Who are the best of the best blocking in the trenches?
The final position we are ranking for the offensive line of scrimmage will be the linemen. We conducted a comprehensive review of the division with the best overall blockers up front.
1. NFC North
Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
The staff in Chicago pursued protection for Caleb Williams this offseason and did so in a big way; they’ve positioned themselves as one of the projected top offensive lines in the league. The Bears made trades with the Rams and Chiefs to acquire Pro Bowlers Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, respectively.
Detroit prides its offense on being aggressive, and it has worked to perfection thus far for Dan Campbell and company. The Lions offensive line features two players who are some of the highest-paid players at their position: Penei Sewell and Frank Ragnow.
The Packers signed G Aaron Banks to a four-year contract that made him one of the highest-paid interior linemen in the NFL. The former 49er spent four seasons in San Francisco before making the move to Green Bay this season.
Minnesota was dealt a blow last year when LT Christian Darrisaw went down for the season with ACL and MCL injuries. He is expected back and healthy for the team this year, but in that gap, Minnesota made a trade for Jacksonville’s Cam Robinson, who has since moved elsewhere this offseason. The Vikings signed G Will Fries, also coming off of injury.
2. NFC South
Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Atlanta is set to have excellent interior line play with the trio of Matthew Bergeron, Ryan Neuzil, and Chris Lindstrom. When you have an agile tailback that can navigate outside running easily like Bijan Robinson, it makes it all the more important to get good blocking on those up-the-middle runs for maximum efficiency.
As for the Panthers, their strength lies within the depth of their O-line. A year of progression and no major coaching changes for the linemen should allow them the development to better protect Bryce Young. Robert Hunt is coming off his first Pro Bowl selection as an alternate in 2024.
The New Orleans Saints have a well-rounded line that includes a projected rookie starter in Kelvin Banks Jr. The Saints also transitioned Trevor Penning from the tackle position last season to the interior left guard. New head coach Kellen Moore has made winning in the trenches an emphasis in his first year in Louisiana.
Tampa Bay has a top-five offensive line in the NFL. Although a group effort, the anchor of their unit is T Tristan Wirfs. Wirfs, who was named a First Team All-Pro for the second time in his career last season, is the second-highest paid offensive lineman in the league this year behind just Sewell in Detroit.
3. AFC West
Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers
In Denver, the mile-high air is not the only thing with tall measurements. The Broncos current roster consists of 11 O-linemen who are 6’5” or taller. A top group in 2024 will look to help protect QB Bo Nix as he and Sean Payton work to bring Denver back to the playoffs.
The Kansas City Chiefs rank in the mid-tier levels when it comes to their offensive line. Center Creed Humphrey is a vital piece to the prolonged success of the team. He earns every bit of the $72 million contract he signed a season ago.
New head coach Pete Carroll is directing his staff in Las Vegas, which includes his son, Brennan, as the new OL coach. Brennan Carroll is returning to the NFL after spending last season with the Washington Huskies as their offensive coordinator.
Former first-round tackle Mekhi Becton joined the Chargers this offseason after spending a year returning to form as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl-winning roster. Becton began his career with the New York Jets, but he just could never find his place.
4. NFC West
Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
In Arizona, they are going through a change at the OL coach as well. Following the departure of Klayton Adams, the Cardinals brought in Justin Frye. Frye has vast coaching experience at the collegiate level, but none more important than his time at Ohio State, where he worked with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Paris Johnson, two members of the Cards’ roster.
The Rams have a young but stout offensive line in Los Angeles. RT Rob Havenstein is the eldest starting member at 33 years old, but no other player is older than 29. The Rams agreed to terms with LT Alaric Jackson this offseason and secured one of the top players on the market.
San Francisco had a down year in a competitive NFC West last season. Along the offensive line, they were missing big Trent Williams in the LT spot as he dealt with injury and personal issues off the field. Williams tied a career low with just ten games played in 2024.
Seattle’s coaching staff was altered ahead of this year when former Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was hired on and OL coach John Benton followed that path. Benton has been around the NFL for a long time, and the 2025 campaign will mark his 20th year in the league.
