One of the most scrutinized positions in the NFL is offensive tackle, a position where numbers have been noticeable through the sacks and pressures a player has given up rather than the elite pass rushers those same players are containing. While it’s hard to judge how good an offensive tackle is, it’s even harder to evaluate the position.
The advanced statistics have given a better evaluation how good an offensive lineman is, and how valuable they are for the offensive system they’re in. Ranking the best of the best offensive tackles is still difficult, based on a valuation of a left tackle versus a right tackle (a position that doesn’t get enough respect).
There are other factors in play. Does run-blocking matter more than pressure rate? Are great offensive tackles the ones who protect the quarterback? Can they make their teammates they line up next to every week better?
The qualification for these tackle rankings is how good the player was in 2023. We’ll use success over the past few seasons to help weigh the ranking, but 2023 performance is the key equation in the formula. This is a ranking of the best offensive tackles right now, not entirely based on past or future success.
Before the 2024 offensive tackle rankings are dropped, these were the rankings from last year (we only did the top 10 in 2023):
- Trent Williams (San Francisco 49ers)
- Lane Johnson (Philadelphia Eagles)
- Laremy Tunsil (Houston Texans)
- Tristan Wirfs (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Andrew Thomas (New York Giants)
- Terron Armstead (Miami Dolphins)
- Jordan Mailata (Philadelphia Eagles)
- Rashawn Slater (Los Angeles Chargers)
- David Bakhtiari (Green Bay Packers)
- Penei Sewell (Detroit Lions)
Without further adieu, the top-20 offensive tackles in the NFL:
Williams’ throne as the best tackle in the game is getting challenged, yet he’s still at the top heading into 2024. A First-Team All-Pro for the third consecutive year, Williams didn’t allow a sack in 413 pass-blocking snaps last season. He allowed just 18 pressures and a pressure rate allowed per dropback of 4.4%.
Going up against Micah Parsons, Josh Allen, and Myles Garrett last year — Williams remained unscathed. He’s made 11 of the past 12 Pro Bowls for a reason, while also remaining one of the game’s dominant run blockers.
Williams is still the best tackle at 35, but there’s legitimate competition for that top spot coming.
The biggest threat for the top spot is Sewell, who already is one of the elite tackles in the game. A First-Team All-Pro last season, Sewell allowed just one sack in 643 pass-blocking snaps last season. The best right tackle in the NFL last season allowed just 19 pressures while playing all 17 games, and had a pressure rate per dropback of 3.0%.
Sewell was dominant in run blocking as well, the complete package at tackle for a rising team in the Lions. He’s the best player on the Lions and a superstar at 23. Sewell may hold the top spot on this list next year.
Smith’s last season with the Dallas Cowboys was capitaved with a Second-Team All-Pro selection, a fitting end to a dominant career in Dallas. He allowed just one sack in 499 pass-blocking snaps, while letting 16 pressures with a pressure rate allowed per dropback of 3.2%.
The oft-injured Smith played 13+ games for the first time since 2019, still dominant at 33 years old. He also had only three penalties, a career-low for playing 10+ games in a season. When healthy, Smith is one of the best tackles in football.
Johnson allowed an uncharacteristic 29 pressures in 547 pass-blocking snaps last season (5.3% pressure rate per dropback), a victim of a helter-skelter Eagles offense that didn’t get rid of the football quick enough. Despite the numbers, Johnson still earned Second Team All-Pro honors, making an All-Pro team for the third straight year.
Johnson kept Nick Bosa and Montez Sweat without a sack in the three combined meetings against them, and still was good in run blocking last season. Despite the down year, Johnson is still one of the best tackles in the game.
The transition to left tackle did affect Wirfs’ numbers, but he was still one of the elite players at his position. Wirfs was still good in pass protection despite playing left tackle for the first time, allowing 20 pressures on 639 pass-blocking snaps (3.1% pressure rate allowed per dropback).
The sack numbers did go up for Wirfs, as he allowed five sacks in 2024 after allowing just six over his first three seasons. An ankle injury late in the year slowed down Wirfs, but he was still one of the best at his position in 2023.
One of the elite run blockers at his position, Mailata spearheaded that strength into remaining one of the top tackles in the league. The former rugby player is one of the game’s top left tackles, still evolving as a left tackle at 27 years old.
Mailata cut his sacks allowed in half from six in 2022 to three in 2023, even though he allowed 43 pressures in 650 pass-blocking snaps (pressure rate allowed per dropback a career-high 6.6%). A new-look offense focused on getting rid of the ball quicker will help Mailata’s numbers in pass protection.
Armstead is still one of the better pass blockers in the league when healthy. The problem is he’s missed 13 games over the last two years. When Armstead is on the field, he allowed just two sacks and six pressures in 303 pass-blocking snaps last season — a career-low pressure rate allowed per dropback of 2.0%.
Back and knee injuries hindered a dominant season in pass protection, but Armstead is really good in that area when he’s on the field.
Injuries to Thomas affected his status amongst the elite left tackles in the game, even though he’s one of the best when he’s healthy. Hamstring and knee injuries hampered Thomas in 2023, causing him to miss seven games.
