We’re back again with our offensive line rankings heading into Week 3. There were a handful of key injuries along the offensive line this past week that saw guys placed on the Injured Reserve – most notably Atlanta Falcons guard Andy Levitre and Jacksonville Jaguars tackle Cam Robinson. With those and other week-to-week fluctuations in mind, here are our rankings.
[Editor's note: The grades listed below are an aggregate score for any player with at least one year of playing experience, taking into account the last 17 weeks of action they've been an active member of an NFL roster. For rookies, this grade below is their overall PFF season grade, to date.]
1.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Terron Armstead, 86.3
Left Guard: Andrus Peat, 58.6
Center: Max Unger, 67.2
Right Guard: Larry Warford, 73.5
Right Tackle: Ryan Ramczyk, 81.5
Saints left tackle Terron Armstead put on a clinic this past week against Browns edge defender Myles Garrett. On 42 pass-block snaps, Armstead allowed all of two hurries with no sacks and no hits. Armstead’s health was one of the biggest question marks for New Orleans heading into the season after playing only 1,064 snaps the last two years, but all signs point to him returning to his elite form through two weeks.
2.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Jason Peters, 59.2
Left Guard: Stefen Wisniewski, 56.4
Center: Jason Kelce, 90.8
Right Guard: Brandon Brooks, 82.9
Right Tackle: Lane Johnson, 73.9
When the Eagles are without tackle Jason Peters like they were eight snaps into their matchup with the Buccaneers this past week, the team’s offensive line play drops down quite a bit. However, the veteran left tackle has already said he’s playing this week against the Colts. The offensive line has only allowed 19 pressures on 98 pass-block snaps over the course of the season – an absurdly low rate.
3.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Andrew Whitworth, 75.4
Left Guard: Rodger Saffold, 78.7
Center: John Sullivan, 63.0
Right Guard: Austin Blythe, 77.1
Right Tackle: Rob Havenstein, 77.8
If you thought the Rams’ offensive line would take a step back with aging veterans at left tackle and center, you’re sorely mistaken through two weeks. Not only does the team currently have the highest run-block grade of any line in the league, but Los Angeles’ big men have the highest pass-block grade, as well. One of the pleasant surprises along the line has been right guard Austin Blythe, who is filling in for Jamon Brown. Blythe currently ranks fourth among qualifying guards in overall grade and has allowed just one pressure in two games.
4.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Tyron Smith, 76.8
Left Guard: Connor Williams, 65.7
Center: Joe Looney, 57.1
Right Guard: Zack Martin, 89.9
Right Tackle: La'el Collins, 64.3
Rookie guard Connor Williams bounced back in a big way after a rough Week 1 outing to be one of the Cowboys’ highest-graded players against the Giants in Week 2. He didn’t allow a single pressure on 27 pass-block snaps. Unfortunately for Dallas, center Joe Looney hasn’t come close to imitating Travis Frederick. He was Dallas’ second lowest-graded player offensively this past week with a 50.0 overall grade.
5.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Charles Leno Jr., 78.3
Left Guard: Eric Kush, 55.3
Center: Cody Whitehair, 75.5
Right Guard: Kyle Long, 74.9
Right Tackle: Bobby Massie, 69.3
Chicago has quietly been lights out in protecting young quarterback Mitch Trubisky through two weeks. The Bears are the only team in the NFL who hasn’t allowed a single sack or hit all season, feeding into the team’s second-ranked pass-block grade. One of the biggest reasons for that has been the reemergence of right guard Kyle Long. He’s played all of 878 snaps the past two seasons due to injury, but the six-year veteran has yielded only two hurries through two games so far.
6.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Joe Staley, 86.9
Left Guard: Laken Tomlinson, 70.3
Center: Weston Richburg, 55.0
Right Guard: Mike Person, 68.3
Right Tackle: Mike McGlinchey, 55.4
After a rough Week 1 for rookie Mike McGlinchey that forced him to switch positions, the former Notre Dame standout was back to his best at right tackle against the Lions. McGlinchey allowed only two hurries on 36 pass-block snaps and was the seventh highest-graded tackle of the week. Here’s to hoping there are no more position switches forced upon him in the near future.
7.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Eric Fisher, 66.8
Left Guard: Cam Erving, 60.3
Center: Mitch Morse, 69.8
Right Guard: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, 73.5
Right Tackle: Mitchell Schwartz, 75.4
There isn’t a unit on the Chiefs’ offense that’s not currently getting the job done at a high level. That should come as no surprise for a team that’s put up 80 points in two weeks. One of the biggest reasons for their success up front has been their consistent tackle play. Kansas City bookends Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz have combined to give up all of six pressures through Week 2.
