PFN’s 2022 NFL offensive line rankings are here. A high-functioning OL is central to a team’s passing and running attacks, and it’s no surprise that most of the lines featured in our top 10 are paving the way for some of the league’s highest-scoring offenses. Which club has the best offensive line in the NFL, and how do the rest of our rankings stack up?
2022 NFL offensive line rankings
An NFL offensive line is a “sum of the parts” proposition. The entire unit must mesh together, so year-over-year continuity is vital. Teams that have retained the same players for several seasons will see a bump in our rankings.
Similarly, while it’s always good to have top-end talent at any position, it’s just as crucial for an offensive line not to feature any apparent holes. It’s better for a team to field four to five average-to-above linemen than to roll out one or two elite players and fill in the rest with replacement-level blockers.
In the same vein, depth is critical along the OL. Most teams will likely need to start at least seven linemen when all is said and done. Thus, clubs with deep OL rooms are credited appropriately in our rankings.
1) Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman loves to build through the trenches, and his efforts have made Philadelphia’s offensive line the best in the NFL. OL coach Jeff Stoutland should receive a medal for his work with Jordan Mailata, who, along with Lane Johnson, represents the league’s top tackle duo. Meanwhile, Jason Kelce and Landon Dickerson will hold down the interior following Brandon Brooks’ retirement.
The Eagles have already begun planning for Kelce’s departure, as 2022 second-round center Cameron Jurgens is waiting in the wings. Philadelphia’s OL is so talented that former first-round tackle Andre Dillard’s lack of pro success has become a total afterthought.
2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers lost starting guards Ali Marpet (retirement) and Alex Cappa (free agency), but they’ve already filled one of those holes by acquiring ex-Patriots stalwart Shaq Mason. Aaron Stinnie, Robert Hainsey, and rookie Luke Goedeke will compete to fill the vacancy at left guard.
Tristan Wirfs is the best right tackle in the NFL, and there’s no tougher center than Ryan Jensen, who re-signed with Tampa Bay this offseason. The Bucs’ front five should perform well again after allowing a league-low 23 sacks in 2021.
3) Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs revamped their offensive line last offseason and haven’t looked back. Few teams can match an interior of Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, and Trey Smith, and Kansas City figures to extend franchise-tagged left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Right tackle could be an issue for the Chiefs. Still, they should be able to find a starter between Andrew Wylie, Geron Christian, and Lucas Niang.
4) Dallas Cowboys
The only team in the NFL with two surefire future Hall of Fame offensive linemen, the Cowboys are still reaping the benefits of employing Tyron Smith and Zack Martin. They just have to hope the two veterans — especially Smith — can stay healthy. Terrence Steele is underrated at right tackle, while Dallas may have found their next blindside protector in first-round rookie Tyler Smith.
5) Cleveland Browns
Let’s start on the interior, where Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller present the best guard tandem in the league. Teller, especially, is a weapon in Cleveland’s downhill run game. The Browns ranked first in Football Outsiders’ adjusted line yards in 2021, paving the way for Nick Chubb and Co.
Jedrick Willis Jr. and Jack Conklin need to stay healthy at tackle, but they’re excellent when available. Nick Harris’ competency as JC Tretter’s replacement at center will determine the upside of the Browns’ offensive line.
6) New England Patriots
New England’s salary cap situation led them to trade Shaq Mason and his $6.5 million salary, and they also lost their OL coach to the Raiders. Still, Isaiah Wynn and Trent Brown are solid guarding the edge, while David Andrews and Michael Onwenu are outstanding on the inside. If small-school prospect Cole Strange can prove the doubters wrong and make an immediate NFL transition, the Patriots won’t have any holes up front.
7) Detroit Lions
The Lions are building a roster that will be ready-made for a young quarterback as early as 2023, and there are few ways to make a rookie signal-caller more comfortable than by giving him a secure offensive line. Detroit’s front has an extremely high floor, and Penei Sewell and Frank Ragnow have star potential. They need more depth, but this OL is on the ascent.
