Offensive line play can often be overlooked when evaluating NFL offenses, but this season, we’ve seen prime examples of just how much a bad line can impact even a reasonably good offense. Most attention is paid to the skill-position players during the offseason, but the offensive line is often the deciding factor in a team’s success or failure.
Evaluating an offensive line is tough because it’s a cohesive group of five players that needs to be anchored with quality options and then surrounded by solid ancillary pieces. Unlike other positions, one star player cannot make all the difference, and equally, one bad player doesn’t immediately sink a unit.
The best offensive lines in the NFL are often above average across all five positions and boast the depth to deal with inevitable injuries in the trenches.
Our new offensive line metric (OL+) combines pressure and sack rate stats with time-to-throw data to build a profile of an offensive line’s performance in various situations. We then sprinkle in ESPN’s pass block (PBWR) and run block win rate (RBWR) stats to give a comprehensive overview of these units’ performance.
In judging all 32 units, we’ll look at their season-long performance, the data over the last four weeks, and the general trends from these respective units week by week. However, we are well aware that football is not played on a spreadsheet, so we’ve also watched these units throughout the season to observe their performances.
We also know that OL play is arguably more subjective than any other position on the football field. Therefore, we appreciate that how we rank these teams may not be how others rank them.
We never shy away from comments about our rankings, but please keep them respectful. Remember that we don’t hate your team; we’re just calling it as we see it and the numbers tell it.
1) Denver Broncos
Regular-Season Grade: 99.5 (A+)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 99.5 (A+; 1st)
The Denver Broncos’ offensive line was one of the driving forces behind their success in 2024. Very little was expected of the offense this season. Normally, when an offense outperforms expectations, it is either the quarterback playing exceptionally well or the offensive line.
Bo Nix has certainly performed well, ranking inside the top 20 of our QB+ rankings this season, but this offensive line’s brilliant performances have helped make life easier. Their pressure rate (28.3%) and sack (4.0%) numbers are excellent across the board, despite Nix averaging the fifth-highest time to throw (3.03 seconds).
The Broncos rank top of ESPN’s PBWR and RBWR and have plenty of individual players inside the top 10 of their categories. Mike McGlinchey and Garett Bolles are both inside the top seven for OTs in PBWR. Meanwhile, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, and Ben Powers are all in the top five for PBWR on the interior, with Powers also atop the RBWR for iOL.
Denver’s playoff performance was somewhat disappointing. They earned a C grade and a 73.1 score, which is their lowest single-game score since Week 5. However, it cannot all be blamed on the line, with Nix averaging 3.32 seconds to throw and 3.5 seconds to throw when not facing the blitz. Those are the third-highest numbers in both categories and help explain a 48.1% pressure rate against Buffalo.
2) Baltimore Ravens
Regular-Season Grade: 92.1 (A-)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 89.7 (B+; 2nd)
Over the course of the regular season, the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive line has been very good at pass and run blocking. They finished in the top five across many categories, including overall sack rate (4.8%; fourth), PBWR (third), and RBWR (third). Their sack rate was sixth when facing the blitz (5.2%) and fifth when facing four or fewer rushers (4.6%).
There were some alarming numbers, such as averaging 0.9 running back yards before contact per rush (RBYBC/rush), which ranked 17th. However, Derrick Henry is a power back and is less likely to try to avoid contact as much as he will look to run through it, which negatively impacts that number.
From a pass-blocking perspective, the Ravens ranked 26th in overall pressure rate (38.1%), 22nd against the blitz (41.8%), and 28th when not facing the blitz (36.0%). Yet, Lamar Jackson has some of the highest times to throw in the league across all various categories, which exacerbates those pressure numbers. Jackson’s style also plays into the low sack rates, as he is very elusive both in and out of the pocket.
After a C-grade performance in their Wild Card outing, the Ravens line was better in their Divisional Round loss, grading as a B with a score of 84. After allowing a 56% pressure rate during Wild Card Weekend, they allowed just a 45.2% pressure rate. Interestingly, their sack rate actually increased from 4.5% to 7.4%, demonstrating how much that statistic can depend on factors outside the OL.
Intriguingly, Baltimore posted better numbers against the blitz this week, with their pressure rate dropping from 100% to 50% and their sack rate dropping from 12.5% to 8.3%. However, they struggled more against three- or four-man fronts, with their pressure rate increasing from 26.7% to 42.1% and their sack rate jumping from 0% to 6.7%.
A big part of that story can be told in the time-to-throw element. Jackson was getting rid of the ball nearly a second quicker on average against the blitz and 0.69 seconds slower when facing three- or four-man fronts.
Where the line also had more success was in the running game. They averaged 1.41 RBYBC/rush. That was a significant improvement on their 0.84 the week before. It was a dominant game for them in terms of the run but only ranked sixth among offensive line performances in the run game during the playoffs so far.
3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Regular-Season Grade: 91.8 (A-)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 88.8 (B+; 3rd)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive line was undeniably one of the most improved units in the NFL this season. Their pressure rate (24.4%) was the lowest in the NFL, with impressive numbers whether facing the blitz or not.
Additionally, the Buccaneers had the sixth-best RBYBC/rush of 1.01. They also ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, when it comes to PBWR and RBWR.
Two elements have been key to Tampa Bay’s numbers. Firstly, no tackle graded better in pass protection than Tristan Wirfs in PBWR. Secondly, the offense was predicated on a quick time to throw (2.82), which took the strain off the line to block for longer stretches.
However, a 2.82 time to throw was outside the 10 quickest this season, so it’s not the sole reason for their success. The PBWR numbers demonstrate that when needed, this group was able to sustain blocks.