8.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Trent Brown, 61.4
Left Guard: Joe Thuney, 72.8
Center: David Andrews, 76.9
Right Guard: Shaq Mason, 73.9
Right Tackle: Marcus Cannon, 56.8
This ranking assumes that Marcus Cannon will finally be back this week, but if he’s not the Patriots ranking would free fall. Right tackle LaAdrian Waddle is the definition of a Liability at the moment and has the lowest pass-blocking grade of any tackle currently. Dante Fowler of all people was repeatedly eating his lunch this past weekend.
9.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Jake Matthews, 80.1
Left Guard: Wes Schweitzer, 53.6
Center: Alex Mack, 82.6
Right Guard: Brandon Fusco, 60.1
Right Tackle: Ryan Schraeder, 73.3
The loss of veteran guard Andy Levitre is a huge blow for the Falcons, especially considering the defensive talent in the NFC. We already saw Aaron Donald almost completely derail Atlanta’s offense in the playoffs last year without Levitre, as three-year veteran Wes Schweitzer allowed six total pressures (three sacks) in the team’s two postseason games last season. They’re still a solid all-around line, but they were top-5 prior to the injury.
10.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: David Bakhtiari, 82.1
Left Guard: Lane Taylor, 65.4
Center: Corey Linsley, 65.3
Right Guard: Justin McCray, 70.1
Right Tackle: Bryan Bulaga, 58.6
Tackle Bryan Bulaga’s 71.8 pass-block grade through two weeks may not seem like anything special, but considering who it came against, Packers fans should be very encouraged. Star edge defenders Khalil Mack and Danielle Hunter are likely the best pass-rushers Bulaga is going to face until, well, Khalil Mack and Danielle Hunter cross his path again later this season. Simply holding your head above water is a win against those guys, and I expect his grade to start skyrocketing in the coming weeks.
11.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Donovan Smith, 70.4
Left Guard: Ali Marpet, 84.8
Center: Ryan Jensen, 60.8
Right Guard: Caleb Benenoch, 51.6
Right Tackle: Demar Dotson, 67.9
I declared Ali Marpet ‘back’ last week, and now I’m declaring him ‘even more back’ after a dominant Week 2 performance. Marpet is currently the highest-graded guard in the league and has yet to allow a single pressure on 73 pass-block snaps. He’s always had the toolset to become the best guard in the league. Now, we’re finally seeing him put it all together.
12.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Trent Williams, 77.6
Left Guard: Shawn Lauvao, 54.1
Center: Chase Roullier, 63.3
Right Guard: Brandon Scherff, 72.1
Right Tackle: Morgan Moses, 66.7
You can count on one hand the number of tackles in the league that an offensive coordinator would feel comfortable leaving on an island all game long against a top edge rusher. Redskins All-Pro tackle Trent Williams is undisputedly one of them. Edge rushers almost never get him cleanly, and it’s why he’s earned the third-ranked pass-block grade among offensive tackles so far this year.
13.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Garett Bolles, 72.2
Left Guard: Ronald Leary, 65.1
Center: Matt Paradis, 70.1
Right Guard: Connor McGovern, 53.5
Right Tackle: Jared Veldheer, 70.5
The Broncos’ offensive line might steadily creep up these rankings this season with their potential along the front. They already have the third-highest run-block grade through two weeks and have two top-25 graded tackles in Jared Veldheer and Garrett Bolles. Ideally, Veldheer isn’t forced to miss time with a concussion, as Denver’s five big men were really starting to gel before his injury this past week.
14.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Desmond Harrison, 51.6
Left Guard: Joel Bitonio, 72.4
Center: JC Tretter, 70.7
Right Guard: Kevin Zeitler, 70.6
Right Tackle: Chris Hubbard, 63.3
After a very up-and-down first week, left tackle Desmond Harrison looked much more comfortable against the Saints Sunday. He allowed only two hurries on 37 pass-block snaps.
15.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Josh Wells, 66.3
Left Guard: Andrew Norwell, 79.6
Center: Brandon Linder, 71.7
Right Guard: A.J. Cann, 57.0
Right Tackle: Jermey Parnell, 71.2
The loss of Cam Robinson is an absolute body blow for an offensive line that looked like a top-10 unit when he was on the field. His replacement, Josh Wells, allowed seven pressures this past weekend and earned a 49.5 overall grade. Making that even more concerning is the fact that it came against a Patriots edge group that’s already one of the weakest in the league.