8) Los Angeles Chargers
Penei Sewell showed flashes for Detroit in 2021, but fellow rookie Rashawn Slater was a second-team All-Pro for the Chargers. LA hit a home run with Slater, and they hope they did the same with another first-round selection in guard Zion Johnson. Center Corey Linsley is the perfect intellectual match for Justin Herbert, leaving only right tackle as a question mark for the Bolts.
9) Washington Commanders
The Commanders probably have the most underrated line in the NFL. There’s not much star power here, but Washington is above average at every spot. Getting left tackle Charles Leno Jr. on a one-year deal in 2021 was a coup, and he’s since been extended. Meanwhile, Ron Rivera brought in the former Panthers calvary of Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner to help replace Brandon Scherff at guard.
10) Indianapolis Colts
Left guard Quenton Nelson, center Ryan Kelly, and right tackle Braden Smith remain among the best players at their respective positions. However, the Colts now have huge question marks at left tackle and right guard.
LT looks like a three-way competition between Matt Pryor, Dennis Kelly, and rookie Bernhard Raimann, while Danny Pinter figures to take over for Mark Glowinski at RG. Matt Ryan is not mobile in any way, shape, or form, so Indianapolis needs to find a way to keep him upright.
11) Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore’s OL success hinges on the return of left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who should be ready for the season after missing most of 2020-21 due to an ankle injury. Morgan Moses and Kevin Zeitler were two of the smarter veteran offensive line additions of the past two offseasons. And first-round center Tyler Linderbaum should represent a Year 1 improvement over Bradley Bozeman.
Baltimore has superb depth behind its starters. Injuries have allowed backups like Ben Powers, Patrick Mekari, and Ben Cleveland to pick up valuable starting snaps. Plus, the Ravens still have Ja’Wuan James hanging out as a reserve.
12) Cincinnati Bengals
The NFC East and AFC North are strong up front, as both divisions have three teams in the top 12 of our offensive line rankings. The Bengals set out to attack their OL in free agency after Joe Burrow took a league-leading 51 sacks in 2021. With RT La’el Collins, RG Alex Cappa, and C Ted Karras now in town, Cincinnati’s only potential problem area is at LG, where Jackson Carman and fourth-round rookie Cordell Volson will vie to start.
13) Green Bay Packers
Green Bay’s offensive line has as much upside as any OL in the NFL. The Packers have a lot of intriguing young players on the interior, and they added two more in the 2022 draft in Sean Rhyan and Zach Tom. But we aren’t sure if either David Bakhtiari or Elgton Jenkins will be ready for the beginning of the season. If one or both of those veteran tackles isn’t available, the Packers will tumble down these rankings.
14) Buffalo Bills
The offensive line is a weak-link system, and no team understands that better than the Bills. Buffalo has continually thrown resources at their front five, but they haven’t chased after stars.
Free agent additions such as Rodger Saffold and Mitch Morse have teamed with draft picks like Dion Dawkins to give Buffalo an underrated line. The Bills also have exceptional depth, as backups David Quessenberry, Ike Boettger, Cody Ford, and Greg Mancz all have significant starting experience.
15) Los Angeles Rams
It’s never easy to lose a Hall of Famer, and the Rams are about to figure out what life is like without Andrew Whitworth. Joseph Noteboom is no Whitworth, but he’s filled in admirably in the past and is an above-average pass blocker. This is another line that lacks elite players but also doesn’t have any true holes. The only competition will take place at right guard, where rookie Logan Bruss will battle Bobby Evans to replace Austin Corbett.
16) New York Jets
The Jets’ offensive line has the potential to be special in 2022. Their interior of Laken Tomlinson, Connor McGovern, and Alijah Vera-Tucker could be among the NFL’s best if they mesh correctly. At tackle, George Fant probably is what he is at this point, so everything hinges on former first-round pick Mekhi Becton. If the Louisville product can get his mind and body right, New York’s OL could sail into the top 10 of our NFL offensive line rankings.