The Buccaneers had their worst single-game OL grade since their bye in Wild Card Weekend (C). That is still a more-than-respectable single-game performance, and nothing stands out as a major issue.
A 0.89 RBYBC/rush was the biggest negative, as their run game struggled to help them dominate the game. However, they also only allowed nine pressures, despite Mayfield’s average throw time of 3.03 seconds.
4) Buffalo Bills
Regular-Season Grade: 90.5 (A-)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 88.2 (B+; 4th)
The Buffalo Bills’ offensive line was superb across the board in the regular season. They allowed a pressure rate of just 31.9% (eighth) and led the NFL in sack rate (2.6%). When facing the blitz, they allowed just a 30.1% pressure rate (second) and a 2.7% sack rate (second). They were certainly helped by having a mobile QB who can move around the field, but they also ranked inside the top 12 in time to throw.
The ESPN PBWR metric shows how good the Bills’ line is at sustaining blocks. They ranked fourth in that metric, which, when combined with the pressure and sack rate stats, makes them arguably the premier pass-blocking unit in the league.
The run game numbers were a bit mixed during the regular season. The Bills were inside the top five in RBYBC/rush (1.05), but they were just 17th in RBWR. However, their RBWR number is over 70%, so it’s far from being a disaster for this offense.
The Bills’ offensive line grade for the Divisional Round is intriguing. It ranked seventh-best for the weekend with a C-grade, but the numbers make that grade seem confusing at first. They allowed just a 30.4% pressure rate and a 4.3% sack rate, which are top-three numbers for the playoffs.
However, that is somewhat negated by Allen averaging the quickest time to throw for anyone in the playoffs (2.26 seconds). That means the line shares the credit for those low-pressure and low-sack rates with Allen, so their grade does not reflect how good those numbers appear at first look.
In the run game, the Bills averaged 1.12 RBYBC/rush, just above the 55th percentile in our database but just 12th among the 20 playoff performances. Their numbers from Wild Card Weekend were better, both in terms of the run game and overall, as they finished with a B- grade and an 82.2 score against the Broncos.
5) Kansas City Chiefs
Regular-Season Grade: 85.9 (B)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 83.7 (B; 5th)
Seeing the Kansas City Chiefs at fifth on the list is intriguing because the team’s performance on the field has looked ugly in the second half of the season. The key to this ranking was a strong first half because the Chiefs have ranked 30th over the last four weeks and haven’t graded above a C since scoring an A- against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12.
The issue has been at left tackle because the other four positions up front have been excellent. The recent numbers emphasize just how important the blindside tackle is because despite quality numbers for the other four players on the line, the overall mark is a concern.
Kansas City’s line is anchored by one of the two premier trios in the league right now. Joe Thuney leads the interior pass blockers in win rate, Creed Humphrey is sixth, and Trey Smith has been inside the top 20 at times this year but fell out in recent weeks. Thuney has been so good that the Chiefs even moved him to LT to try and solve the issue out there late in the season.
In run blocking, Smith is inside the top 10 interior OL in terms of RBWR. Right tackle Jawaan Taylor has also been doing his part, ranking 17th in PBWR. Overall, the Chiefs rank seventh in RBYBC/rush (1.01) and RBWR. That’s a great indication of just how good the interior and the right side of the line, especially, have been this year.
The pass-blocking numbers are largely pretty middling, except for ranking eighth in PBWR. Their numbers against the blitz are also good, ranking inside the top 10 for blitz (5.4%; seventh) and pressure rate (37.3%; ninth). However, they are helped by having the fourth-quickest time to throw (2.4 seconds).
The Chiefs’ performance in the Divisional Round was solid, with a B- grade and an 81.5 score. Their numbers were really good in the run game, with 1.54 RBYBC/rush, which is fifth in the playoffs this year. They were also excellent against the blitz, with a 40% pressure rate and 0% sack rate. Kansas City struggled against three- or four-man fronts, ranking 17th in sack rate (16.7%) and 16th in pressure rate (50%).
Overall, the Chiefs finished with a 10.7% sack rate (15th) and a 46.9% pressure rate (14th) while finishing middle of the pack in time to throw. That left a little to be desired in terms of their overall pass-blocking numbers, but they did well in two elements (against the blitz and the run game), enough for them to finish with a B- grade for the week.
6) Detroit Lions
Regular-Season Grade: 85.6 (B)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 82.7 (B-; 6th)
After a wobble in the middle of the season, the Detroit Lions’ offensive line has finished the season strongly, ranking sixth after clinching the division in Week 18. They are fourth over the last four weeks, and that includes a D- performance against the Bills in Week 15. Finishing with a B- against a very good Minnesota Vikings defense is also a huge credit to this group.
The Lions rank 12th and 16th in PBWR and RBWR, respectively, and are 11th in pressure rate (32.6%). Yet, they’re second in RBYBC/rush (1.08). Detroit’s pass-blocking numbers are helped by the fact that Jared Goff is in the top 10 in time to throw (2.71).
Where the Lions’ pass blocking has excelled is against the blitz. Goff is 10th in the NFL in time to throw against the blitz, but the line ranks seventh in pressure rate (37.1%) and fifth in sack rate (5.2%). Intriguingly, they actually have negative splits when not facing the blitz, ranking ninth in time to throw and 12th and 13th in pressure rate and sack rate, respectively.
Detroit’s worry is that its struggles have come against other playoff teams. They graded as a C against the Buccaneers, a C- against the Vikings, a C+ and a D+ against the Green Bay Packers, a C against the Houston Texans, and a D- against the Bills.
