ranked 4th in total carries (416). With all five OL starters returning, a hyper-mobile QB back under center, and Taylor back to 100%, don't be surprised if this team leads the league in rushing. And even if this is a group of blockers who are better on the ground than through the air, this is still an easy top-7 unit in my eyes.
7. Atlanta Falcons
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Jake Matthews
LG Matthew Bergeron
C Drew Dalman
RG Chris Lindstrom
RT Kaleb McGary
This is one of the more underrated groups in the NFL. C Drew Dalman and RG Chris Lindstrom anchored the unit, both ranking top-4 at their respective positions by PFF run-blocking grade. The edges are protected well, though 11-year vet LT Jake Matthews struggled mightily against the run in contrast to what he displayed in pass protection.
Given the strength of their offensive line, the QB upgrade, and the play-caller upgrade, expect Atlanta to take one of the biggest steps forward of any team in 2024. I’d be shocked if we didn’t see them in the playoffs.
8. Buffalo Bills
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Dion Dawkins
LG David Edwards
C Connor McGovern
RG O’Cyrus Torrence
RT Spencer Brown / La’el Collins
Buffalo is a group with what I’ll call “semi-continuity.” All five guys were on the team and saw snaps last year, but there has been some shuffling up front. Dawkins is a returning Pro-Bowler, and Spencer Brown took a serious step forward in Year 3. The interior has a young, arrow-up RG in Torrence mixed with a couple of vets who will be starting in new positions.
They don’t, however, have very much proven depth. La’el Collins has the most experience and is penciled in as the backup RT. But he comes off a down 2022 season in Cincinnati that ended with an injured knee, a short time on the PUP list to start 2023, and then being released in early September.
The loss of C Mitch Morse is the one big concern, especially in pass protection. QB Josh Allen is a Houdini in the pocket, but every QB struggles against pressure up the middle. Look for this unit’s “semi-continuity” and half-year experience in OC Joe Brady’s system to play a big part in their ascent in 2024.
9. Los Angeles Rams
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Alaric Jackson
LG Jonah Jackson $
C Steve Avila
RG Kevin Dotson
RT Rob Havenstein
This underrated group had a quietly strong season in 2023, particularly on the right side. RG Kevin Dotson and RT Rob Havenstein were excellent in run blocking, both ranking top-4 at their respective positions in PFF run block grade. RB Kyren Williams mostly has them to thank after he finished 3rd-best among all RBs (min. 135 carries) in yards before contact per attempt (2.27). But he also benefited from a recent philosophy shift – the Rams ranked top-3 in man/gap rushing concepts last year, up from bottom-5 the year before. Williams and Blake Corum are both better suited for this rushing scheme, as is the OL.
Steve Avila gets the nod at C in 2024 after starting at LG all year as a rookie. New LG Jonah Jackson could be the weak link, coming off back-to-back down seasons in Detroit.
Thanks to their top-10 OL, Sean McVay calling the plays, and the talent they have at the skill positions, you should feel confident with any Ram you choose to put in your starting lineup.
10. Cincinnati Bengals
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Orlando Brown, Jr.
LG Cordell Volson
C Ted Karras
RG Alex Cappa
RT Trent Brown $ / Amarius Mims *
Given the injury-rich history of QB Joe Burrow, the Bengals unsurprisingly invested some money and a first-round pick in the OL. Trent Brown (6’8”, 359 lbs) comes in to create a pair of massive bookend OTs with Orlando Brown (6’8”, 344 lbs). Brown graded out as PFF’s 13th-best tackle last year and is a relatively cheap veteran OT, but with the team drafting Amarius Mims in the 1st round of April’s NFL Draft, the Bengals have options if the veteran Brown can’t hold up. Should that be the case, Cincy should do everything possible to help the rookie early on to keep Burrow healthy.
This team goes how Burrow and the potent passing game goes, so don’t look for a highly productive Cincy run game this season. RB Joe Mixon was always a sneaky, solid fantasy pick, but the current stable of RBs on the Kentucky border needs to prove they’re worthy of taking the ball out of Burrow’s hands.