Regardless, Thomas allowed four sacks and 16 pressures in 363 pass-blocking snaps leading a putrid Giants offensive line (pressure rate allowed per dropback at 4.4%). His run blocking was average, but that could also be a project of the talent around him.
Thomas is a franchise left tackle, and should be in store for a bounce back year in 2024.
One of the underrated left tackles in the game, Darrisaw is one of the complete players on that side of the line. Darrisaw protected four quarterbacks last season, yet allowed a pressure rate allowed per dropback of 4.6% in 2024 (seven sacks and 28 pressures in 612 pass-blocking snaps).
Just 25 years old, Darrisaw has played his way into franchise left tackle consideration. The performance protecting Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall showcased how valuable Darrisaw is to the Vikings.
Smith played his way back into the conversation of elite right tackle status after a huge 2023 campaign. He didn’t allow a sack in 308 pass-blocking snaps last season (10 games), benefitting from the uniqueness of Shane Steichen’s offense.
Only allowing 13 pressures and a pressure rate allowed per dropback of 4.2% last season, Smith was even better in run blocking in 2023. Smith just has to stay on the field, as he’s missed 6+ games in two of the past three seasons.
Tunsil is still one of the great left tackles in football, coming off a season which he allowed five sacks and 20 pressures in 518 pass-blocking snaps (3.9% pressure rate allowed per dropback). His run blocking was graded the highest in years, with the tape backing up the grade.
A franchise left tackle in Houston, Tunsil is still only 29 years old. He has good years ahead of him.
Slater did have a down season in 2024 compared to a dominant first two years in the league, yet remains one of the best young tackles in the game. He allowed three sacks and 35 pressures in 720 pass-blocking snaps last season (pressure rate allowed per dropback of 4.9%), yet remained healthy and played all 17 games last season.
An elite pass blocker, Slater will have to be better against the run in Jim Harbaugh’s offense.
Easy to consider Miller as a top-10 tackle in the game, especially coming off a season which he allowed a career-low pressure rate allowed per dropback of 3.9%. An improving player each year, Miller allowed four sacks and 16 pressures in 407 pass-blocking snaps in 2023.
Miller had a his best season in pass protection while battling a shoulder injury and protecting subpar quarterback play. He could be in line for a big year in 2024.
One of the breakout tackles in the league last season, Raimann is establishing himself as the Colts left tackle for years to come. He cut his sacks allowed in half from eight to four as the pass-blocking snaps increased from 406 to 586. Raimann’s pressure rate allowed per dropback was at 5.5% (four sacks and 32 pressures allowed).
Raimann is becoming one of the top pass-blocking tackles in the game, a player to watch in the coming years.
A model of consistency at left tackle, Decker has been reliable in pass and run blocking for the majority of his career in Detroit. The Lions are one of the better run blocking lines in the NFL because of Decker at left tackle and Penei Sewell at right tackle, but Decker also has stayed on the field (missed just two games over the last two years.
Decker had a down year in pass protection (eight sacks, 37 pressures allowed, 6.5% pressure rate allowed per dropback), numbers that are expected to improve — even in his early 30s.
Still a free agent in July, a knee injury was the reason Bakhtiari was limited to just one game last season. Bakhtiari is heading into his mid 30s (32), yet is still one of the top left tackles in football when he’s on the field.
Bakhtiari has missed 38 games over the last three seasons (played just one game in two of the past three seasons). A First-Team All-Pro in 2020, Bakhtiari made five straight All-Pro teams prior to those injuries catching up to him. He allowed just one sack and 10 pressures in 11 games in 2022.
Bakhtiari could be a major bargain for a team if he can remain on the field.
McGary regressed a bit after a breakout season in 2022, but still improved in pass protection last year. He allowed five sacks and 16 pressures in 457 pass-blocking snaps, a career-low pressure rate per dropback of 3.5% (3.7% the year prior).
McGary allows a lot of sacks for a right tackle, but is consistent in pass protection. The sacks allowed should decrease with Kirk Cousins at quarterback.
Bolles deserves credit for being able to line up at left tackle for 17 games last season, allowing just three sacks and 27 pressures in 607 pass-blocking snaps (played over 1,000 snaps total). Responding from a 2022 season where he played just five games, Bolles returned to form as a good pass blocker and remaining consistent in run blocking.
While Bolles isn’t one of the elite tackles, he’s a good starter that has a pressure rate per dropback allowed of 3.7% over the past four seasons.
Havenstein has spent nearly a decade in the NFL (one of the remaining St. Louis Rams) and tied a career low with two sacks allowed in 2023. He allowed 23 pressures and had a pressure rate allowed per dropback of 4.7% last year, while remaining one of the best run-blocking right tackles in the game.
Even at 32, Havenstein is a constant performer on the Rams offensive line.
Tom had a breakout campaign in his first season as a full-time starter in the NFL, emerging as one of the top run-blocking right tackles in the league. He allowed two sacks in 625 pass-blocking snaps, with 31 pressures and a pressure rate per dropback allowed of 5.0%.
Just 25 years old, Tom is a rising star on the offensive line in Green Bay. He’s part of a young core of stars on that offense.
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Author: Jeff Kerr
July 1, 2024 | 9:55 am
