A detailed write up for each offensive line can be found in the Preseason Week 2 Training Camp report, released August 15th. This article will supply the latest rankings but the comments will be brief. Those looking for more details should check out the camp update PDF version.
Let's get after it!
UPGRADES
Atlanta - Up 3 Spots
Right guard Wes Schweizer has held off a challenger for a second consecutive season. Last year it was Ben Garland and this year it's Brandon Fusco, but either way, he is on track to start Week 1. This change in the model brings the Falcons' cohesion grade to a perfect 5.
Miami - Up 3 Spots
It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that veteran left guard Josh Sitton did not need a whole bunch of time to get familiar with a new lineup or new system. Sitton looked full-go during preseason week one, and the boost to cohesion brings the Dolphins' offensive line grade up to the mid-tier.
Tampa Bay - Up 1 Spot
New starting center Ryan Jensen was smooth in his preseason debut. Jensen arrived in free agency from Baltimore. He's not getting the full cohesion boost like Sitton, but he worked well with left guard Ali Marpet and early signs are positive. Jensen is not well known nationally but he has quietly become one of the Buccaneers' better offensive linemen. The Buccaneers also claw their way out of the cellar and rank as a mid-tier line again.
DOWNGRADES
LA Rams - Down 3 Spots
Right guard Jamon Brown has been suspended the first two games of the season for violations of the league's substance abuse policy. Austin Blythe has been getting the first-team reps in practice. This news actually broke in July but the model had not been updated to reflect Brown's absence. The Rams' offensive line remains a top-tier option, even without Brown.
Minnesota - Down 5 Spots
The Vikings' offensive line has been through adversity this offseason. First, the tragic news their positional coach Tony Sparano died July 22. Recently the team lost starting left guard Nick Easton to a neck injury which requires surgery. With center Pat Elfein still on the PUP list rehabbing his shoulder injury and right guard Mike Remmers out of the lineup, their "first team" interior has been Tom Compton for Easton, Cornelius Edison for Elfein and Danny Isadora for Remmers at right guard. Tom Compton (seven-year pro from South Dakota) is a fit for the culture and carries a borderline starter grade, despite his rough showing in preseason week one. Assuming Elfein and Remmers get healthy by Week 1 they are still a mid-tier unit. But the injuries are starting to mount.
Arizona - Down 3 Spots
The loss of center A.Q. Shipley to a torn ACL is probably the worst loss any line has faces this offseason so far. He's not some famous player and he's not even ideal sized for the position but they are losing a ton of experience, in a lineup where they didn't have it to lose. Rookie Mason Cole out of Michigan takes Shipley's place. The line has upside but Mason Cole could have a long season.
OTHER NEWS
Carolina - Amini Silatolu had been winning the left guard spot until he hurt his knee. Jeremiah Sirles has also been held out of practice. Silatolu may not be ready for Week one, which has opened the door for Greg Van Roten to possibly start. The team also has Brandon Mahon and some beat writers believe Mahon will eventually win the spot. The Panthers are a mid-tier unit in the latest rankings.
Cleveland - In a story which has not been covered on HBO's Hard Knocks, left guard Joel Bitonio was moved to left tackle before the preseason week one contest against the New York Giants. Shon Coleman had been unsteady at the spot, and he has been moved back to second-team right tackle. Rookie second-round pick Austin Corbett has been elevated to left guard. This lineup is a mess from a cohesion perspective but Bitonio has played well in his shift outside. Assuming no further changes, this line currently grades as a mid-tier unit but has the potential to rise in coming weeks, especially if Corbett can learn quickly.
New England - Right tackle Marcus Cannon has missed a couple weeks of practice with an undisclosed injury and LaAdrian Waddle has been starting in his place. The team has not provided any more details on Cannon's injury but have assured the beat writers he will be ready for Week One.
NY Jets - Left tackle Kelvin Beachum has been in a walking boot with a foot injury since late July. Brent Qvale has been starting in his place. It is unclear if Beachum will be ready for week one. Right guard Brian Winters was shut down for the rest of the preseason with an abdominal injury. The week one lineup might have both of these starters, or neither, it is tough to say at this juncture. Backup tackle Ben Ijalana was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury and the team signed Gino Gradkowski to fill the roster spot.