11. Los Angeles Chargers
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Rashawn Slater
LG Zion Johnson
C Bradley Bozeman $
RG Jamaree Salyer
RT Joe Alt *
The Chargers have a very young group up front and have had the most pressure possible put on them, given how hot their new head coach came in earlier this year when speaking about the position. Outside of new addition C Bradley Bozeman, the three returning players have proven to be better in protection than run blocking. Rookie RT Joe Alt deserved to be the first OL taken off the board in April’s Draft, and should fit in nicely on the edge. Mike Devlin comes in as the new OL coach and can make this unit the driving force behind the offense.
The real question is: “Is this group ready to eat steak (never chicken), and drink lots of milk” with Jim Harbaugh? The Chargers have had massive skill position turnover, so QB Justin Herbert is working with a fresh canvas and a new system. He has the ability to lift others around him, but he’s dealing with an unproven receiving corps that could make him and the OL look bad or worse if they can’t get open.
12. Minnesota Vikings
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Christian Darrisaw
LG Dalton Risner
C Garrett Bradbury
RG Ed Ingram
RT Brian O’Neill
Minnesota’s OL brings all five starters back, but given the change under center, it will be under quite a bit of pressure coming into 2024.
LT Christian Darrisaw missed two games but continued to play at an elite level. LG Dalton Risner and C Garrett Bradbury are the real question marks of the group, as each ranked at least slightly below average in all key metrics.
2024 will be a season of “we hope we have enough around the QB to make him good.” It’s a matter of time before QB Sam Darnold gives way to 1st-round pick J.J. McCarthy, so the continuity up front could be the most important thing for the Vikings offense in 2024. Adding RB Aaron Jones to the WR duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison makes this group that much harder to defend, but how good will the QB play be for the Vikings?
13. Houston Texans
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Laremy Tunsil
LG Kenyon Green
C Juice Scruggs
RG Shaq Mason
RT Tytus Howard / Blake Fisher *
Houston is another club with a solid veteran/youth mix, upfront. Laremy Tunsil is coming off another solid season despite multiple injuries, and vet RG Shaq Mason did admirably well in his first season with the Texans. However, RT Tytus Howard had an injury-plagued down year, LG Kenyon Green was on IR all year with a shoulder injury, and C Juice Scruggs missed half the season with a hamstring ailment. The Texans also drafted tackle Blake Fisher in the 2nd round and spent a 7th-round selection on the OL (LaDarius Henderson).
QB CJ Stroud proved he can get the job done despite a shaky OL, despite the offense being predicated on the passing game. Adding vet WR Stefon Diggs to an already dangerous WR room with Nico Collins and Tank Dell makes Houston primed to explode this season.
Add in RB Joe Mixon, and this team should put up a lot of points. But can the OL, especially the interior, hold up over 17 games?
14. Green Bay Packers
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Rasheed Walker
LG Elgton Jenkins
C Josh Myers
RG Jordan Morgan *
RT Zach Tom
Green Bay has a very young OL group, with its longest-tenured starter being LG Elgton Jenkins, who is going into year six. Jenkins was excellent in pass protection last year, but was sub-mediocre as a run-blocker. RT Zach Tom took a big step forward last season, finishing as a top-15 tackle according to PFF grading. Rookie Jordan Morgan has to transition to RG after playing LT exclusively in college, but the Packers obviously believe he can do it, using a 1st-round pick on him. (One of the top OL coaches at the college level told us Morgan was his favorite prospect in the Draft.)
If QB Jordan Love can continue to play like he did in the second half of 2023, Green Bay will be in the mix once again. They filled offensive holes early in the Draft, taking Morgan in Round 1 and RB MarShawn Lloyd in Round 3. And adding RB Josh Jacobs to the mix is a sign this team feels it’s ready to make some noise in the North.
15. Kansas City Chiefs
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Wanya Morris
LG Joe Thuney
C Creed Humphrey
RG Trey Smith
RT Jawaan Taylor
Kansas City has arguably the most significant split in quality between the tackles and interior OL in the league. Second-year LT Wanya Morris takes over as the starter having played 340 total snaps in fill-in duty last season. He survived on the edge for the last seven games of the regular season but was a high-variance player in both phases. The biggest question is RT Jawaan Taylor. After signing a massive free agent deal in 2023, Taylor was the focus of early season penalties, and then finished year as a bottom-3 tackle in run-blocking according to PFF grading, while also ranking below average as a pass-blocker.