When the competition ramps up, Detroit’s line has tended to struggle, but finishing well against the Vikings will have helped alleviate some of those concerns.
We saw those concerns against better teams come to a head in the Divisional Round. The Lions finished the week graded as a C+, thanks in large part to allowing a high-pressure rate both against the blitz and against three- or four-man rushes. They allowed a 66.7% pressure rate against the blitz (16th) and a 43.2% pressure rate when the Commanders did not blitz.
You can certainly point to those issues with pass blocking regarding some of Goff’s struggles against the Commanders. All season, Goff has been superb from a clean pocket but struggled under pressure. That showed up in a three-interception performance for the veteran quarterback.
7) Arizona Cardinals
Regular-Season Grade: 84.3 (B)
The Arizona Cardinals’ strong performances in the last month have seen them finish inside the top 10 in our NFL OL rankings. They sit first over the past four weeks, with back-to-back games that have graded as an A-, and then a B and C+ performance to round out the year.
Even though their quarterback loves to hold the ball against the blitz (26th), the Cardinals’ pressure rate (39.2%, 11th) and sack rate (8.6%, 18th) are very respectable.
When facing just four or fewer rushers, Arizona’s line was excellent this year, ranking fifth in pressure rate (25.3%) and second in sack rate (3.9%). Additionally, they’ve done well in opening up holes for the backs, ranking ninth in RBYBC/rush (1.00) while also sitting 11th in RBWR.
No one on this line has individually stood out, so this has been a real group effort and one that has been fairly consistent across the season. Arizona’s worst performances came before the Week 11 bye week, and they haven’t graded below a C since. That improvement coincides with the return of Jonah Williams, who has been a key element up front since his return in November.
8) Washington Commanders
Regular-Season Grade: 83.5 (B)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 81.4 (B-; 7th)
A team trending down over the last four weeks is the Washington Commanders, who rank 31st in that stretch despite a B performance in Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons. Washington’s other three performances since the bye week have all graded D+ or below, with two D- grades in Weeks 15 and 16.
It’s impressive that the Commanders have gone 4-0 in that stretch and that they still rank inside the top 10 overall on the season. However, they’ve only faced one playoff-bound team in that stretch, and they may struggle to keep winning if their line continues to play at such a poor level.
On the season as a whole, the Commanders’ offensive line has done a good job in pass protection, given just how long Jayden Daniels holds the ball (3.01 seconds; seventh). Whether it’s in the face of the blitz or not, Daniels is in the top 10 for both in time to throw (or be sacked).
Therefore, while the pressure numbers don’t look elite (34.4%), in the context of the time they are blocking, they’re respectable. That is reflected in a top-10 ranking in PBWR entering Week 18.
In the run game, the Commanders’ RBs are only averaging 0.89 YBC/rush, but ESPN ranks Washington’s line as the second-best in terms of RBWR.
Wild Card Weekend was a strange one for Washington’s offensive line. They were very good in pass blocking, with a 37.5% pressure rate and a 2.8% sack rate. However, they averaged 0.00 RBYBC/rush, as their run game struggled to make any kind of impact on the Buccaneers’ defense. Overall, that resulted in a very unimpressive D grade for their performance.
They improved considerably in the Divisional Round, finishing with the third-best score of the week: a B- grade and an 82.0 score. The Commanders did not give up a single sack against the Lions and their 35.1% pressure rate was the second-best of the entire playoffs.
Daniels helped the defense with a quick time to throw, but the numbers were still good overall. One area they improved considerably was with a 1.2 RBYBC/rush after posting a zero last week. Ahead of facing a good defensive front in the NFC Championship Game, this was a much more encouraging performance from this line in the run game.
9) Green Bay Packers
Regular-Season Grade: 82.7 (B-)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 79.5 (C+; 8th)
The Packers’ OL was very impressive in the face of the blitz, ranking eighth in pressure rate (37.2%), which was much better than their 18th-placed ranking when not facing the blitz (32.7%). Green Bay’s run blocking was somewhat concerning, as they ranked 14th in RBYBC/rush (0.92) and 23rd in RBWR. However, their run game generally performed well, hiding some of those concerns when you watch them play.
Some of Green Bay’s best performances this year came against playoff-bound teams, with C+ or better in the five games against the Lions, Vikings, and Eagles. Unfortunately, they couldn’t play to that standard when they were called upon in the playoffs.
It was a tough outing for the Packers’ offensive line (C-) on Wild Card Weekend. They lost Elgton Jenkins early in the game and never fully recovered. There were certainly some tough moments with pass blocking, and Jordan Love had to get the ball out of his hands as quickly as possible.
The impressive element of Green Bay’s performance was that they didn’t allow a single pressure when blitzed but struggled when facing three or four-man rushes. They also struggled to open holes for Josh Jacobs, averaging 0.43 RBYBC/rush, as Jacobs rushed for just 81 yards on 18 carries, although those numbers were boosted by a 31-yard run in the fourth quarter.
10) Minnesota Vikings
Regular-Season Grade: 82.1 (B-)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 79.1 (C+; 10th)
The Vikings’ offensive line was interesting this season. They struggled for a stretch in the middle of the year after losing Christian Darrisaw, but they stabilized and had been trending up heading into the playoffs.
The Vikings’ numbers against the blitz looked a little worrisome (54.3% pressure rate; last), with Sam Darnold holding the ball for nearly three seconds (2.93; second-highest in the NFL).
Minnesota’s OL was better relative to the league when not facing the blitz, ranking just outside the top 20 in pressure rate (34.1%). This is further contextualized by a second-overall ranking in PBWR, which shows this line was better than the raw pressure and sack rate numbers showed — they were just being asked to do it for longer than most teams.
