Owning the line of scrimmage is still a very vital attribute when it comes to winning football games. Bolstering the trenches is very important to every NFL club.
One of the big reasons that the Seattle Seahawks went on to win Super Bowl LX this past season was the massive improvement made by a once-shaky offensive line. Go back one year earlier and the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive front had a banner year, paving the way for a huge season by running back Saquon Barkley and an eventual Super Bowl championship season.
Never underestimate what strong play in the trenches can do for a team. Here are five players, including a pair of rookies, who should excel with their new clubs in 2026.
Power ranking the 5 best offseason moves on the offensive line
5. T Spencer Fano (Cleveland Browns)
Browns’ general manager Andrew Berry used a pair of first-round selections to bolster new head coach Todd Monken’s offense. While wideout KC Concepcion bears watching, the former University of Utah blocker is part of a new-look unit that also includes veterans left guard Zion Johnson, right tackle Tytus Howard, and center Elgton Jenkins. The 6’6”, 315-pound performer was the ninth pick in April’s draft.
4. G Olaivavega Ioane (Baltimore Ravens)
There’s a new head coach (Jesse Minter) and offensive coordinator (Declan Doyle) in Baltimore, but fortifying the trenches remains a big part of this franchise’s philosophy. The 14th overall pick in April’s draft was a standout at Penn State in recent seasons. Ioane is a perfect fit for the Ravens’ potent ground attack, second in the NFL in 2025 and featuring Derrick Henry, the 10th-leading rusher in NFL annals.
3. T Rasheed Walker (Carolina Panthers)
Early in free agency, the reigning NFC South champions added the unsung Walker via a one-year contract. With left tackle Iken Ekwonu on the mend, the well-schooled veteran was a solid pickup. Panthers’ GM Dan Morgan used the 19th overall pick in April on University of Georgia prospect Monroe Freeling. With right tackle Taylor Moton shelved indefinitely (blood clot in lung), Carolina has a new pair of bookends.
2. T Braden Smith (Houston Texans)
The 2018 second-round pick from Auburn spent eight seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, so the 6’6”, 312-pound tackle has plenty of familiarity with the AFC South. Smith has played in 107 regular-season games and made 105 starts, and also has three postseason starts on his resume. He’s been more effective in pass protection than as a run blocker and joins the latest revamped offensive front for the Texans.
1. C Tyler Linderbaum (Las Vegas Raiders)
He played and started 66-of-68 regular-season games for the Ravens, and also made five postseason starts for the team that made him the 25th overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft. But Baltimore made the decision not to pick up the fifth-year option on a performer that would be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last three NFL seasons. The Raiders inked Linderbaum to a three-year, $81 million deal in March.
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