Ultimately, the Chiefs have a solid group, albeit one with a few holes. This is one of the best interiors in football since all three arrived in 2021, but they’ll have to be excellent again, given the weaknesses on the edge. Even if they struggle, they’ll have Patrick Mahomes – the best sack-avoiding QB in football – there to make them look good and help pad their stats.
16. Denver Broncos
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Garett Bolles
LG Ben Powers
C Luke Wattenberg
RG Quinn Meinerz
RT Mike McGlinchey
Denver has a veteran-heavy group. However, the two guys on their offense touching the ball every play are new to their roles. C Luke Wattenberg has seen only 129 snaps over his first two seasons (with only 28 at center) and is in line to snap to rookie QB Bo Nix. This puts a lot of pressure on the other four linemen. Quinn Meinerz was a revelation last year, finishing the season as PFF’s 2nd-highest-graded guard.
This team has proven, productive skill players who can be good second or third fantasy options, but this OL will have to be solid to make any of them truly stand out. Sean Payton has had a ton of success getting the ball out quickly, which mitigates pass protection concerns and is one of Nix’s core strengths, so there is hope they could put it all together. However, it could just be another long, low-scoring season in Denver.
17. Dallas Cowboys
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Tyler Guyton *
LG Tyler Smith
C Brock Hoffman / Cooper Beebe *
RG Zack Martin
RT Terence Steele
Just a few years ago, Dallas had arguably the best OL in football. Now, except for their black hole at RB, it’s their worst position group on the offensive side of the ball.
LG Tyler Smith was excellent in his second season. Both he and RG Zack Martin performed at a top-10 level (particularly in pass protection), but Martin is in the twilight of his career and has been trending down for several seasons.
After that, things get pretty ugly. RT Terence Steele was PFF’s 72nd-ranked tackle, C Brock Hoffman has played only 222 snaps in his career, and rookie Tyler Guyton seemed like a reach to me in Round 1, or at least more of a project and a bit raw for his prospects in 2024. Dallas also drafted Cooper Beebe in the 3rd round. He’s penciled in as the backup C, but look for a competition during camp.
Dallas has the skill players to lead the league in scoring, but a bad OL is the Achilles heel of any high-powered offense. A lot of talk has come out about quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract situation, but I’d be more concerned with how he’ll be protected if I were in Dallas.
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Tristan Wirfs
LG Ben Bredeson $
C Graham Barton *
RG Cody Mauch
RT Luke Goedeke
LT Tristan Wirfs and RT Luke Goedeke are a solid, young pair of tackles who performed well in their first years at new positions. Among tackles, Wirfs ranked 4th, and Goedeke ranked 23rd by PFF grading.
The edges are secure, but the interior worries me. New LG Ben Bredeson played all three spots for the Giants in 2023 at a below-average level, and RG Cody Mauch ranked bottom-5 of 61-qualifying guards in pressures allowed per snap. Rookie C Graham Barton was drafted in Round 1, and played LT for three years at Duke. He’s coming off a leg injury, and his lower-body strength was a concern throughout the draft process.
The Bucs still have all the skill pieces they used to make the divisional round last season, so I’d expect them to compete with Atlanta for the NFC South crown. However, the interior three could derail this train before it ever gets going.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Cam Robinson
LG Ezra Cleveland
C Mitch Morse $
RG Brandon Scherff
RT Anton Harrison
The Jaguars feature both a “quality addition” and a “vet to young player split.” C Mitch Morse was a cap casualty in Buffalo but could be Trevor Lawrence's stabilizing force. This group has three guys with seven or more seasons under their belts, so second-year RT Anton Harrison can’t ask for more experience around him. Harrison took a step forward in protection late in 2023, and will look to continue that progression.
This unit is full of guys who are better in pass protection than run blocking, so expect Lawrence to get all the opportunities to take another step forward. Luckily, RB Travis Etienne wasn’t affected too much by disappointing run blocking (the Jaguars ranked worst in yards before contact per attempt last season), and should have another highly productive season.
