The best part, however, is that CEH's ADP (23.6) hasn't ballooned the way it did last year. . Los Angeles Chargers The Giants offensive line should be better than it is. 26. Certainly a candidate for most improved offensive line with the addition of vet Riley Reiff and rookie Jackson Carman, the Bengals OL still has a long way to go. The other big story that continued to develop surrounded Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter, a potential top-five pick who was arrested Wednesday and charged with reckless driving and racing after being accused of racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy, who was in a 2021 Ford Expedition, on Jan. 15. New England Patriots They had plenty of injuries that accounted for their poor play last year, but these rankings are based upon the talent when healthy. Their line is well below average, and the running backs did nothing to help them look better last year, averaging just 2.46 yards after contact, the second-lowest mark in football. This will probably come as a shock to many as the Steelers having a good offensive line has been almost as consistent as having to pay taxes each year. 32. Its just a collection of mediocre linemen, similar to what theyve been trotting out there for years. With the addition of Liam Eichenberg in this year's draft, Hunt could potentially slide to guard and they in turn upgrade two positions yet again. As the 2020 season went on, this unit just got better and better. Exclusive Premium Content For Subscribers. While the Rams unit did take a major step back toward the good after a dreadful 2019 season, there are question marks here. Los Angeles Rams, 35% 14. LIVE Transfer Talk: Bayern still keen on Kane despite new Choupo-Moting contract, Previewing the 2023 college baseball season: Teams and players to watch, key storylines, Top moments from Brady, Manning, Jordan and other athletes hosting 'Saturday Night Live', Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. While there are certainly question marks about Darrisaws ability on true pass-sets coming from the play action- and RPO-heavy Virginia Tech offense, there probably isnt a better landing spot for him than the Vikings who will get the most out of him as a run-blocker and protect him a bit as he develops his pass-pro technique with their enormous play action usage. 6. From Myles Garrett to Odell Beckham Jr. to Denzel Ward to Nick Chubb, Cleveland's roster is loaded. As of now, Sam Tevi likely wont cut it at LT for the long haul. Can Taylor Lewan stay healthy and on the field? Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 6. For the full testing results from Thursday, be sure to check out NFL.com. Chicago Bears, 27% A low ranking in Adjusted Line Yards with a high ranking in Open Field Yards is often an indicator of a 3-4 defensive scheme, though there are exceptions. 26. Which non-quarterback group will define each top-25 team's season? Team. Carolina Panthers, 51% But if something were to befall that RB whom you've chosen with an early draft pick, that's much of why he's a first-rounder in fantasy drafts. 28. For reference, there were 62 qualifiers at tackle, 70 at guard and 35 at center last season. Carolina Panthers, 50% Minnesota Vikings, 34% FTN's Brett Whitefield ranks all 32 NFL offensive lines heading into the 2021 NFL season for betting purposes. The return of Ronnie Stanley from injury is huge, plus Browns replacement Alejandro Villanueva might not be close to Brown's level, but he is an above-average player. After the failed first-round pick that was Isaiah Wilson, the Titans had to try and replace Jack Conklin once again in this years draft, selecting Dillon Radunz in the second round. 2. After passing on offensive tackles in the draft, they were able to land Eric Fisher in free agency, but hes not likely to be ready for Week 1 after suffering an Achilles tear during the playoffs. Lets rank every NFL offensive unit from 1 to 32 and look at why it matters for bettors in 2021, starting at the top with two very familiar teams. 10. These stats are explained further here. If those additions lead to more consistency on the inside, look out. 20. It seems Andrew Whitworth discovered the fountain of youth, as he was said to be retiring two years ago, but he played some of his best football in 2020, as did Rob Havenstein. For offense: A team with a high ranking in Adjusted Line Yards but a low ranking in Open Field Yards is heavily dependent on its offensive line to make the running game work. 5. 27. 5): Like the 49ers, the Bucs are expected to have a running rotation of Ronald Jones, Leonard Fournette, and Giovani Bernard in the backfield. Our pass rush win rate metric tells us how often a pass-rusher is able to beat his block within 2.5 seconds. Stat to know:Ranked 28th in time to pressure per dropback (2.24 seconds). Line Yards. Those are impressive numbers for an interior lineman, and Kancey may have solidified a first-round draft stock. per ESPN Stats & Info. WebAP Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ja'Marr Chase. They will return the whole unit in 2021. Houston Texans, 54% With Ali Marpet on the interior, they have some rock-solid pieces, though I still believe they could upgrade from both Alex Cappa and Ryan Jensen. 17. 9. PRWR: Players | Team 5. And that risk doesn't just come in the form of injury. Green Bay Packers, 30% If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER. Jacksonville Jaguars, 28% Can't miss prospect. 