Breaking Down the 2025 Offensive Line Free Agency Class

RG Trey Smith against the Detroit Lions in Week 1 of 2023

The 2025 NFL free agency offensive line class is shaping up to be a fascinating group, offering a mix of youthful talent entering their primes and seasoned veterans still capable of making significant impacts. Standout names include Kansas City Chiefs RG Trey Smith, who could reset the market for interior linemen with his stellar play, and Atlanta Falcons C Drew Dalman, an outside-zone run-blocking menace poised for a big payday. Others, like Indianapolis Colts RG Will Fries, Pittsburgh Steelers RG James Daniels, and Arizona Cardinals RG Will Hernandez were having stellar seasons before devastating injuries ended their season early. The interior of the offensive line is the deepest i've ever seen, and it will be fascinating to see how the league bids for them.

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My Top 15 Available Free Agency Offensive Linemen

1. RG Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs

Age 25 | 6'6, 321lbs | 1x Pro Bowl, 2x Super Bowl Champ

A stud at every level, Smith was a true 5 Star and number 5 player in high school before playing at Tennessee. At Tennessee, Smith was 2x First Team All-SEC and 1x 2nd Team All-SEC. He would've been a locked in first or second round pick, but was diagnosed with a blood clot disorder, known as pulmonary emboli.

In the NFL, Smith has started 67 games at RG for the Chiefs over the last 4 years, missing just 1 game in 2022. He has been a top 10 OG every season.

In 2024, he had the 6th best run-block win rate and did not allow a sack. 2024 Stats - 17 games at RG:

• 75.3 PFF grade (13/56 among Gs)

• 77.4 Run Block (9/56)

• 67.0 Pass Block (28/56)

2. LT Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens

Age 31 | 6'6, 310lbs | 2x Pro Bowl, 2019 1st Team All-Pro Selected 6th overall in 2016, Stanley has been rock solid when healthy and played a key role in protecting Lamar Jackson and paving the way for Derrick Henry in the run game this past season. 2024 Stats (17 Games Played):

• 12th in ESPN PBWR

• 62.2 PFF Run Block (24/32)

• 79.8 PFF Pass Block (11/32)

3. C Drew Dalman, Atlanta Falcons

Age 26 | 6'3, 305lbs

The son of a former NFL lineman and coach, Dalman is a quality technician with an excellent feel for hand usage and staying connected to his blocks. He was a fourth round pick in 2021 out of Boston College, and has started 40 games as Atlanta's center the past three seasons.

Dalman is a pure outside-zone center and would be a great fit in many run-heavy teams. 2024 Stats (9 games - high ankle sprain):

• 78.8 PFF overall grade (3/32)

• 79.8 PFF run block grade (4/32)

• 66.6 pass-blocking grade (9/32)

Over the past two seasons, only four centers have produced a higher PFF overall grade than Dalman (84.8).

4. RG Will Fries, Indianapolis Colts

Age 27 (in April) | 6'6, 305lbs A 4-yr starter at OT at Penn State, Fries has started 42 games at RG for the Colts over the last 4 years. An average player in his first two years starting, Fries took a MASSIVE leap in 2024 but played just 5 full games before breaking his tibia. 2024 Stats (6 Games Played):

• 86.9 PFF grade (2/83)

• 84.9 Run Block (4/83)

• 74.9 Pass Block (12/83)

5. LG Teven Jenkins, Chicago Bears

Age 27 | 6'6, 321lbs After a rocky start to his career due to a back issue, Jenkins was a much needed cornerstone of the Bears rocky OL play. In 4 seasons, he has only played 38 games - 2 in 2021, 11 in 2022 and 2023, and 14 in 2024 2024 Stats (14 games played):

• 17 Pressures Allowed

• 4 Sacks Allowed

• 75.4 PFF grade (12/54 among Gs)

• 74.3 Run Block (13/53)

• 75.8 Pass Block (14/54)

6. LT Alaric Jackson, Los Angelas Rams

Age 26 | 6'7, 345lbs | 1x Super Bowl Champ Starting 35 games at LT for the Rams as Andrew Whitworth's replacement, Jackson was one of only 13 tackles with a 75+ PFF grade in both pass blocking and run blocking in 2024

2024 Stats - (15 Games Played):

• 78.4 PFF grade (12/33 among OTs)

• 75.2 Run Block (10/33)

• 79.2 Pass Block (9/33)

7. RG Kevin Zeitler, Detroit Lions

Age 35 | 6'4, 332lbs | 1x Pro Bowl Starting 196 games at RG for 5 teams over the last 13 years, Zeitler has finished 7 seasons as a top-10 guard by PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency stat.

2024 Stats (16 games played):

• 71.6 PFF grade (15/74 among Gs)

• 62.4 Run Block (27/74)

• 82.3 Pass Block (2/74)

8. OL Patrick Mekari, Baltimore Ravens

Age 27 | 6-4, 305lbs

Starting more than 5 games at LT/LG/C/RT in his career, Mekari is one of the most reliable and versatile OL in the league. While he may not be a top-10 player at any position, he is incredibly valuable.

In six seasons, he's played snaps everywhere:

• Left tackle: 672 snaps

• Left guard: 832

• Center: 683

• Right guard: 272

• Right tackle: 1,206

• Sixth OL: 37

2024 Stats (started weeks 1-3 at RT and weeks 4-17 at LG):

• 32 Pressures allowed (8th among 23 guards with over 80% of total snaps played in 2024)

• 1 sack allowed (Thanks Lamar)

• 59.0 PFF Grade (18/23)

• 56.0 PFF Run Block (20/23)

• 71.6 PFF Pass Block (5/23)

9. RG Mekhi Becton, Philadelphia Eagles

Age 26 (In April) | 6'7, 363lbs | 1x Super Bowl Champ Drafted 11th in 2020, Becton was cursed by injuries in New York causing him to miss both 2021 and 2022.