20. Las Vegas Raiders
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Kolton Miller
LG Jackson Powers-Johnson *
C Andre James
RG Dylan Parham
RT Thayer Munford
This is a group with good pieces, but not all are proven. LT Kolton Miller and C Andre James were quietly excellent in pass protection last year. Miller ranked 7th-best of 66 tackles in pressures allowed per snap, and James, who went undrafted in 2019, ranked top-10 among centers.
However, there are far more questions surrounding RT Thayer Munford and Round 2 rookie LG Jackson Powers-Johnson. The rookie improved in both phases every year at Oregon, but will it translate to the next level?
Las Vegas is at an interesting point in its franchise arc. The Raiders have a new coach and a new GM working with a bridge QB, plus they just drafted a TE in Round 1 (to pair with their Round 2 sophomore TE), a G in Round 2, and a T in Round 3 (Delmar Glaze). WR Davante Adams will obviously get his targets, but this certainly has the feel of a team building for the future.
21. New York Jets
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Tyron Smith $
LG John Simpson $
C Joe Tippmann
RG Alijah Vera-Tucker
RT Morgan Moses $
The Jets are in “win now” mode to maximize QB Aaron Rodgers’ time in New York. They brought in two 10-plus-year veteran tackles on cheap free-agent deals, both of whom actually performed well last season, and a left guard who is on his third team in five years. And then they drafted LT Olu Fashanu in the 1st round.
It’s good for the team that Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses together cost $11 million, but what do the Jets do with Fashanu? Smith and Moses finished 1st and 21st, respectively, in pass protection last year (according to PFF grading), so they still have the ability, but then, is this a red-shirt year for the Round 1 pick? At the least, Fashanu provides depth for two players — especially Smith — who have had injury problems.
While the Jets needed to do something to fix their mess up front, we can forget about the whole “continuity” thing. RG Alijah Vera-Tucker missed the final 12 games in 2023 with an injury, and C Joe Tippmann split time at C and RG.
New York has the pieces to be explosive, but will this OL unit be able to function together?
22. Carolina Panthers
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Ikem Ekwonu
LG Damien Lewis $
C Austin Corbett
RG Robert Hunt $
RT Taylor Moton
Carolina’s OL should not be the problem for them going into 2024 that it was in 2023. Filling multiple holes up front is hard, but on paper, the Panthers have found quality additions at both guard spots.
RG Robert Hunt had a great 2023, finishing top-7 in PFF grading. LG Damien Lewis comes over from Seattle and put together a solid year, coming in at No. 39 overall. Both LT Ikem Ekwonu and RT Taylor Moton are consistent on the edges — Ekwonu still has yet to live up to his top-10 draft status, but he took a step forward in Year 2.
Let’s not get things twisted. The Panthers were atrocious on offense in 2023. QB Bryce Young didn’t play well and also had very little help. New GM Dan Morgan went out and added some key players up front (as well as a new RB1 and WR who can actually separate) to give his young quarterback a chance.
It’s safe to say this team will still struggle in 2024, but there should be some progress, at least offensively.
23. New Orleans Saints
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Taliese Fuaga *
LG Nick Saldiveri
C Erik McCoy
RG Cesar Ruiz
RT Ryan Ramczyk
The Saints are another team hoping they’ve found the right mix of vets to young players. C Erik McCoy anchors the group and comes off his best season yet, finishing as the No. 3 center according to PFF grading. RG Cesar Ruiz, however, was bad in 2023, ranking 67th among guards.
The left side is very young, with rookie first-round pick Taliese Fuaga and second-year player Nick Saldiveri, who only saw 14 snaps last season, and left guard. Fuaga was one of my favorite players in the entire draft, but both he and Saldiveri played primarily right tackle in college and will get extended reps at new positions this year.
With Atlanta and Tampa Bay improving this offseason, I’m having a difficult time figuring out how New Orleans will compete for the division. QB Derek Carr isn’t a “talent elevator,” and the team didn’t add any significant pieces for them to take the next step.
24. Tennessee Titans
Projected Starting Lineup
LT JC Latham *
LG Pete Skoronski
C Lloyd Cushenberry $
RG Daniel Brunskill
RT Nicholas Petit-Frere
C Lloyd Cushenberry comes in to anchor this group as a top-10 center according to PFF’s graders in 2023. Along with second-year LG Pete Skoronski and veteran RG Daniel Brunskill, this could be a formidable interior.
