Thorn: 2026 Offensive Line Rankings

*OL coaches are in parentheses

Welcome to the eighth annual offensive line rankings for Establish The Run.

These rankings are built primarily from my year-round study of the position, including every NFL game with an eye focused specifically on offensive and defensive line play. During the season, I study one to two players per unit in every game, then work back through the majority of games for the remaining players. That process, which dates back to the 2015 season, helps maintain a running database and hierarchy of offensive line play for this article, my annual Top 75 individual OL rankings, and, this year, the NFL1000 Project with Bleacher Report, which will publish in August.

The methodology is rooted in trait-based evaluation, but the traits are never viewed in isolation. Each player’s skill set is contextualized by opponent, scheme, and situation on a rep-by-rep basis.

Run blocking matters, continuity matters, coaching matters, and offensive structure matters. But winning on third down, when defenses expect the pass and offensive linemen are isolated against top pass-rushing competition, provides the clearest distinction between good and great offensive linemen in the NFL. Those reps expose pass-protection skill, recovery ability, and problem-solving when the offense has the fewest answers, which is why they carry the most weight in these rankings. That skill set is the hardest to find, the most expensive to acquire, and the most relevant to projecting how well an offense can mitigate pressure in high-leverage situations, which has always been the primary objective of these rankings.

Tiering System

Tier 1: Legitimate path to league-best play with premium talent and no fatal structural concern.
Tier 2: Expected above-average performance with either strong personnel balance or an elite floor-raising environment.
Tier 3: Solid units with credible paths to above-average play, but enough weak-link, health, or projection risk to limit confidence.
Tier 4: Units requiring meaningful scheme help, health improvement, or player development to reach average play.
Tier 5: Multiple unresolved positions or low-end starter profiles with a fragile weekly floor.

Tier 1 – Elite Profiles

1. Broncos (Zach Strief)

LT Garett Bolles
LG Ben Powers
C Luke Wattenberg
RG Quinn Meinerz
RT Mike McGlinchey

Unit Profile: High-end LT/RG anchors with quality center play, strong coaching, and no true liability across the starting five.

Notes: Denver has built an elite infrastructure for its offensive line since Sean Payton and line coach Zach Strief arrived in 2023, pairing a rhythmic passing game with extensive screens, play-action, and rollouts to reduce true dropback exposure while maximizing each starter. They have also benefited from rare continuity, with all five starters returning for the third consecutive season, which has helped extract the best out of the entire unit. The group is led by two star-level starters, Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz, with Bolles coming off the most consistent season of his career and Meinerz entering the year as a back-to-back first-team All-Pro and the best right guard in football. Around them are three solid-to-good starters, highlighted by Luke Wattenberg’s development into an above-average center and Ben Powers’ steady, craft-driven profile when healthy, leaving no clear weak link. Powers missed 11 games last season, but backup guard Alex Palczewski stepped in and performed at a high level, further reinforcing the quality of the depth. This is the league’s top-ranked unit entering the year because it checks every box needed to project sustained success: continuity (personnel and scheme), talent, and depth.

2. Eagles (Chris Kuper)

LT Jordan Mailata
LG Landon Dickerson
C Cam Jurgens
RG Tyler Steen
RT Lane Johnson

Unit Profile: Elite bookend-driven unit with rare tackle play, high-end left-side power, and enough center stability to offset the clear RG weak link.

Notes: The Eagles had a tumultuous 2025 season due to injuries to Landon Dickerson, who played through a preseason knee injury all year, and Lane Johnson, who missed the final eight games with a Lisfranc injury, along with schematic issues that contributed to the retirement of legendary OL coach Jeff Stoutland. This remains a star-studded line built around an elite tackle duo, including the best pass-protecting tackle in football in Johnson, whose timing, positioning, and one-on-one dominance still separate him from the field. Jordan Mailata remains a high-quality starter with rare run-game impact, while Cam Jurgens gives the unit a solid center with rebound potential if his health returns closer to the baseline. Dickerson is still an elite guard when healthy and, at minimum, a stout, powerful presence on the left side. That core gives Philadelphia enough top-end quality to mask the unit’s weak link, Tyler Steen, whose first full year as a starter showed serviceable run-game play but clear pass-protection limitations. With all five starters returning and a Shanahan-esque structure built on under-center play-action and the zone run game, the unit should have more built-in pass-protection help than ever before. The starting five is more fragile than in recent years due to wear and tear, but the talent remains among the league’s best. Markel Bell was drafted to compete with Fred Johnson at swing tackle, while Drew Kendall headlines the competition for the swing interior role.

3. Buccaneers (Kevin Carberry)

LT Tristan Wirfs
LG Ben Bredeson
C Graham Barton
RG Cody Mauch
RT Luke Goedeke

Unit Profile: Elite LT-driven line with good RT play, strong young interior talent, and one of the cleanest five-man profiles in the league.

Notes: Tampa Bay is another unit that suffered significant injuries to both guards and right tackle (27 missed starts between them) but returns all five starters with elite LT Tristan Wirfs atop the hierarchy. Wirfs is arguably the best tackle in football, with rare reliability on either side and one of the position’s highest floors. Luke Goedeke also remains an extremely underrated, well-rounded player in his own right. Together, they form a sneaky top-three tackle duo due largely to their effectiveness as one-on-one pass protectors. Inside, the trio is solid overall with significant upside still remaining for Graham Barton if his processing and pass-off timing quicken, and Cody Mauch if he stays healthy after his early-season knee injury. Barton’s movement, body control, and run-game impact remain high-end center traits, while Mauch’s athleticism, strain, and recovery ability give the right guard spot good-starter potential when available.

4. Bills (Pat Meyer)

LT Dion Dawkins
LG Austin Corbett or Alec Anderson
C Connor McGovern
RG O’Cyrus Torrence
RT Spencer Brown

Unit Profile: High-floor, tackle-driven unit with strong center play, enough guard stability, and one of the league’s better OT duos.

Notes: Buffalo returns four of five starters, with left guard set to be decided between former undrafted third-year spot starter Alec Anderson and ninth-year veteran Austin Corbett. The unit is led by a top-five tackle duo featuring one of the league’s most unique and imposing players, Dion Dawkins, alongside the silky smooth 6-foot-8 Spencer Brown. Dawkins’ rare mass, length, and unconventional pass-protection approach make him difficult to solve, while Brown’s elite movement skills, independent strikes, and recovery range give Buffalo high-end play at both edges. Inside, O’Cyrus Torrence provides a heavy-handed presence with massive size, anchor strength, and improving craft, while Connor McGovern brings reliability, processing, and a high-floor presence at center. Between Anderson and Corbett, the unit should net a serviceable fifth starter and quality swing interior depth. The other variable is coaching, where legendary OL coach Aaron Kromer retired and former Steelers OL coach Pat Meyer, who previously worked under Kromer with the Bears and Bills, takes over. There should be more carryover than with most coaching changes, but losing Kromer’s developmental track record still creates some projection uncertainty. Even with those variables, the tackle duo, interior stability, and depth keep Buffalo firmly in the league’s top tier.

Tier 2 – Above-Average Profiles