In the run game, Minnesota ranked 12th in RBYBC/rush (0.96) and 15th in RBWR. These weren’t exceptional numbers, but they were more than good enough to complement what the rest of the team did in the regular season.
The Vikings allowed nine sacks on Wild Card Weekend as they failed to keep Darnold clean. They struggled against both the blitz and three- and four-man rushes. They ended up with a C grade because they had a somewhat effective performance against the run with 1.13 RBYBC/rush. However, that was boosted by just a couple of big runs, making their overall numbers look better than they were.
11) Atlanta Falcons
Regular-Season Grade: 81.2 (B-)
Despite the changes in their passing offense in recent weeks, the Falcons’ offensive line has been doing an excellent job. Their overall numbers are pretty good on the surface — 5.4% sack rate (seventh) and 32% pressure rate (ninth) — but are certainly helped by the fact this offense is getting the ball out quickly (2.61-second time to throw) regardless of who has been at quarterback.
Atlanta’s pass-blocking numbers against the blitz are exceptional, ranking fifth in pressure rate (36.1%) and first in sack rate (2.1%). Yet, that is helped massively by its 2.27 time to throw, which leads the NFL.
Atlanta’s numbers aren’t so good when opponents aren’t blitzing, ranking 10th in pressure rate (30.6%) and 18th in sack rate (6.5%), despite ranking third-lowest in time to throw (2.72).
The Falcons’ run-blocking stats have quite a wide contrast. They rank first in the league in RBYBC/rush (1.17) but 20th in RBWR. Overall, that comes out to a solid number inside the top half in regards to this unit’s run-blocking performance.
However, those yards-before-contact numbers are certainly boosted by having an elusive runner like Bijan Robinson, who can avoid contact altogether rather than just breaking tackles.
12) Philadelphia Eagles
Regular-Season Grade: 81.1 (B-)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 79.2 (C+; 9th)
This rank for the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line is a little unfair because it’s influenced by their poor Week 18 showing when they rested their starting OL. Still, the Chiefs and Bills both rested starters and didn’t slump through the rankings, so this also highlights the Eagles’ strength of depth concerns.
Philadelphia’s OL was all over the map in the final few weeks of the season. They ranked 27th over the final four weeks with D+ grades against the Commanders and Steelers. When you combine those two grades with an F against the Ravens, a C- against the Buccaneers, and a C against the Packers, there was certainly cause for concern. They’ve only graded above a C against one playoff team (Commanders, Week 11).
When you look at the Eagles’ numbers, it’s hard to imagine them as a top-10 unit. Their 40.6% pressure rate was the worst in the NFL, and their 9.1% sack rate was the second-worst, but they had the second-longest time to throw at 3.17 seconds.
ESPN’s PBWR has the Eagles as the sixth-best offensive line, but their metric only looks at blocking for the first 2.5 seconds, so it doesn’t paint the full picture.
Their run blocking was also good without being exceptional. Philadelphia’s OL clears the way for an average of 1.00 RBYBC/rush (eighth in the NFL) and was ranked ninth in RBWR.
In terms of individual accolades, Lane Johnson finished fifth in OT PBWR and RBWR, Jordan Mailata was 14th for pass blocking, and Cam Jurgens was 11th for iOL pass blocking. There’s no shortage of high-end talent, but their ranking doesn’t match their potential.
The Eagles did have the best offensive line performance of Wild Card Weekend (88.6; B+). They averaged an incredible 1.61 RBYBC/rush and had extremely solid pass-blocking numbers despite Jalen Hurts averaging 3.65 seconds to throw.
The numbers in pressure rate and sack rate were still outside the top five for the week, but they are asked to do a lot to protect Hurts with how long he holds the ball.
After posting the best numbers of Wild Card Weekend, the Eagles had the worst numbers of the Divisional Round. They allowed a 25.9% sack rate and a 50% pressure rate overall. Philadelphia ranked 19th among all the playoff performances in terms of sack rate both when facing the blitz and against non-blitz rushes and pressure rate against non-blitz rushes.
Normally, we would caveat those numbers with a long time to throw. While Hurts still averaged a 3.2-second time to throw, it was just the sixth-highest number, which does not totally mitigate their performance in terms of pressure and sack rate.
Similarly, the Eagles’ performance in the run game was worse than the previous week. They had 1.19 RBYBC/rush, which is not bad but not up to the same standard as Wild Card Weekend. In context, it still ranks in the 60th percentile in our database. The run game was certainly not the issue in this game for the Eagles, with the pass blocking being a much greater concern.
13) Los Angeles Rams
Regular-Season Grade: 80.7 (B-)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 78.9 (C+; 11th)
It’s been a topsy-turvy year for the entire Los Angeles Rams offense when it comes to injuries, and the offensive line has felt it as well. Now seemingly back toward full strength and looking healthier, the Rams’ offensive line has been trending in the right direction, ranking seventh over the final four weeks of the season.
That included not playing all their first-choice offensive linemen in Week 18 when they graded as a C+ against the Seahawks. They finished the year in the top four in quickest time to throw (2.66), which helped LA’s pass blocking.
But even in that context, they were a solid unit, with a pressure rate of 32.2% (10th) and a sack rate of 5.3% (fifth). The Rams’ numbers rank in the top half, whether facing the blitz or not.
Los Angeles also ranked third in the NFL in RBYBC/rush (1.09) and 12th in RBWR, which combined to make this a top-10 run-blocking offensive line.
