When talking about the NFL’s best offensive tackles in today’s game, there’s one thing that’s perfectly clear: The distinction between the left tackle and right tackle positions is basically out the door. No longer is the right tackle the guy not athletic enough to handle his business on the quarterback’s blind side. Now, the right tackle must be a quick and efficient pass protector as well, because so many quarterbacks are so often taking three- to five-step drops and throwing to their first and second reads. In these scenarios, the right defensive end might not have time to get to the quarterback, while the left defensive end does. That’s why so many defensive coordinators put their best pass rushers on the left defensive side — because in the modern era, quick pressure is more important than ever.
Other Top 11 lists: Edge defenders | Interior defensive linemen | Linebackers | Safeties | Outside cornerbacks | Slot defenders
Whether it’s J.J. Watt, Demarcus Lawrence, Cameron Jordan or Ryan Kerrigan, a high percentage of the game’s best edge defenders work the left side against the right tackle. So, if you have an old-school run blocker who doesn’t have a clue how to pass-block on the right-hand side of your offense, your offense is going to fall apart very quickly. That’s why the Raiders made Trent Brown the NFL’s highest-paid offense tackle on a per-year basis with his new deal — a four-year, $66 million contract. And Brown is a right tackle.
So, regardless of where they line up, here are the NFL’s 11 best offensive tackles coming into the 2019 season — the players who execute the demands of the position(s) at the highest level.
11. Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles
Johnson had a rough go early last season when he allowed four sacks in games against the Buccaneers, Colts and Titans, but then got things back on track and didn’t allow another sack from Week 6 through Philadelphia’s divisional-round loss to the Saints. Overall, he allowed five sacks, six quarterback hits and 29 quarterback hurries, providing good run-blocking despite the fact that the Eagles struggled to put a consistent run game on the field.
Johnson can get bent back by stronger ends when he’s in pass protection, but he’s strong enough to keep his base and strength about him. And in the run game, he’s an old-school mauler who loves to pinch inside and move defensive tackles right out of the gap. After allowing 11 sacks in his rookie season of 2013, Johnson has settled down and become a talented and valuable blocker, with occasional lapses in consistency.
10. Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans
The Titans signed former Rams guard Rodger Saffold to a four-year, $44 million deal in the offseason to help the left side of their offensive line, but Lewan didn’t need much assistance as a pass-protector or run-blocker in 2018. The three-time Pro Bowl left tackle, Tennessee’s first-round pick out of Michigan in the 2014 draft, allowed just two sacks, two quarterback hits and 16 quarterback hurries in 852 snaps last season.
Whether he’s executing a tackle pull to the right side, wrestling a speed-rusher around the edge, or power-blocking a defensive tackle out of the Octagon, Lewan brings a formidable combination of agility, strength and technique to the field every week. He’s especially effective when pinching inside to open gaps for Tennessee’s power running game, which makes him an important asset in the red zone and in other situations where pure power is required.
9. Joe Staley, San Francisco 49ers
In June, the 49ers signed Staley to a two-year contract extension that will keep him on the roster through the 2021 season. Staley will be 37 at that point, but there’s no reason to doubt his ability to play well through that new contract. San Francisco’s first-round pick in 2007, Staley has developed from a raw prospect out of Central Michigan into one of the most reliable tackles in the league, especially in the pass-blocking department. He hasn’t allowed more than four sacks in a season in five of the last six years, and in 2018, he gave up four sacks, seven quarterback hits and 14 quarterback hurries.
Staley comes out of his stance quickly and with a straight-back backpedal that allows him to handle pass rushers from either side. When he engages, he can extend his arms to keep defenders out of the pocket, run them out of the arc or seamlessly handle an end-tackle stunt. Whether Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard or Nick Mullens, Staley was able to keep his quarterback upright no matter who he was.
8. Duane Brown, Seattle Seahawks
When Tom Cable ran Seattle’s offensive line from 2011 through 2017, that line was one of the worst in the league — not only because of Cable’s coaching, but also because Cable seemed singularly unable to find and develop blocking talent at the college level. Cable is Oakland’s problem now, but one wise thing the Seahawks did was to trade for Brown, the former Texans left tackle, in October 2017. Brown immediately gave the Seahawks stability not seen during Cable’s reign of personnel misfires, and when Cable was replaced by Mike Solari before the 2018 season, it all got a lot better. Last season, Brown allowed four sacks, two quarterback hits and 17 quarterback hurries in 1,122 total snaps, and his run blocking was a big part of Seattle’s turnaround in that department.
At 6 feet 4 and 315 pounds, Brown has the quickness and agility to mirror any pass rusher through the arc, and he’s smart enough to know when the change of direction is coming. As Seattle starts to try and put a championship line together, the team will lean heavily on Brown’s energy and expertise.
7. Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens
When a coaching staff completely changes an offensive game plan halfway through the season, it’s harder on the offensive linemen than you may think — especially when the change comes with a corresponding quarterback switch. That’s what the Ravens did last season in switching from Joe Flacco and a more traditional offense, to Lamar Jackson and a more run-heavy system. But whatever was thrown at him, Baltimore left tackle Ronnie Stanley handled it all with aplomb, proving his status as one of the best tackles in the NFL. In 1,144 snaps last season, he allowed just two sacks, two quarterback hits and 14 quarterback hurries, and his run-blocking was top-notch.