16.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Le'Raven Clark, 65.4
Left Guard: Quenton Nelson, 61.0
Center: Ryan Kelly, 72.1
Right Guard: Matt Slauson, 64.0
Right Tackle: Joe Haeg, 64.0
While the Colts have earned the second-highest run-block grade through two weeks, they still have some pass protection issues with Anthony Castonzo out. Le’Raven Clark was a liability this past week, allowing a ridiculous four quarterback hits on 32 pass blocking snaps – the most of any tackle in the league. Castonzo can’t get back soon enough.
17.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Alejandro Villanueva, 72.3
Left Guard: Ramon Foster, 52.6
Center: Maurkice Pouncey, 56.6
Right Guard: B.J. Finney, 71.8
Right Tackle: Marcus Gilbert, 70.1
The Steelers’ offensive line without David DeCastro has a decidedly different feel. The right guard was impressive enough to win our Matthews Award for the best all-around offensive lineman a season ago, and filling his shoes is a near impossible task.
18.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Kolton Miller, 59.8
Left Guard: Kelechi Osemele, 61.1
Center: Rodney Hudson, 70.7
Right Guard: Gabe Jackson, 63.1
Right Tackle: Donald Penn, 63.7
The much-maligned selection of left tackle Kolton Miller is already turning out better than most expected. He’s had his struggles as a run blocker, where he has a 51.8 grade through two weeks, but he’s only yielded three hurries all season long while not allowing a single sack or hit. They aren’t exactly leaving him alone on an island all game long, but the results are encouraging nonetheless.
19.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Kelvin Beachum, 62.2
Left Guard: James Carpenter, 62.4
Center: Spencer Long, 59.4
Right Guard: Brian Winters, 61.9
Right Tackle: Brandon Shell, 71.0
After starting low in our rankings, the Jets have slowly crept up. Much of that has to do with the impressive start from right guard Brian Winters. The former third-round pick had improved every year of his career before taking a big step back in 2017 when he allowed five sacks and 30 total pressures for a 56.6 overall grade. Through two weeks, though, he’s allowed only three hurries and no sacks or hits for a 75.2 overall grade.
20.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Cordy Glenn, 63.7
Left Guard: Clint Boling, 74.2
Center: Billy Price, 57.7
Right Guard: Alex Redmond, 56.4
Right Tackle: Bobby Hart, 42.2
It cannot be understated how much left tackle Cordy Glenn has meant to the Bengals’ offense so far. Through two weeks, he’s allowed only two hurries and has the second-highest pass-block grade of any tackle in the league. At the same time last year, Cedric Ogbuehi had already allowed two sacks and seven additional hurries.
21.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Laremy Tunsil, 66.1
Left Guard: Ted Larsen, 57.3
Center: Daniel Kilgore, 68.9
Right Guard: Jesse Davis, 58.2
Right Tackle: Ja'Wuan James, 65.0
Without Josh Sitton, the Dolphins’ interior offensive line is about the same interior as we’ve come to expect in Miami. Jesse Davis, Daniel Kilgore and Ted Larsen all don't have an overall grade above 60.0 so far this season. The tackles though have saved their ranking, as Laremy Tunsil and Ja’Wuan James have combined to allow just four total hurries on the season.
22.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Taylor Decker, 66.4
Left Guard: Frank Ragnow, 43.1
Center: Graham Glasgow, 64.0
Right Guard: T.J. Lang, 63.6
Right Tackle: Rick Wagner, 77.9
There was so much potential for the Lions’ offensive line heading into the season, but through two weeks, they haven’t come close to realizing it. Rookie Frank Ragnow was once again beaten like a drum in pass-protection. He allowed a sack, two hits and four hurries against the 49ers. It wasn’t just the volume, either. It was also the speed at which they pushed past Ragnow, as multiple times he barely laid a finger on opposing linemen.
23.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Nate Solder, 83.7
Left Guard: Will Hernandez, 74.9
Center: Jon Halapio, 72.3
Right Guard: Patrick Omameh, 59.6
Right Tackle: Ereck Flowers, 61.7
I know the Giants’ offensive line looked like it got completely obliterated this past week, but much of that was the Cowboys’ blitz schemes against New York’s protection calls. Manning was only under pressure on 16 of his 51 dropbacks, but he converted six of those pressures into sacks. Dallas blitzed 13 times, and Manning was sacked on five of those plays. A few of those were miscommunications up front, but Manning has to help his line by getting the ball out quickly with extra rushers.