In their Wild Card victory over the Vikings, the Rams rode an impressive 1.79 RBYBC/rush to a B+ grade. In pass protection, Matthew Stafford helped them immensely by getting the ball out at an average of 2.52 seconds. L.A.’s numbers were in the top five for both pressure rate (37.9%) and sack rate (6.9%).
The Rams put in another good performance in the Divisional Round, finishing with their second straight B+ grade. Stafford’s fourth-quickest time-to-throw mark (2.66 seconds) helped their passing numbers, but their numbers were in the top five across the board against non-blitz rushes. They did struggle against the blitz, with an 18.2% sack rate that was ultimately their undoing.
For the second week running, the Rams put together really impressive numbers in the run game. Their running backs averaged 1.95 YBC/rush, which is the best performance for the playoffs and above the 85th percentile for the season.
14) San Francisco 49ers
Regular-Season Grade: 80.2 (B-)
It was a tough end to the season for the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive line, and having Trent Williams out with an injury was a big reason why. Williams ranks second on the year in OT PBWR, with Jake Brendel being the only other 49ers OL getting listed on the individual leaderboards to end the year.
With Williams absent, San Francisco posted four individual game grades of D+ or below in seven games. That led to their fall outside the top 10, ranking 18th over the final four weeks, thanks in part to a strong finish against the Cardinals.
Unlike the Chiefs, San Francisco doesn’t have the interior depth to play well while struggling at left tackle. With a 37.1% pressure rate, the 49ers’ pass-protection numbers look bad on the surface, but their quarterbacks also hold the ball for over three seconds on average, ranking as the league’s sixth-highest rate.
The main positive in San Francisco’s numbers has been run blocking, ranking fourth in RBYBC/rush (1.05). Yet, they rank 24th in ESPN’s RBWR metric, which suggests their yards before contact numbers are as much about the backs’ style as the line’s performance. When you combine those metrics, they average out as an average run-blocking group.
15) Indianapolis Colts
Regular-Season Grade: 78.5 (C+)
The Indianapolis Colts’ OL is no longer the elite unit it once was. It still has some good players, but it lacks high-level talent across the board.
Anthony Richardson and Joe Flacco are not as difficult to block for as some other quarterbacks (ranking around league average in time to throw). Plus, Richardson is incredibly tough to bring to the ground, which means Indy’s sack rate always looks better than it should.
The blitz is a real concern for Indianapolis’ offense, allowing a 52.2% pressure rate (31st). Some of that is because their QBs tend to hold the ball longer than the rest of the league when facing the blitz compared to facing three or four pass rushers. Yet, Richardson is also a big reason that the 51.9% pressure rate has only turned into a 6.1% sack rate (11th).
When you separate sack and pressure rate numbers by a quarterback, Richardson has a higher pressure rate (37.7%) than Flacco (29.0%) but a lower sack rate (5.2% vs. 6.7%). That perfectly encapsulates their play style, with Richardson holding the ball for 2.96 seconds on average and Flacco at just 2.64. Richardson, though, is significantly more elusive.
The Colts rank 16th in RBYBC/rush (0.91) but are fourth in RBWR. That tells a very good story about Jonathan Taylor’s style as a running back who seems to welcome contact with his ability to break through tackles. It also means this line averages out right around a top-10 unit in run blocking.
16) Dallas Cowboys
Regular-Season Grade: 78.0 (C+)
The Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line has been somewhat forgotten at times with all the other chaos going on. That is also a product of them essentially just being a league-average unit. Long gone are the days when this unit was a consistent top-five group, and with Zack Martin potentially departing this offseason, things could shift further.
Dallas ranks third in the NFL in pressure rate (27.6%) but is a unit helped by a quick-release passing game. That may have been introduced out of necessity, with PBWR ranking them 24th, suggesting that the Cowboys’ offensive line can struggle to sustain blocks for longer reps.
Dallas’ run game has struggled this season, and with mixed outputs so far, the OL metrics may indicate why. The Cowboys rank 18th in RBYBC/rush (0.87) and fifth in RBWR. Those numbers would place a significant portion of the blame for the failing run game on the lack of explosiveness from their two backs and a struggle to avoid contact rather than trying to break it.
17) Chicago Bears
Regular-Season Grade: 76.7 (C)
It has been exceptionally unfair that the Chicago Bears’ offensive woes were largely blamed on the offensive line. Sure, a 17th-placed ranking isn’t good, but it’s not horrendous. They’ve had some bad outings, as have most offensive lines, but that doesn’t mean they are the main reason for Caleb Williams’ struggles as a rookie.
The Bears’ OL has been asked to block for the fourth-longest time of any unit this season (3.09 seconds). That contributes heavily to a 10.7% sack rate (last in the NFL) because their 35.4% pressure rate is up to 18th. We see that replicated whether it’s against the blitz or not, suggesting it might be a general problem in Williams’ game.
Chicago also ranks 15th in PBWR, which is respectable. Similarly, the run-blocking numbers are fairly solid (0.91 RBYBC/rush, 15th), so it’s ambitious to blame the offensive line for this season’s collapse.
Intriguingly, this unit has posted four games with a grade of B- or above, and three of its five wins have come in those games. All three of those wins came before their bye week, and they only posted one game above a C+ since Week 7, when their schedule got significantly harder.
18) Los Angeles Chargers
Regular-Season Grade: 74.2 (C)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 72.6 (C-; 12th)
The Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive line has dealt with some injuries, but they have a solid tackle base in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. Slater finished the regular season in the top 10 for run blocking, while Alt was fourth in pass blocking.
Los Angeles is certainly set nicely as a franchise in regards to its OL bookends. The biggest concern for the Chargers’ offensive line was always that they had not graded over a C against any playoff-bound team this year. Their best outcome was a C against the Ravens in Week 12, with four games graded as D+ or below and two graded as C-. In total, they had seven regular-season games graded as D+ or worse.