10. Theyll move Germain Ifedi from guard to right tackle, which is likely to be a downgrade from Massie. 30. Chicago Bears, 41% 8. If they land somewhere between their 2019 and 2020 performances, I would expect them to end the season further down this list by a considerable margin. Indianapolis Colts, 72% 13. Denver Broncos I was someone clamoring for the Broncos to add an offensive tackle (if they didnt go quarterback) at No. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 43% They also added Kevin Zeitler in free agency, wholl give the interior of the line a nice boost. 21. Well, that sort of started to change in 2020, and 2021 looks even better for the Seahawks with the addition of Gabe Jackson, a good-not-great player. 32. If not for the unfortunate season-ending ACL injury suffered by J.K. Dobbins, this combo would be ranked much higher up this list. Still, the right side of the line is a mess and will likely keep this unit as a bottom-tier group for at least this upcoming season. Offensive tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills were perfect complements to a beastly interior that arguably features three players who are all top-5 at their respective positions in Joel Bitonio, J.C. Tretter and Wyatt Teller. 13. The combination of James Daniels and Cody Whitehair is solid on the interior, but there are just too many questions about the most important positions to trust this line. 19. It helps that they get Richie Incognito back, but this is certainly a work in progress. Most of their value is captured in being great at the most important aspect of offensive line play, pass protection on the edge. Whether it be outside zone, inside zone, duo/gap, or counter/power the Browns have the versatility to keep defenses guessing. Still, even without Staley for more than half the season, this offensive line created a league-leading 2.01 yards before contact for their running backs. Houston Texans, 65%, 2021 NFL pass-rushing, run-stopping, blocking leaderboard: Win rate rankings, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? The Football Teams offensive line was perhaps one of the most improved units in 2020. Denver Broncos, 28% Ive been hard on Donovan Smith, but hes slowly improved the last two years, and is a competent starting left tackle. 13. , Reminder to everyone that the 1.61 split is the important part for Will Anderson, not the 4.69 (which is still okay at 250+). Well, just 27.7 percent of the yardage they totaled was before contact, which ranked as the fifth-lowest mark in the NFL. SEA | TB | TEN | WSH, Projected offensive line (left to right) and 2020 PBWR ranks at position: Jedrick Wills Jr. (ninth), Joel Bitonio (first), JC Tretter (third), Wyatt Teller (20th), Jack Conklin (fifth). Final 2021 NFL Offensive Line Rankings 1. The duo of Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk at tackle is among the best in the game, while Andrus Peat, Cesar Ruiz, and Erik McCoy on the interior is more than adequate. For instance, many fantasy football players know that Kenyan Drake is now on the Raiders, but most cant tell you Pro Bowl center Alex Mack went from the Falcons to the 49ers this offseason or that the Bears will have two new starting tackles. Andre Dillard and Lane Johnson form a solid tackle group when healthy, which has been an issue. They did go out and snag guard Gabe Jackson, whos at least been competent throughout his seven years in the league. Oddly enough, the Saints running backs averaged just 2.73 yards after contact last year, which ranked 21st. On top of returning all five starters for 2021, the Browns added James Hudson via the draft, potentially providing good depth at OT and IOL, thus making it easy for them to hold the top spot in my rankings heading into the season. The running back room is also a bit bare behind Harris; by rights, he should be the unquestioned starting back. Pittsburgh Steelers, 28% 24. Adjusted. The Titans will once again have their battering ram as their offensive focal point, but now, he'll have another elite wide receiver on his team who will undoubtedly help relieve him of facing so many stacked boxes (not that it really matters). Pitt DT Calijah Kancey officially ran a 4.67
That's the fastest time at the Combine for a DT since 2003 . Carolina Panthers, 31% 31. It's just his luck (and that of fantasy managers) that he ends up on a team with another starting-caliber running back in Kareem Hunt. 22. Atlanta Falcons On paper is the huge caveat though, as we have never seen them play together. A few years ago, ESPN Analytics developed pass block win rate (PBWR) to measure how often individual players and teams sustained their pass blocks for at least 2.5 seconds, using player tracking data from NFL Next Gen Stats. 6. They created just 1.05 yards before contact for their running backs last year, which ranked as the second-worst mark in the league. Arizona Cardinals Please be aware that quarterbacks bear responsibility for some of their own sacks and these metrics are not a pure rating of pass protection. Seattle Seahawks, 32% If everyone meshes together, the Lions will sport one of the most powerful, talented lines in the league. There isnt a player on this line that you can say is above average right now, which is certainly an issue for the skill-position players, especially when it comes to their efficiency. A team with a very good running back will appear higher no matter how bad their line, and a team with a great line with appear lower if the running back is terrible. The talent is there, and so is the continuity: This group started a collective 73 games out of a possible 80 for Cleveland last season. Solid 40 time for him but was admittedly expecting a little higher. The Chargers realized it and did something about it, snagging what might be the best center in the league during free agency (Corey Linsley), and then drafting left tackle Rashawn Slater in the first round, as well as Brenden Jaimes in the fifth round. Arizona Cardinals, 29% Derrick Henry is special in that, because of his unique physical tools, you imagine he would probably produce no matter how good the line is in front of him. 8. 