24.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Kevin Pamphile, 61.3
Left Guard: Quinton Spain, 69.0
Center: Ben Jones, 57.0
Right Guard: Josh Kline, 62.2
Right Tackle: Dennis Kelly, 62.7
The Titans have utilized a ton of screens and quick passes to try to mitigate their issues at tackle, but make no mistake, if they have any obvious passing situations, they’re in trouble. Blaine Gabbert’s average time to throw on his 21 dropbacks this past week was an ultra-quick 2.07 seconds, and Tennessee had only four dropbacks that took 2.6 seconds or more (Deshaun Watson had 25 such dropbacks in the same game).
25.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Dion Dawkins, 78.1
Left Guard: Vladimir Ducasse, 66.5
Center: Ryan Groy, 39.9
Right Guard: John Miller, 67.1
Right Tackle: Jordan Mills, 60.4
If you’re looking for a silver lining so far for the Bills’ awful start, it’s not going to come along the offensive line. John Miller is currently their highest-graded lineman with a 67.1 overall grade. New center Ryan Groy has not been the answer there, either, as his 41.8 overall grade is the lowest at the position in the NFL.
26.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Riley Reiff, 66.4
Left Guard: Tom Compton, 68.2
Center: Brett Jones, 57.9
Right Guard: Mike Remmers, 57.6
Right Tackle: Rashod Hill, 57.1
While right tackle Rashod Hill went down against the Packers this past week, rookie Brian O’Neill more than held his own in 32 snaps filling in. He allowed one hurry on 27 pass-blocking snaps and was a key cog in the Vikings’ comeback down the stretch. It may have come against an uninspiring Packers edge group, but it was encouraging nonetheless.
27.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Chris Clark, 51.6
Left Guard: Greg Van Roten, 60.1
Center: Ryan Kalil, 56.8
Right Guard: Tyler Larsen, 56.8
Right Tackle: Taylor Moton, 76.8
There’s not an offensive line in the league that’s more banged up than Carolina currently. With Trai Turner out, they had backups at left tackle, right guard and right tackle this past week. The good news has been that Taylor Moton hasn’t been playing like a backup through two weeks. He didn’t allow a single pressure on 52 pass blocking snaps against the Falcons after switching back to his more comfortable right side.
28.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Ronnie Stanley, 69.5
Left Guard: Alex Lewis, 51.5
Center: Matt Skura, 56.7
Right Guard: Marshal Yanda, 69.9
Right Tackle: James Hurst, 53.3
If you were hoping for a big year from Alex Collins, don’t point the finger at him; point it at the offensive line. The Ravens have earned the second-lowest run-block grade in the league through two weeks. Marshal Yanda has been their highest-graded player in that regard and has only earned a 62.9 run-block grade so far. It may not be getting better anytime soon, though, as they face the Broncos’ third-ranked run defense this week.
29.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Duane Brown, 71.3
Left Guard: Ethan Pocic, 57.6
Center: Justin Britt, 59.4
Right Guard: J.R. Sweezy, 59.5
Right Tackle: Germain Ifedi, 48.8
The Seahawks are going to have a difficult time climbing out of the bottom-5 at any point this season and an even tougher time if center Justin Britt is forced to miss time after suffering a shoulder injury Monday night. They already have the lowest run-block graded in the league, and losing their second highest-graded lineman from a year ago isn’t going to help.
30.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Russell Okung, 72.1
Left Guard: Dan Feeney, 45.2
Center: Mike Pouncey, 66.1
Right Guard: Michael Schofield, 62.3
Right Tackle: Sam Tevi, 47.1
This year was supposed to be different for the Chargers up front, but after two weeks, all it looks like is more of the same. Right tackle Sam Tevi looks completely out of his depth filling in for the injured Joe Barksdale. He’s allowed 10 pressures in two weeks and has the second-lowest pass-block grade of any tackle in the NFL.
31.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: Martinas Rankin, 49.7
Left Guard: Senio Kelemete, 54.2
Center: Nick Martin, 58.7
Right Guard: Zach Fulton, 70.5
Right Tackle: Julie'n Davenport, 55.9
The Texans’ offensive tackles cannot hold up one-on-one on the edge against any legitimate rusher, and coach Bill O’Brien knows it. They chipped as much as they feasibly could this past week, and Martinas Rankin and Julie’n Davenport still combined for 10 pressures allowed.
32.
Starting Lineup:
Left Tackle: D.J. Humphries, 52.9
Left Guard: Mike Iupati, 46.0
Center: Mason Cole, 53.6
Right Guard: Justin Pugh, 53.7
Right Tackle: Andre Smith, 60.3
There’s no sugar-coating it; the Cardinals’ offensive line has been a nightmare in pass protection. Sam Bradford has been the fourth-quickest quarterback in terms of average time to throw (2.35 seconds), yet they’ve still got the second-worst pass-blocking efficiency of any offensive line in the league.
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