FULL RANKINGS
|
Rank
|
Team
|
Prior Rank
|
Change
|
Score
|
Grades
|
Cohesion
|
Notes
|
||
|
Overall
|
Run
|
Pass
|
|||||||
|
1
|
PHI
|
1
|
0
|
34.7
|
A+
|
A+
|
A+
|
5
|
|
|
2
|
DAL
|
2
|
0
|
32.2
|
A+
|
A+
|
A
|
4
|
|
|
3
|
ATL
|
6
|
3
|
31.9
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
5
|
RG Schweizer over Fusco (Cohesion boost)
|
|
4
|
PIT
|
4
|
0
|
31.7
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
5
|
|
|
5
|
GB
|
5
|
0
|
31.5
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
5
|
|
|
6
|
LAR
|
3
|
-3
|
31.3
|
A
|
A+
|
A-
|
4
|
RG Jamon Brown suspended 2 weeks (Blythe).
|
|
7
|
WAS
|
7
|
0
|
31.1
|
A-
|
B+
|
A
|
5
|
|
|
8
|
KC
|
8
|
0
|
31.0
|
A-
|
A
|
B+
|
5
|
|
|
9
|
OAK
|
9
|
0
|
30.7
|
A-
|
A+
|
B
|
4
|
|
|
10
|
TEN
|
10
|
0
|
30.6
|
A-
|
A
|
B+
|
5
|
|
|
11
|
BAL
|
11
|
0
|
30.5
|
B+
|
A-
|
B
|
5
|
|
|
12
|
JAX
|
12
|
0
|
30.4
|
B+
|
A-
|
B
|
4
|
|
|
13
|
NO
|
13
|
0
|
30.3
|
B+
|
B+
|
B+
|
5
|
|
|
14
|
LAC
|
14
|
0
|
29.5
|
B+
|
B
|
A-
|
4
|
|
|
15
|
SF
|
15
|
0
|
29.5
|
B
|
B+
|
B-
|
4
|
|
|
16
|
CHI
|
16
|
0
|
29.3
|
B
|
B+
|
B-
|
5
|
|
|
17
|
DET
|
17
|
0
|
29.3
|
B
|
B+
|
B-
|
4
|
|
|
18
|
SEA
|
18
|
0
|
28.8
|
B-
|
B
|
C+
|
4
|
|
|
19
|
CAR
|
20
|
1
|
28.7
|
B-
|
B+
|
B-
|
3
|
LG Silatolu out (Van Roten).
|
|
20
|
NYJ
|
21
|
1
|
28.4
|
C+
|
C+
|
C+
|
4
|
|
|
21
|
DEN
|
22
|
1
|
28.4
|
C+
|
C+
|
C+
|
4
|
|
|
22
|
NE
|
23
|
1
|
28.4
|
C+
|
C+
|
C+
|
4.5
|
|
|
23
|
CLE
|
24
|
1
|
28.3
|
C
|
C
|
C
|
3
|
LG Bitonio to LT (Corbett).
|
|
24
|
MIN
|
19
|
-5
|
28.2
|
C
|
C+
|
C-
|
4
|
LG Easton out for the season. (Compton).
|
|
25
|
MIA
|
28
|
3
|
28.0
|
C
|
C+
|
C-
|
4
|
New LG Sitton playing well (Cohesion boost).
|
|
26
|
TB
|
27
|
1
|
28.0
|
C
|
C+
|
C-
|
3.5
|
New C Jensen playing well (Cohesion boost).
|
|
27
|
IND
|
25
|
-2
|
27.8
|
C
|
C
|
C
|
3
|
|
|
28
|
CIN
|
26
|
-2
|
27.8
|
C
|
C+
|
C-
|
3.5
|
|
|
29
|
NYG
|
30
|
1
|
27.0
|
C-
|
C-
|
C-
|
3.5
|
|
|
30
|
BUF
|
31
|
1
|
26.9
|
D+
|
C+
|
D-
|
4.5
|
|
|
31
|
HOU
|
32
|
1
|
26.7
|
D
|
D+
|
D-
|
3.5
|
|
|
32
|
AZ
|
29
|
-3
|
26.3
|
D
|
D+
|
D-
|
3
|
C A.Q. Shipley out for season (Cole)
|
If you have a question about a player, team or matchup not specifically talked about in this article, please feel free to contact the author via Twitter.
