Ranking all 32 NFL offensive line units ahead of the 2021 seasonBy Steve Palazzolo
Jun 7, 2021
PFF's play-by-play grading provides a unique perspective regarding offensive line play, and with the 2021 season upon us, it’s time to rank the best offensive lines in the NFL.
While star power has an impact, the best offensive lines have depth across the starting five and often with their backups, so those teams will be ranked higher. Of course, finding five strong starters is a challenge, and even some of the better offensive lines will enter the season with question marks. Here are the best offensive lines in the NFL heading into the 2021 campaign.
8. LOS ANGELES RAMSLast year at this time, we were trying to figure out how the Rams' offensive line fell so flat in 2019. Regardless, the unit rectified things in 2020 and finished third in PFF's final rankings.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth is still going strong, even at 39 years old heading into the 2021 season. He graded out at 86.8 last season, the sixth-best mark in the NFL, though he did miss seven weeks of action and struggled in the playoff loss to the Packers. Whitworth is one of the best tackles of his generation, still performing at a high level when many of his peers have been retired for years.
Right tackle Rob Havenstein enjoyed a bounceback 2020 after an uncharacteristically poor 2019. His 80.6 overall grade tied for 14th, which is more in line with his 83.3 mark that was posted in 2018. It’s his 50.9 grade in 2019 that is the outlier at this point.
David Edwards had a strong second season at left guard, grading out at 70.5 overall — 18th-best among guards. Right guard Austin Corbett experienced the classic third-year breakout en route to a 73.4 overall grade that ranked 11th in the league. He still has room to improve in pass protection, where his 61.5 grade ranked just 43rd.
Brian Allen returns as the starting center. We last saw him in 2019 when he graded out at just 58.6 overall, including a 45.4 grade in pass protection. He’s replacing the departed Austin Blythe, who was solid in 2020.
The Rams have the pieces to rank as one of the league’s best offensive lines as long as they stay healthy.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2021 06:42AM by RamBill.