Los Angeles’ sack rate of 7.9% ranked 22nd, while its pressure rate allowed (33.1%) ranked 12th. Justin Herbert was in the upper third of quarterbacks for holding the ball, but the Chargers need to significantly improve their line before the 2025 season.
The run game was also an issue, with a 27th-ranked RBYBC/rush (0.71). However, they were 13th in RBWR, suggesting some of those struggles fall on the running backs.
The Chargers’ offensive line concerns were highlighted in a big way in their Wild Card loss. Despite Herbert having the third-quickest time to throw, they allowed a 52.8% pressure rate and an 11.1% pressure rate. They also struggled when blocking for the run game, with the Chargers averaging just 0.82 RBYBC/rush in this game.
We had seen warning signs that this line wouldn’t be able to hold up against playoff-level teams, and that proved to be the case.
19) Carolina Panthers
Regular-Season Grade: 72.0 (C-)
It’s been a transitional year for the Panthers’ offense, but the offensive line hasn’t been one of the bigger problems for them in the grand scheme of their roster.
A 19th-placed ranking is not that impressive (and ESPN’s PBWR has them ranked 30th), but it’s all relative to poor performance elsewhere on the team.
Regarding the situational and pressure stats, this unit has been fine but below average. Carolina is 19th in pressure rate (35.6%), with perfectly adequate stats whether facing the blitz (41.2%, 18th) or facing just four or fewer rushers (33.2%, 19th).
The run-game numbers are also solid, with a 10th-placed ranking in RBWR and 0.93 RBYBC/rush (13th). On an individual basis, Robert Hunt graded out as the second-best iOL in RBWR. He appears to be a strong offseason addition from last offseason and could well prove to be the centerpiece of the line going forward.
The Panthers finished with mixed performances, having their worst game of the year in Week 17 (F) and their best in Week 18 (A+). That regular-season finale was graded as the best single-game performance from any team all season (99.3), sending Carolina into the offseason on a high note.
20) Cleveland Browns
Regular-Season Grade: 71.4 (C-)
The Cleveland Browns’ offensive line has dealt with a lot of change, and a lack of continuity rarely creates consistency. The biggest concerns for this unit are a 36.0% pressure rate (21st) and a 9.1% sack rate (30th). That comes despite the team ranking in the middle of the pack in time to throw (2.85 seconds).
A big part of that is Cleveland’s struggles when opponents don’t blitz. The Browns rank 24th in pressure rate in that scenario (34.9%) and 27th in sack rate (8.0%). They are also vulnerable to sacks against the blitz, ranking last (12.7%), although that has been less about giving up regular pressure and more about individual plays.
Intriguingly, the Browns are 10th in ESPN PBWR, which seems very high given their pressure and time-to-throw statistics. The run-blocking statistics have been diverging, with Cleveland ranking 14th in RBWR and 24th in RBYPC/rush (0.77).
Some of the OL issues will be solved if the Browns can find some consistency behind them at quarterback. Still, they may also need to look at upgrading in a couple of areas to improve the group as a whole.
Jack Conklin was 19th in OT PBWR and third in RBWR, with Wyatt Teller ninth in iOL RBWR. Those should remain core pieces of the unit, complemented by offseason acquisitions.
21) Jacksonville Jaguars
Regular-Season Grade: 69.9 (D+)
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ offensive line adapted quite impressively this year. Losing your left tackle to a mid-season trade and then enduring regular quarterback changes can be tough.
Nevertheless, Jacksonville’s pass-blocking numbers were fairly good. The Jaguars rank second in pressure rate allowed (27.5%) but were helped by the tendency toward a quick-release passing game (2.68-second time to throw; fifth-quickest). Their 20th-ranked PBWR tells you a lot about how this line performs when asked to block for any significant length of time.
The run game is certainly an issue, with just 0.74 RBYBC/rush (25th) and a 23rd-placed ranking in RBWR. Those are not lethal numbers for a ground game, but the run blocking is the lesser part of this offensive line’s skill set.
This offseason, Jacksonville will need to find a replacement at OT after trading away Cam Robinson, and Brandon Scherff is a free agent. The Jaguars must find reinforcements to better support Trevor Lawrence in 2025.
22) Las Vegas Raiders
Regular-Season Grade: 69.4 (D+)
The numbers speak for themselves with the Las Vegas Raiders. Their pressure rate of 35.8% ranks 20th and is not mitigated by a high time to throw (ninth-quickest).
The Raiders have particularly struggled against the blitz, with a 46.6% pressure rate (28th). Yet, they’ve been a more solid group when just having to handle four or fewer pass rushers (31.6%, 13th).
The run game has been poor, ranking 22nd in RBWR and 21st in RBYBC/rush (0.85). The running backs the offensive line has had to work with haven’t helped, either. Largely, though, the unit struggled to open up holes for the ground game to take advantage of.
The Raiders looked a little better over the final month of the season, ranking eighth in the last four weeks. It will be interesting whether they look to improve this group in the offseason or if they believe another year with the same front five will continue the upward trend we saw starting in December.
23) New Orleans Saints
Regular-Season Grade: 68.0 (D+)
Injuries have decimated the New Orleans Saints’ offensive line at times this year, and it’s shown repeatedly. Every time you look up, it feels like New Orleans is changing something up front, making continuity impossible. Trevor Penning and Taliese Fuaga played most snaps, but only Cesar Ruiz played more than 60% of snaps on the interior.
