There is a common misconception amongst football fans that O-lines need a star left tackle or a bunch of Pro Bowlers to be great. Simply put that theorys’ wrong, take for example the big uglies of the New York Giants. Last year the Giants boasted a pair of 1,000 yard rushers in Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. The last time that was done was the 1985 Cleveland Browns with Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner. What makes this even more impressive is that today’s NFL is so different from the NFL in 1985, with faster, bigger players and more intricate defensive schemes.
One common factor in ranking the offensive lines is how long the unit has been working together, two to three years appears to be the offensive line theory, not any different than the third year wide receiver theory which states a receiver will breakout their third year in the NFL. When drafting a running back it’s easy in the first couple of rounds, but if I need to make a decision between Jamal Lewis or Cedric Benson, I’m going to consult with the offensive line rankings to help me make my decision, after all it’s the road graders up front that will open the holes for my running backs. The list that follows is based on how well an offensive line both run blocks and pass blocks, it’s a true overall ranking of an offensive line.
- New York Giants
- Carolina Panthers
- New York Jets
- Tennessee Titans
- Philadelphia Eagles
- New England Patriots
- New Orleans Saints
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Miami Dolphins
- Dallas Cowboys
- Houston Texans
- Minnesota Vikings
- Atlanta Falcons
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Denver Broncos
- Baltimore Ravens
- St. Louis Rams
- San Diego Chargers
- Washington Redskins
- Chicago Bears
- Cleveland Browns
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Indianapolis Colts
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Oakland Raiders
- Arizona Cardinals
- Green Bay Packers
- Detroit Lions
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Buffalo Bills