5. NFC East
Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
Dallas will be without All-Pro guard Zack Martin for the first time in 11 years after he announced his retirement from the NFL in March. In hopes of filling the void left by Martin, the Cowboys selected Alabama guard Tyler Booker in the first round of the draft in April.
The New York Giants have had one of the poorer-performing offensive lines in recent history, and 24’ was no different. As they continue to revamp the offense and get consistent play along the line, the goal is to improve upon a 3-14 record.
Philadelphia’s offensive line has gained mixed recognition over the infamous “tush push” play. Over the offseason, they were heavily discussed by NFL officials and fans alike, as the decision not to ban the power play was made official.
With Jayden Daniels at the helm and coming off an NFC Championship run, the Washington Commanders believe their Super Bowl window is now, and made an aggressive move to acquire longtime Houston Texan Laremy Tunsil in a trade. Washington sent over four draft picks in exchange for the five-time Pro Bowl tackle.
6. AFC South
Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
After spending time in Minnesota, T Cam Robinson signed with Houston in the wake of Tunsil’s trade to the Commanders. Robinson is hoping to find some stability after being traded from Jacksonville last season. QB C.J. Stroud will be protected by a high-caliber player in 2025.
Colts LG Quenton Nelson is entering his eighth NFL season and has made the Pro Bowl each of his first seven. The five-time All-Pro player is key to an Indianapolis team searching for its first division title since 2014.
Shaun Sarrett is entering 2025 as the new OL coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars after serving as an assistant on Minnesota’s staff last season. Sarrett takes over a below-average squad that does not feature much depth.
Tennessee enters 2025 with who they hope to be their QB of the future, Cam Ward. Protecting Ward is a young offensive line that they are hoping can mesh and grow in the upcoming years. Headlining the group for the Titans is 2024 first-round pick JC Latham.
7. AFC East
Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
The Bills offensive line is coming off a 2024 year in which they were protectors of the league MVP, Josh Allen. LT Dion Dawkins made headlines at the beginning of the year not just for his outstanding play, but because of his efforts in working with former players and the NFL to erect the new Protector of the Year award given to the most outstanding lineman of the regular season beginning in 2025.
After a disappointing 8-9 season, the Miami Dolphins went out and signed two new offensive linemen during Free Agency. They brought in G James Daniels and T Larry Borom to play with second-year pro Patrick Paul in an attempt to get the Dolphins offense back on track.
New England made a splash on draft day when they selected LSU T Will Campbell fourth overall. As the Patriots enter a new age with Mike Vrabel as head coach and a young Drake Maye at QB, they made a pick that secures the blind spot of their offense for years to come.
Just a few picks later, New York took Missouri OT Armand Membou with the seventh pick in the 2025 draft. The Jets are pairing him with new OL coach Steve Heiden, who joined Aaron Glenn in their exit from Detroit.
8. AFC North
Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
In Baltimore, the Ravens have the best running quarterback in the NFL in Lamar Jackson. With his prowess in beating defenders around the edge comes a dire need to be able to contain the outside perimeter. LT Ronnie Stanley does just that for the Ravens. Stanley has played every season of his career in Maryland.
After spending 2024 in New England, Scott Peters joined the coaching staff in Cincinnati as the new OL coach for the Bengals. He will be working with one of the more elite offenses in the league, with one of the better young tackles in the league in Orlando Brown Jr.
Longtime Cleveland guard Joel Bitonio opted into his contract with the Browns, keeping him around for his 12th year in the NFL. Bitonio has been through the ups and downs with Cleveland as a captain and is hoping to help them win more than three games in 2025.
Pittsburgh is coming off a 10-7 campaign last year. They were one of just seven teams not to use a draft selection on an offensive lineman in April. With quality play up front, the Steelers are banking on Aaron Rodgers’ talent at QB to get them back to the playoffs for a deeper run.
What are your thoughts on the “big nasties” up front? Do you agree with the division rankings? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned as we flip the conversation to the defensive side of the ball!