The Saints have ranked 29th over the last four weeks of the season, with no single week grading out better than a C. They’ve gone 0-4 in that stretch, but that’s not all on the line. The offense is made up of rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler and a group of largely third-choice skill-position players.
Given the circumstances of their season, New Orleans’ stats are acceptable. It’s hard to be much more effusive in praising the unit than that, but credit is due for not completely crumbling.
The Saints rank 22nd in pressure rate (36.2%) and RBYBC/rush (0.82). They’re 29th in PBWR, but again, with all they’ve dealt with injury-wise, it’s a surprise they’re not worse.
Getting Erik McCoy back healthy will help, and with Shane Lemieux and Lucas Patrick potentially heading to free agency, there are opportunities to improve this group in the offseason.
24) Pittsburgh Steelers
Regular-Season Grade: 66.5 (D)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 64.0 (D; 13th)
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ OL struggled this season with pass blocking, evidenced by a 38.6 %pressure rate allowed in the regular season (29th in the NFL). The unit struggled regardless of whether it was facing the blitz (9.8% sack rate, 22nd) or just four defenders or less (38.1% pressure rate, 31st; 8.7% sack rate, 31st). This despite the offense having the ninth-longest time to throw this season.
The run game was also an issue. The Steelers averaged just 0.70 RBYPC/rush (28th) in the regular season, which made it hard to achieve any consistency on the ground. They were 18th in RBWR, but that still results in a well-below-average rushing group.
Individually, Isaac Seumalo, Zach Frazier, and Dan Moore Jr. all ranked well in various categories this year. The other two spots were an issue, though, largely due to injuries.
In their playoff loss to the Ravens, the Steelers’ recent struggles continued to bite them, as they finished with a D grade. Russell Wilson had the fourth-quickest time to throw, yet Pittsburgh allowed an 11.8% sack rate. The Ravens’ blitz defense caused them real issues, as Baltimore got pressure 100% of the time and a sack on 50% of their blitzes. The Ravens didn’t blitz much, but they were effective when they did.
25) New York Jets
Regular-Season Grade: 64.0 (D)
The New York Jets had an interesting season. The offensive line started with a couple of really poor performances, but after Week 6, they didn’t have a game graded below a C-, with three games graded as a B-. Over the last four weeks, they finished 14th, showing they were continuing to trend up as the season progressed.
The Jets’ pressure rate was very good (28.0%; fifth), but they were helped by Aaron Rodgers’ propensity to get the ball out of his hands quickly. When asked to block for longer, they struggled, as demonstrated by a PBWR that ranked 23rd on the year.
New York is another unit that struggled with the run game. The RBs averaged just 0.78 YBC/rush (23rd), with an RBWR that is actually worse (29th). Intriguingly, Tyron Smith ended the year with the best RBWR of any tackle before his injury, demonstrating just how bad the rest of the line must have been to finish toward the bottom of the leaderboard.
Smith and Morgan Moses are both free agents this season, so it will be intriguing to see what the Jets do. They could use an upgrade at right tackle and perhaps on the interior, but until we see who they hire as head coach and general manager, it’s hard to predict New York’s philosophy for 2025 and beyond.
26) Miami Dolphins
Regular-Season Grade: 62.7 (D-)
The Miami Dolphins’ offensive line didn’t have a great 2024, with things falling off the rails in the second half of the season.
It was a really weird stretch for the Dolphins in the later weeks. They had an F grade in Week 13 and followed that up with a D+ in Week 14. Miami then put together an A- performance in Week 16 before dropping back to an F in Weeks 17 and 18.
A pressure rate allowed of just 27.9% (fourth) seems good, but given that Miami was the quickest team to release the ball, that negates many of the positive aspects of those pressure rate stats. Run blocking has been a problem, ranking 26th in both RBYBC/rush (0.73) and RBWR.
Terron Armstead and Austin Jackson are both set to return in 2025, but both have had injury issues in recent seasons. The interior likely needs a complete rebuild, with Robert Jones and Liam Eichenberg both free agents this offseason.
The Dolphins have to put some resources into this OL this offseason because it will be hard to compete for a division title, let alone a Super Bowl run, ranking in the bottom 10 in this category.
27) New York Giants
Regular-Season Grade: 62.5 (D-)
The New York Giants seem to have as many of these disastrous seasons as any other NFL team. Their offensive line was a big part of the problem in 2024, and it’s now been an issue for a few seasons.
New York’s pressure rate overall this season was 28th (38.4%), even though their quarterbacks don’t hold the ball that long (2.76 time to throw). The pressure numbers are ugly, whether against the blitz or not, and their sack rate suggests that their quarterbacks might actually have been making things look better in terms of escaping pressure and making plays.
The run game wasn’t too bad (0.87 RBYBC/rush; 20th), but the Giants found themselves in such huge holes that they had to throw often to try and keep up, mitigating their run game success.
It seems like we’ve been saying for a year that the Giants need to improve their offensive line. They’ve tried, but it hasn’t worked to this point.
For that reason, it’s a surprise that both Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll will be back again in 2025. While QB play is important in 2025, offensive line improvement is where this pair should be judged next season as much as anything.
28) Tennessee Titans
Regular-Season Grade: 60.3 (D-)
Some of the early-season tape for this Tennessee Titans’ offensive line was really poor. Things got somewhat better as the season wore on, but this is still far from a league-average unit. That’s concerning, given the level of resources that have been plowed into Tennessee’s offensive line.
Peter Skoronski has been a silver lining, but the overall run blocking has been pretty bad. Tennessee averaged just 0.67 RBYBC/rush (29th) and sits 21st in RBWR.
