Worst 5 Pass-Blocking Offensive Lines

Photo: Imagn Images

The offensive line can be the difference between winning and losing each week.

Earlier in the preseason, we predicted the best five run-blocking and best five pass-blocking offensive lines in the 2023 NFL. Last week, we visited the bottom dwellers, the worst five run-blocking groups. For the final part of this preseason preview series, we will discuss the worst five pass-blocking lines.

Next week, there will be complete offensive line updates for all 32 teams in the preseason reports. For now, please check our full offensive line rankings for up-to-date grades.

1 - Carolina Panthers

Starters with pass-blocking grades:

LT Ikem Ekwonu: C+
LG Brady Christensen: C+
OC Bradley Bozeman: C+
RG *Cade Mays: C
RT Taylor Moton: B+

* = projected starter

Taylor Moton is nationally underrated and a reliable right tackle. Left guard Brady Christensen and center Bradley Bozeman are decent enough. As a group, they grade out much better at run blocking than they do pass blocking.

Unfortunately for Carolina, that's the extent of the good news. Right guard Austin Corbett is about eight months off a torn ACL, and he is not expected to be ready for Week 1. In his place, second-year guard Cade Mays (former Georgia transfer to Tennessee) has been getting the bulk of the reps. Mays has all the size and strength a scout could want and had fun as a short-yardage blocking back last season. But this summer, he doesn't look like a starting guard, especially in pass protection. In preseason action, Mays and the rest of the first team got absolutely worked over by the Jets' second-string defensive line. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu gave up two hits on quarterback Bryce Young, which is not a great sign for the one overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The backups didn't do much better, as Cam Erving, Larnel Coleman, and Michael Johnson were also disastrous, forcing offensive line coach James Campen to call a meeting after the game. Deonte Brown (former Alabama) is another option behind Mays, but he's not a favorite of the new staff. The line as a whole shares the scouting report of Brown; except for Moton, they are a group of run-first forward-leaners who get in trouble going backward.

2 - Cincinnati Bengals

Starters with pass-blocking grades:

LT Orlando Brown Jr: B+
LG Cordell Volson: C+
OC Ted Karras: C+
RG Alex Cappa: C+
RT Jonah Williams: C+

Every preseason I get the same feedback from fans: my team made this big move. So why aren't they ranked higher? The answer is always the same. Usually, when a team has to make a big move, that's a sign they weren't that good in the first place. The Bengals made a very big move this offseason, bringing in Orlando Brown Jr. from the Kansas City Chiefs via free agency. At left tackle, Brown is a top-tier run blocker and pretty good in pass protection. Brown's arrival (and Jonah Williams moving to right tackle) is the cherry on top of the Bengals' line two-year rebuild. And in the run game, there's a lot to like, ranking 16th overall.

But outside of Brown, the group has documented problems in pass blocking. Jonah Williams gave up nine sacks last season, but it should be noted he was playing with two dislocated knees. This is a testament to his toughness, but it's natural to wonder how he responds this season. At right guard, Alex Cappa is a beast in the run game and is known for his strength. But Cappa's pass protection isn't anything to write home about. The story at left guard is worse, where Cordell Volson grades out as below average, beatable in both phases. Center Ted Karras spent most of his career as a backup in New England, and while he provides veteran leadership, he's never ranked above average as a starter. La'el Collins is a talented athlete, but he's still on PUP, rehabbing an ACL tear suffered in Week 16. Yes, Orlando Brown's addition helps. But all of this adds up to a decent run-blocking group with questions at pass-blocking at four of the five starting spots.

3 - Chicago Bears

Starters with pass-blocking grades:

LT Braxton Jones: B
LG Teven Jenkins: C+
OC Cody Whitehair: C+
RG Nate Davis: C+
RT Darnell Wright: B

Let the record show that I like the Chicago Bears' line more than many. I am a huge fan of the Darnell Wright pick (Tennessee, 10th overall), and Wright looked excellent in his debut against the Titans. Last year's day three pick of Braxton Jones (Southern Utah) to start at left tackle was an absolute heist. To find a starting left tackle making less than a million dollars and have him start 17 games as a rookie is extremely rare. Jones and the rest of starting five are maulers in the run game; in my grades, they rank 10th overall in run blocking.