The questions start on the edges with Round 1 rookie J.C. Latham at LT (whom one OL coach we talked to thought was the best OL in the Draft) and third-year RT Nicholas Petit-Frere who is coming off an injury-plagued second season. Let’s not forget that Tennessee picked up legendary OL coach Bill Callahan when his son was named head coach here, so expect a decent improvement from this group in 2024.
The Titans feel like a team that could be “right there” for playoff contention, but it’s also just as likely they could end up 6-11. They’ve brought in vet WRs Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, and RB Tony Pollard, so second-year QB Will Levis has plenty of weapons. But the most important thing for a young QB – and perhaps Levis especially – is the OL in front of him.
25. Miami Dolphins
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Terron Armstead
LG Isaiah Wynn
C Aaron Brewer $
RG Robert Jones
RT Austin Jackson
Miami is another offensive line group full of veterans, but also full of questions.
LT Terron Armstead has been elite (especially in protection) just about every year of his career, but he’s never played an entire season and averages 5.4 missed games per year. RG Isaiah Wynn regressed as a run blocker in his first year with the Dolphins, and new addition at C Aaron Brewer ranked bottom-5 of 33 qualifying centers in pressures allowed per snap. The Dolphins also drafted T Patrick Paul in Round 2, so he could see early snaps if Armstead goes down.
We all know what this team has in terms of weapons. Once again, Miami's biggest issue will be keeping QB Tua Tagovailoa upright and healthy. That starts with the OL, which is the group with the most pressure on them going into 2024.
26. Pittsburgh Steelers
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Broderick Jones
LG Isaac Seumalo
C Zach Frazier *
RG James Daniels
RT Troy Fautanu *
Pittsburgh has perhaps the most drastic “vet-to-young-player” split in the league.
Both LG Isaac Seumalo and RG James Daniels have to be the anchors for this group, and both will fit that role well as tough, gritty, veteran blockers. Seumalo was a terrific run-blocker last season, but the three other guys are all unproven in both phases of the game.
Broderick Jones saw most of his time at RT in 2023, and there are two rookies slated to start at RT (Fautanu, Round 1) and C (Frazier, Round 2). The Steelers even drafted another OL in Round 4 (G Mason McCormick).
This OL has a lot of upside, and it’s clear the front office is investing in this unit to be the backbone of the offense. I don’t expect a very explosive season from this team, although the OL is clearly on the upswing.
27. Chicago Bears
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Braxton Jones
LG Teven Jenkins
C Ryan Bates $
RG Nate Davis
RT Darnell Wright
Chicago dealt with a ridiculous amount of injuries and IR stints up front in 2023. Three of the returning starters missed a combined 16 games, and new C Ryan Bates comes over from Buffalo, where he was a backup, playing only 35 total snaps last season.
RT Darnell Wright started all 17 games as a rookie and had an inconsistent year. He was adequate in run blocking but well below average as a pass blocker. The “star” of the group was LG Teven Jenkins, who started 13 games and finished as PFF’s 13th-highest-graded guard.
This group is in a tough spot. The returning guys have built a lot of camaraderie battling through so many injuries together, but now they have the No. 1 overall pick to protect. GM Ryan Poles has revamped this roster to his liking and finally has his guy at quarterback, so things should be good, right?
QB Caleb Williams has an amazing WR trio, but we should expect every rookie QB to hit the occasional bumps in the road. More than any other position group on any side of the ball, Chicago’s OL will have the most pressure on them in the building.
28. Seattle Seahawks
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Charles Cross
LG Laken Tomlinson $
C Olu Oluwatimi
RG Anthony Bradford
RT Abraham Lucas
LT Charles Cross started off his sophomore season with an injury, but put together an above-average showing for the position. That’s about the extent of the positives I can discuss from the Seahawks’ 2023 offensive line.
RG Anthony Bradford started 12 games and was terrible, ranking 7th-worst of 61-qualifying guards in pressures allowed per snap. C Olu Oluwatimi played only 131 total snaps (all at center) as a rookie, and RT Abraham Lucas was on IR most of 2023 with a knee injury. Veteran LG Laken Tomlinson comes over from the Jets but had a clear down year, giving up 7 sacks (3rd-most among guards).