On the pass-blocking front, Tennessee finished 23rd in pressures allowed (36.6%) despite getting the ball out quickly. Their numbers against four or fewer rushers are particularly concerning. Despite the eighth-quickest time to throw (2.78 seconds), the Titans ranked 26th in pressure rate (35.2%) and 30th in sack rate (8.5%).
Both Dillon Radunz and Daniel Brunskill are free agents, which means we could see an overhaul of over half the line in 2025. Tennessee needs to change something because putting this line in front of a different young quarterback is not just miraculously going to lead to different results.
29) Cincinnati Bengals
Regular-Season Grade: 60.2 (D-)
Joe Burrow didn’t have much support in 2024, whether from his defense or his offensive line. It seems crazy to think that this line looked terrible, and yet Burrow might have actually been mitigating this group’s damage by getting the ball out early when he could (2.71-second time to throw).
The Cincinnati Bengals’ 32nd-placed PBWR ranking matches their 30th-placed RBWR ranking pretty closely. Most of their other metrics don’t shape up too badly (15th in overall pressure rate and 19th in sack rate), but they’ve been vulnerable to the blitz.
Despite Burrow ranking ninth in time to throw against the blitz, Cincinnati is 19th in pressure rate (41.3%) and 25th in sack rate (10.3%).
This offseason takes us back to 2021 when the debate was whether they should invest in Ja’Marr Chase with the fifth pick in the NFL Draft or Penei Sewell. Once again, the debate will be where they prioritize resources, offensive line or wide receiver.
All of Cincinnati’s starting offensive linemen from this year are under contract in 2025, so they could just roll it back. However, the numbers would say they need to invest some resources and improve significantly.
30) Seattle Seahawks
Regular-Season Grade: 57.7 (F)
It’s incredible to think how close the Seattle Seahawks came to the playoffs, given the level of play they got from their offensive line.
This line is likely a big part of the reason why Ryan Grubb was fired after just one year. Charles Cross has been the biggest positive, but the overall group has been a big negative for this offense.
On the season, Seattle allowed a 39.4% pressure rate (30th) and an 8.3% sack rate (24th). They struggled whether opponents blitzed or not, and their numbers all around leave much to be desired following plenty of investment in the line in recent years.
The run blocking hasn’t been better; in fact, it’s arguably been worse.
Seattle ranks third-from-last in RBYBC/rush (0.66) and 28th in RBWR. Based on these numbers, it’s not a huge surprise that they struggled to consistently sustain a playoff push week over week and were ultimately eliminated in Week 17.
The Seahawks need to get more consistency in 2025. Only Cross and Laken Tomlinson played more than 60% of the snaps among offensive linemen in 2024, with the latter set to be a free agent this offseason.
The other three positions have been a bit of a rotating door, which may explain some of the struggles. Still, the Seahawks are far from the only team to have seen changes, so that cannot be used to excuse their play completely.
31) Houston Texans
Regular-Season Grade: 55.6 (F)
Regular Season + Postseason Grade: 54.4 (F; 14th)
It hasn’t been a great season for the Houston Texans’ offense, and the OL’s play is a big reason why. There haven’t been any truly disastrous games, but Houston’s had seven games graded as a D+ or worse and 11 games with a C- or worse.
It’s hard to perform well consistently on offense with that level of line play.
C.J. Stroud’s propensity to hold the ball for a long time hasn’t helped (3.00-second time to throw), but a 10.7% sack rate in the face of the blitz (27th) cannot be excused on that, given he ranks 17th in time to throw against the blitz. Houston allows a 35.2% pressure rate (25th) against four or fewer pass rushers, but that is likely heavily related to Stroud holding the ball (28th in time to throw).
This line has also struggled with the run game. They rank 31st in RBYBC/rush (0.58) and RBWR. That makes some of Joe Mixon’s performances this season even more impressive than they first looked.
There were major concerns about this offensive line entering the playoffs, and they played out. The Texans finished with a D+ grade for their game against the Chargers, thanks in large part to a 71.4% pressure rate against the blitz. That was not helped by Stroud’s throw time, but he was also a big part of the reason the sack rate was “only” 14.3% and not worse. This line also struggled in the run game, with a 0.68 RBYBC/rush.
In the loss to the Chiefs, the Texans had their second-best single-game performance for the season. However, that is a low bar, with the Texans’ performance grading as a B-. The biggest driver of their success was a 1.91 RBYBC/rush, ranking as the second-best number of the playoffs.
Their pass-blocking numbers were still a concern, with a 22.2% sack rate (19th) and a 53.7% pressure rate. However, Stroud held the ball for 3.3 seconds, the fifth-longest of the playoffs so far this season. They really struggled against the blitz, but Stroud held the ball for a long time. They did well against non-blitz rushes with a 43.2% pressure rate (12th) despite the fifth-highest time to throw (3.4 seconds).
32) New England Patriots
Regular-Season Grade: 46.6 (F)
The New England Patriots’ offensive line always looked like it could be an issue in 2024. It lacked enough solid veterans or high-upside young players to be a unit that can help elevate a team that is arguably the weakest in the league at WR and RB.
The line was likely a big part of the reason the Patriots chose to go with Jacoby Brissett to open the season. Yet, Drake Maye came in and made light of the line at times with his elusive work within the pocket and getting out into the open field.
New England ranked last in RBWR and second from last in PBWR. They were 31st in pressure rate (39.5%) and 29th in sack rate (9.0%) despite being just 12th in time to throw (2.91 seconds).
The Patriots’ OL struggled regardless of the number of pass rushers being sent their way and wasn’t much better at opening holes in the run game (0.58 RBYBC/rush; 32nd).