15. RSWR: Players | Team However, it is important to understand that these ratings only somewhat separate the offensive line from the running backs. If you watched the Super Bowl, you understand why. Definitely a chance to climb the list here. Philadelphia Eagles When fully healthy, we all know this line can be one of, if not the, best in the league. 29. Fortunately for them, they have an offensive lineman who can play multiple positions in Elgton Jenkins, who might slide to center, while second-round draft pick Josh Meyers starts at guard. Stat to know:The Colts OL generated 1.9 yards before contact per carry in 2020, fifth in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers, 70% The Packers have a knack for drafting and developing guys and making them immediate impact players. 14. Ezekiel Elliott (and his fantasy managers) will no doubt be counting on the overall health of the line and offense to help boost his production. 15. JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN Adding Landon Dickerson in the second round was great, as he should be an upgrade over the rapidly declining Jason Peters at guard. Atlanta Falcons, 34% I can easily make the case for the 49ers to be the top team on this list, as they have the best bookend duo in the game with Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey, but there are a lot of moving parts on the interior of the line. New York Jets, 68% Mar 04, 2023 at 06:04 AM. Thats precisely what the Bears did this offseason, cutting both Charles Leno and Bobby Massie due to salary cap issues. DALLAS COWBOYS (No Change). We'll go 1-32 based on projected PBWR for 2021, using ESPN fantasy analyst Mike Clay's offensive line starter projections to give us each team's starting five. Will Hernandez has never lived up to expectations, nor has Nate Solder, their prized free agent from a few years ago. -Los Angeles Rams (PFF rank - No. At 250 pounds, Young timed 4.43 Theyve now stripped away all their continuity, as Trent Brown, Gabe Jackson, and Rodney Hudson are all gone. These guys join Brandon Scherff, who is still one of the best RGs in the league. Had the Chiefs not done anything in free agency and/or the draft, they wouldve been a bottom-10 offensive line, but they did the opposite of that. Byron Young also looked like a special athlete, testing incredibly well. 2. Not exactly what you want when it's time to draft. 25 in the draft. Detroit Lions, 58% 20. Playoff Previews (previously Game Previews). Still, its not a bad thing that they went out and snagged Alex Mack on a one-year deal in free agency, and then drafted Aaron Banks in the second round in order to beef up the interior of the line. San Francisco 49ers, 61% After almost multiple seasons off, Trent Williams proved he is still an elite player and might just be the best left tackle in the game. One more note: While Bucs first-round pick Tristan Wirfs drew plenty of praise for his role with the Super Bowl champs, it was actually Wills who best performed in PBWR among the 2020 crop of rookie tackles. It could also be due to the back's ecosystem. Arizona Cardinals, 61% 2021 Basic Line Stats: defense. Assuming the Eagles line stays healthy this year, it has a chance to be a phenomenal unit. The Patriots also got Trenton Brown back via trade, so hell slot in at RT. Whatever the case, injuries made them look worse than they are, but we cant ignore that Tyron Smith is nearing the end, and when they lose him, this line doesnt look nearly as dominant. Dallas Cowboys, 42% Recording a tackle within three yards of the line of scrimmage The Panthers have amassed a 68-percent rate here, nine percent off the league-leading Washington Football Team. 21. New York Jets, 41% Jacksonville Jaguars, 70% Teams that need help getting after the quarterback are going to be very, very intrigued by Anderson. Green Bay Packers, 73% 29. Kansas City Chiefs Right tackle was still a big question mark after James tore his Achilles this offseason, and was then released from the team, but the Bears made life easier on the Broncos by releasing Bobby Massie, who will walk in and start right away. 13. Little should be able to compete for one of the starting tackle jobs and at worst provide better depth than years past. Without further ado, here is my earnest attempt at ranking every NFL teams offensive line, 1 through 32. Its possible they move Hunt to the interior and place Eichenberg at tackle. 3. Wyatt Davis could also compete for the left guard job in Year One if he wins, all five of the Vikings starters will be 25 years old or younger. Minnesota Vikings After aggressively attacking the offensive line after the 2019 season, the Browns unit quickly rose to the top of the NFL. This table explained. With that said, Chubb has a yet-untapped ceiling to be the unquestioned workhorse who gets 80-percent-plus of the backfield rushing and receiving work further boosted by the line in front of him, and that's much of why he's a first-rounder in fantasy drafts. Will the draft picks of Spencer Brown and Tommy Doyle provide depth, or will they move one of them to guard? 