Seattle has two major questions on offense: 1) Will QB Geno Smith continue his renaissance? 2) how will the OL hold up through 17+ games? Other than new addition Tomlinson, who is entering his 10th season, Seattle has a very young group, with all the other starters being either second or third-year players.
I see the Seahawks being able to compete and win some games they shouldn’t, but ultimately, this group will hold them back.
29. Washington Commanders
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Cornelius Lucas
LG Nick Allegretti $
C Tyler Biadasz $
RG Sam Cosmi
RT Andre Wylie
New C Tyler Biadasz is the most proven player of this Commanders’ group, but was just perfectly average in pressures allowed per snap last season with the Cowboys.
The good news for Washington is that returning starters RG Sam Cosmi and RT Andrew Wylie took steps forward in 2023. Cosmi gave up just 1 sack in 777 snaps, and Wylie has become a solid RT after being undrafted in 2017.
On the other hand, LG Nick Allegretti comes off another Super Bowl victory in Kansas City, but he and LT Cornelius Lucas have never been full-time players in their NFL careers. Allegretti has never started more than nine games in his five NFL seasons, while Lucas is entering his 11th season having never started more than 12.
Washington’s line is another group that will have to come together quickly while playing in front of a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels. These are all gritty vets who can build a formidable wall if they stay healthy. However, two of them will be first-time starters, and they play in one of the toughest pass-rushing divisions in the NFL.
30. Arizona Cardinals
Projected Starting Lineups
LT Paris Johnson
LG Evan Brown $
C Hjalte Froholdt
RG Will Hernandez
RT Jonah Williams $
The Cardinals OL is a tale of two subunits, because the split from the interior to the edges is so drastic.
LT Paris Johnson and new RT Jonah Williams both struggled in 2023, both giving up 8 sacks last season (tied for 7th-most among tackles). The interior three, however, are solid players. RG Will Hernandez and new LG Evan Brown ranked top-20 in pressures allowed per sack, and create a sturdy pair to sure up the middle.
Arizona will go as QB Kyler Murray goes, which isn’t a surprise. Murray is basically the perfect quarterback to have weaker pass-protecting tackles, but too often in his career, he’s operated in chaos. That needs to change for this team to take the next step.
31. New York Giants
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Andrew Thomas
LG Jermaine Eluemunor $
C John Michael Schmitz
RG Jon Runyan $
RT Evan Neal
The Giants’ stud LT, Andrew Thomas, missed seven games but was excellent when on the field. However, he anchors one of the worst lines in pro football.
New additions LG Jermaine Eluemunor and RG Jon Runyan are battle-tested, but Eluemunor has mostly played RT in his career, and Runyan was inconsistent in 2023, especially struggling in the run game As for John Michael Schmitz and Evan Neal…”woof.” Both guys ranked bottom-2 at their respective positions by PFF grading. Yikes!
There’s a lot to be worried about offensively for the Giants; They have a QB coming off an ACL tear, they just lost their star RB, their TE just retired, and they’re also dealing with this terrible OL. How will Daniel Jones or Drew Lock get the ball to rookie WR Malik Nabers, or anyone else for that matter?
Look for this team to struggle once again in 2024.
32. New England Patriots
Projected Starting Lineup
LT Chukwuma Okorafor $
LG Cole Strange
C David Andrews
RG Sidy Sow
RT Mike Onwenu
Soooo… where do I start with New England?
The longest-tenured non-long snapping Patriot, C David Andrews, is coming off the worst pass protection season of his career, giving up 6 sacks (2nd-most at his position). LG Cole Strange has been serviceable but has yet to be worth the Round 1 investment that Bill Belichick was famously laughed at for making. Rehabbing a torn patellar tendon, he’ll miss at least a few games to start the 2024 season.
New addition LT Chuks Okorafor was most recently benched for a rookie in Pittsburgh (albeit a first-round pick). The Patriots drafted a tackle in Round 3 (Caedan Wallace), so there’s a chance history repeats itself this year. The lone possible bright spot is RT Mike Onwenu, who ranked 14th of 65-qualifying tackles in pressures allowed per snap.
Yeah, this is absolutely brutal. I think Jacoby Brissett is a lock to start Week 1, and given this OL group and what we’ve heard from HC Jerod Mayo, I wouldn’t be surprised if he started all year.