After a tumultuous 2023, where he played in 16 of 17 games for the New York Jets and was flagged for 16 penalties and allowed 12 sacks - tied for the most among linemen that year, a change of scenery was needed.

Becton signed a modest 1 year, $2,750,000 to study under Philly OL coach Jeff Stoutland and he turned into a glimmer of what people hoped he'd be at RG between Lane Johnson and Cam Jurgens.

While he was drafted to a LT, his play at RG in 2024 opens the door to a wild array of possibilities.

2024 Stats (19 Games Played):

• 70.7 PFF Grade (18/56 among G)

• 70.2 PFF Run Grade (20/56)

• 60.1 PFF Pass Block (46/56)

10. RG Will Hernandez, Arizona Cardinals

Age 29 | 6'2, 332lbs |

The 34th pick in 2018, Hernandez has started at both RG and LG and was on pace for his best season of his career before breaking his leg in week 5. He has played every game in 4/7 seasons and 13 games in the other two before 2024. Long term injury concerns shouldn't be an issue, but he has been on IR twice in the past three seasons. 2024 Stats (5 Games Played):

• 94.1% Pass Block Win Rate (3rd in NFL)

• 69.3 PFF Grade (33/131 among G)

• 74.2 PFF Pass Block Grade (22/131)

• 66.0 PFF Run Block Grade (48/131)

11. RG James Daniels, Pittsburgh Steelers

Age 34 | 6'4, 327lbs

Having played 86 games with 80 starts across his tenure with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, Daniels is typically recognized for his above-average pass-blocking skills and good mobility, but this year he mauled in Arthur Smith's wide zone scheme. In 2024, Daniels tore his achilles in week 5, but was having an All-Pro season before it happened. The severity of the injury is why he is ranked 10th on my list. 2024 Stats (4 Games Played):

• 92.9 PFF Grade (2/87)

• 92.5 PFF Run Blocking Grade (2/87)

• 66.6 PFF Pass Blocking Grade
  

12. LT Dan Moore Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers

Age 26 | 6'5, 315lbs

Young and experienced left tackles don't grow on trees. Dan Moore Jr. might not be the sexiest commodity, but he plays every. single. game. and for a team like Kansas City or New England or Seattle or Cleveland or New York (Jets) or Washington or Los Angelas (Rams) or Baltimore or Miami or... you get the point. There's a reason Pittsburgh drafted OTs in back to back drafts, but there is also a reason he has started 66 of the last 67 games at LT and has over 1000 snaps in 4 straight seasons.

In 2024, he gave up just 2 sacks in the first 8 games before allowing 10 sacks in the final 8 and finished with the most sacks allowed in the NFL.

13. C Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis Colts

Age 31, 6-4, 307lbs | 4x Pro Bowler, 1x 2nd Team All-Pro

This is more-so a formality than anything. Based on the rumblings, Kelly is probably on the Jason Kelce track of his career - return on 1yr deals until he retires. I think he either retires or returns to Indy. They did draft his replacement, Tanor Botorlini, in the 4th round last year, but if he wants to come back, let him.

Ryan Kelly played 10 games in 2024... Here are Jonathan Taylor's rushing numbers in the 8 games they played together:

Sept 8th vs Houston - 16 carries - 48 yards - 1 TD

Sept 15th @ Green Bay - 12 carries -103 yards

Sept 22nd vs Chicago - 23 carries - 110 yards - 2 TDS

Oct 27th @ Houston - 20 carries -105 yards - 1 TD

Nov 3rd @ Minnesota - 13 carries - 48 yards

Dec 22nd vs Tennessee - 29 carries - 218 yards - 3 TDS

Dec 29th @ New York Giants - 32 carries 125 yards - 2 TDS

Jan 5th vs Jacksonville - 34 carries - 177 yards - 1 TD

Just a casual average of 22.4 carries - 116.75 yards - 1.25 TDS

14. RG Brandon Scherff, Jacksonville Jaguars

Age 33 | 6-5, 315lbs | 5x Pro Bowler, 1x All Pro

Starting 120 games at RG for the Commanders and Jaguars over the last 9 years, Scherff has been a premier pass blocking OL... and extremely well compensated.

In the past three seasons in Jacksonville, his Pass Blocking has been stellar, with his PFF Pass Block Grade among guards with 80%+ of all snaps ranking 9th in 2024, and 4th in 2023.

All in all, a short-term, high AAV deal is likely the play.

15. LG Aaron Banks, San Francisco 49ers

Age 27 | 6-5, 325lbs

The 2021 2nd Round Pick has been a fascinating case study for a high-octane 49ers offense. He has started 43 games the past three seasons, all at LG, but is one of the largest OG in the league. His weight was 338lbs at the Senior Bowl and has reportedly fluctuated between 344 and 315 since high school. There has been lots of debate whether a switch to a gap scheme would be better for him than the wide zone that Kyle Shanahan loves.

In 2022 and 2023, I'd put his performance as fine, he has the luxury of being next to Trent Williams, which helps massively.

However, in 2024, Banks struggled mightily for the 49ers and finished the season on injured reserve after suffering an MCL injury. In a hungover year for the 49ers, Banks was the worst OL and a change of scenery is needed.

Honorable Mentions:

LT Cam Robinson, Minnesota Vikings

RT Morgan Moses, New York Jets

OT Cornelius Lucas, Washington Commanders

RT Kendall Lamm, Miami Dolphins

C Coleman Shelton, Chicago Bears

LG Matt Pryor, Chicago Bears,

RG Dalton Risner, Minnesota Vikings

LT Jedrick Wills, Cleveland Browns