But like other groups on this list, the Bears' line has real shortcomings in the passing game. At left guard, Jenkins has technical shortcomings and is switching sides from right guard. Cody Whitehair might be slightly underrated in my rankings, as he's a solid contributor. But veteran right guard Nate Davis (free agent, Tennessee Titans) has always been better at run blocking than pass protection. Last year, Jones had a known weakness against the bull rush, and until he's proven he can handle power, teams will try to exploit that any chance they get.

In summary, this Bears' offensive line is a beast in the run but can fold under pressure in obvious passing downs. For other offenses, this would be a fatal flaw, but with Justin Fields' ability to bail himself out of trouble, throw on the run, and make yardage in scrambling, this group's pass-blocking deficiencies might not affect their offense much. Teams will have to game-plan against Fields more conservatively, knowing that if they get up-field too quickly, the quarterback will make them pay on the ground.

4 - Tennessee Titans
5 - Los Angeles Rams
6 - Arizona Cardinals

Teams four through six on this ranking, I'm going to skip for now because I already talked about their shortcomings in the Worst Five Run-Blocking Lines article last week. Please go there for a detailed breakdown of these groups. Unsurprisingly, the groups featured in both articles don't rank high overall. In the full rankings, the Cardinals are 28th, the Rams are 29th, and the Titans are 32nd.

7 - Las Vegas Raiders

Starters with pass-blocking grades:

LT Kolton Miller: B+
LG Dylan Parham: C+
OC Andre James: B
RG Alex Bars: C+
RT Jermaine Elumunor: B

First, the good news: Left tackle Kolton Miller has rounded into a very good pass protector and solid run blocker. Miller is agile, a rare athlete, and it's probably accurate to call him a Pro Bowl snub. Given the benefit of hindsight, analysts believe Miller (UCLA) should have gone higher in the 2018 NFL Draft than Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame). Miller is the leader of this group, but he's also the only clear above-average performer. Center Andre James has been decent at the pivot but not in the top half of league centers. At right tackle, Jermaine Elumunor is a journeyman, really more of a finesse swing tackle than a true right tackle starter. Still, he's better at pass protection than run blocking, which could be why he leads the preseason competition to play over Thayer Munford and Brandon Parker.

Remember, the rankings skipped three teams, so the Raiders aren't technically in the bottom five of the pass-blocking grades. To be specific, they rank 26th, tied with Jacksonville and Pittsburgh. And it's also notable that they bring back all of last year's five starters for a high cohesion score. But if we're nit-picking (and we are), the real vulnerabilities for the Raiders' passing offense are at the guard spots. The starters - Dylan Parham and Alex Bars - are interesting young strength guys who work well "in a phone booth." These players are run-heavy, which is great for Josh Jacobs owners, but it holds down the overall pass-blocking grade. With Miller healthy, they aren't a terrible pass-blocking group, but there are some flaws, especially on the inside.

8 - Jacksonville Jaguars

Starters with pass-blocking grades:

LT Walker Little: B
LG *Ben Bartch: C+
OC Luke Fortner: B
RG Brandon Scherff: B+
RT Anton Harrison: B

* = projected starter

This group has some good players. Right guard Brandon Scherff was fully healthy last year and played outstanding, especially in pass protection. In his rookie season, center Luke Fortner was also decent, and he returns this year with increased strength.

This situation is more interesting than it should be because of the suspension of left tackle Cam Robinson. Robinson, recently restructured, is slated to miss the team's first four games as a violation of the league's gambling policy. In his place, Walker Little has been taking all the reps with the first team. Little (2022 second-round pick, Stanford) is a functional player, but due to arm-length issues, the team wants him to bump inside to left guard. Currently, there is a free for all competition at left guard between Blake Hance, Tyler Shatley, and Ben Bartch, with Bartch having the draft capital advantage. None of these are excellent pass blockers. At right tackle, rookie Anton Harrison (2023 first-round pick, Oklahoma) profiles well in pass protection, but without any experience, that's only in theory.

The real question is, what happens when Robinson returns? A best-case possibility is Little bumps inside, Harrison keeps his starting job at right tackle, and whoever's playing left guard takes a seat. It's going to be interesting to watch this lineup develop on a week-to-week basis. But they should be better at the end of the season than at the start.

Honorable Mention

Pittsburgh Steelers: This group has above-average run blockers at left guard (Isaac Seumalo), right guard (James Daniels), and, depending on who you talk to, left tackle (Dan Moore Jr.). But they aren't great in pass protection, and there's no high-end elite talent in the group. First-round rookie Broderick Jones (Georgia) is a project, nowhere close to seeing the field.