No matter the play, Stanley comes to it with great mobility out of the snap and tremendous upper-body strength that allows him to deal with premier edge rushers snap after snap. Perhaps the clearest exhibition of this was in Baltimore’s playoff loss to the Chargers last season, when Los Angeles end Melvin Ingram dominated at the line of scrimmage. But he did very little when he was lined up against Stanley, and Stanley handled Joey Bosa just fine. He’s not a big name just yet, but Stanley deserves to be one.
6. Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams
With young quarterback Jared Goff still learning how to get things done against better defenses, and franchise running back Todd Gurley dealing with a lot of injury issues, Sean McVay’s Rams offense needed a standard-bearer to get to the Super Bowl last season. And there’s no question who that was — the seemingly ageless Whitworth, who had one of his best seasons as he celebrated his 37th birthday. Whitworth was involved in 1,246 snaps last season, allowing just five sacks, four quarterback hits and 25 quarterback hurries, adding outstanding run-blocking along the way.
From his Bengals days, when he played guard and tackle at a Pro Bowl level, Whitworth has never been the most agile blocker. There are times watching his tape where you’re sure a younger, faster edge rusher is going to get the drop on him. But just in time, the veteran will use his understanding of angles and leverage to erase the defender, allowing skill-position players to do their thing. Whitworth will return for his 14th season, and the Rams should be very happy to have him back.
5. David Bakhtiari, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay’s offense was a hot mess over the last couple of seasons under Mike McCarthy, which is one reason McCarthy was fired in December. Though new head coach and offensive play designer Matt LaFleur may have a few issues getting Aaron Rodgers to buy into his system, one problem LaFleur won’t have is the lack of a high-quality left tackle.
Selected in the fourth round of the 2013 draft out of Colorado, Bakhtiari started out raw in the NFL, but he’s developed into a fine pass protector with the ability to run-block when there’s a functional run game in Titletown. In 2018, Bakhtiari allowed four sacks, three quarterback hits and 18 quarterback hurries in 1,032 total snaps. This is especially impressive because under McCarthy, Rodgers (and his backups) had to wait for prehistoric route concepts to open up, forcing them to wait and float in the pocket.
Bakhtiari will occasionally lose power battles at the line of scrimmage, and he loses engagement at the back of the pocket once in a while, but when his technique is on, he gets around the arc and into his stance in a big hurry, and he’s able to hold off edge rushers consistently. He’s also capable of pinching inside to open run gaps and hitting the second level with quickness and accuracy.
4. Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City Chiefs
When we talk about the value of right tackles in the modern NFL, we might as well start with Schwartz, who’s the best player in the league at his position. A second-round pick for the Browns out of Cal in 2011, Schwartz struggled in pass protection his first few seasons, but really came around in 2017 and 2018, and he was a major part of Kansas City’s incendiary offense last season. In 1,178 total snaps, he allowed four sacks, eight quarterback hits and 14 quarterback hurries, and put up solid tape when run-blocking as well.
Not only does Schwartz have to maintain his pass pro against some of the best edge rushers in the league, he also has to do it as Patrick Mahomes improvises in and out of the pocket, which complicates things for any blocker. But he’s such a good technician, he can catch defenders through the arc and into the pocket, work them from side to side as they try counters, and bull them out with his arms. Schwartz will occasionally let a better edge rusher slip by, but for the most part, he’s as reliable as they come.
3. Terron Armstead, New Orleans Saints
In a high-volume passing game like the Saints’, the offensive tackles had better be able to pass-protect from down to down on a highly consistent basis. Give up a pressure too often, and things start to fall apart. New Orleans has a fine right tackle in third-year man Ryan Ramczyk, but it’s Armstead who really holds it all together on the left side. Despite a shoulder injury that cost him six regular-season games last season, Armstead allowed just two sacks, three quarterback hits and eight quarterback hurries in 742 total snaps.
Armstead’s game is all about using his speed and quickness off the snap to negate his opponent’s burst to get to the pocket. He gets into his stance quickly off an agile kick-slide, and he can “catch” a defender just as easily as he can extend his arms and set the tone. And with all his technique, he’s perfectly happy to shoot inside on a power running play and engage a defensive tackle with his hands on the numbers.
2. Trent Williams, Washington Redskins
Williams has missed nine games over the last three seasons with injuries, and he’s played hurt when he could, which makes his performance level all the more impressive. In 792 snaps last season, he allowed one sack, nine quarterback hits and 20 quarterback hurries, and maintained his outstanding run-blocking as a true physical presence.
Williams brings outstanding technique to the field, to be sure, but what really sets him apart is a combination of raw strength and a nasty streak unparalleled in the game today. When he’s healthy, there simply isn’t another offensive tackle in the NFL capable of matching his ability to physically dominate his opponent. Defensive lineman Jurrell Casey of the Titans, a Pro Bowl-level player in his own right, would likely agree.
1. Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Take out the eight sacks Smith allowed as a right tackle in his rookie campaign in 2011, and he’s given up just 18 quarterback takedowns over the last seven seasons, and just six total in the last three years. In 981 snaps last season, he allowed just one sack, two quarterback hits and 15 total pressures.
Never mind the left tackle position — you’d be hard-pressed to find a better and more consistent technician among NFL blockers at any spot than Smith. He kick-slides perfectly, he extends his arms with a jolt that keeps opposing defenders from entering the pocket and getting the upper hand on him, and when he gets set in his base, he’s just about impossible to counter because he’s so good with his hands and he knows how to use his ridiculous wingspan. Agility and flexibility allow him to jump gaps seamlessly. And as a run-blocker, he simply envelops his targets — at 6-5 and 320 pounds, he makes defensive tackles look like linebackers and defensive ends look like safeties.