2. 23. Offensive Line rankings by PFF ; 2021 Yahoo Running Back Rankings 1) Nick Chubb / Cleveland Browns PFF O-line Ranking: No. If this unit can make improvements in pass-pro this season they could end the year even higher on this list. A truly elite quarterback can carry an entire offense but for most teams, its important to consider the weapons, depth, offensive line, coaching scheme and how everything adds up together. Running Back Yards. Theyre still a very good offensive line, but Im not seeing greatness just yet. Or will we be disappointed yet again? If we A) knew that the Patriots were going to give Harris a workhorse role and B) knew that Harris without a shadow of a doubt could be an elite workhorse, New England could crack the top 5 on this list. Playoffs . Stat to know:The Seahawks average time to pressure per dropback was 2.55 seconds, the third-best mark in the NFL. 11. The Packers are another team that seemingly has good-to-great offensive line play year over year despite constantly losing pieces in free agency. Here are the leaders for the 2021 season. 18. 2021-22. At 250 pounds, Young timed 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash, a good mark for a receiver and a great time for an edge rusher.He timed a swift 7.19 seconds in the three-cone, touched 38 inches in the vertical The following are the 2022 NFL team overall offense statistics, including team rushing yardage, team passing yardage and total team Nolan Smith is a 15 yr pro. Indianapolis Colts, 60% The road usually becomes easier if you have two. It will be interesting to see if the departure of Arthur Smith to Atlanta changes anything of serious note with Tennessee's offensive philosophy, but one thing is for sure: Henry and his line are one of the toughest things for defenses to contend with in the NFL. AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: Micah Parsons. NAME SEASON TM GP YDS YDS/G TD RUSH YDS RUSH YDS/G RUSH TD REC YDS REC YDS/G REC TD KR YDS KR YDS/G KR TD PR YDS PR YDS/G 13. 14. Still, we cant forget Whitworth, their best offensive lineman, is going to be 40 at the end of this year and may decline rapidly. How are the Steelers down this far considering Ben Roethlisberger was sacked just 13 times? Well, thats a large part of the reason his average depth of target was so short; he was getting the ball out. 32. And even though Hill will undoubtedly be a part of some offensive packages, Kamara is expected to receive most of his carries from Winston. Jawaan Taylor was supposed to be a steal in the second round a few years back, but he hasnt looked like it. Las Vegas Raiders, 32% Fantasy managers who have already drafted Alvin Kamara (or who plan to) rejoiced when it was announced that Jameis Winston would be the starter for the New Orleans Saints. Kansas City Chiefs, 27%, 1. Los Angeles Rams, 71% 15. New York Giants, 54% Seattle Seahawks, 68% 30. The Teams are ranked according to Adjusted Line Yards. Now imagine what would happen if Hunt were to go down, or if the Browns realize Chubb doesn't need a breather that often. Philadelphia Eagles, 67% Stat to know:In 2020, the Packers OL produced the highest time to pressure per dropback with a mark of 2.67. If so, they have a solid offensive line that wont hold offensive skill-position players back. Stat to know:Including QB runs, the Eagles ranked second in yards before contact per carry with a mark of 2.0. They also roll into the season seven or eight players deep and will have the opportunity to shuffle things a bit to ensure they live up to the hype. Miami Dolphins, 31% 29. Adding Wyatt Davis in the third round was one of my favorite picks they made in the draft, and he should prove to be an upgrade on the interior of the line right away. Seattle Seahawks 20. 26. Something to remember with all of these outstanding EDGE testing numbers at the NFL Combine
Your favorite pass rusher was likely a great tester. Of course, talking about the Ravens line and their running back is probably a moot point. Health is the biggest concern with this line, but if they remain healthy, theyre a top-10 unit. With that said, all those things that got us hype for him remain, and now his line is expected to be better. Cincinnati Bengals, 36% Stat to know: The Saints ranked third in the NFL in yards before contact per carry with a mark of 1.99 (non-QB runs). AP Defensive Player of the Year: It was a surprise when the Jon Gruden/Mike Mayock regime blew up what many considered to be a good offensive line in the offseason. 9. 22. Mekhi Becton and Alijah Vera-Tucker might be one of the best tackle combos in the league a few years from now, but we cant automatically assume they both pan out. Seattle Seahawks, 61% While last year's first-round rookie Austin Jackson didnt play as well as they had hoped, second-rounder Robert Hunt was a stud early on. It's hard to win a championship without having that foundational back. Because nobody should be compared to Aaron Donald, the Kancey athletic comp is more like Ed Oliver. Atlanta Falcons, 54% If Mayfield pans out, he and Chris Lindstrom would be one of the better guard combos in the league. 29. It seems likely with Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary on the edge. This offensive line isnt going to prop up any running backs and it wont make life easier on whichever quarterback they have under center.