Offensive Line Continuity
To be effective against modern defenses, offensive lines need to move like synchronized swimmers in lockstep with one another, knowing how their arms and legs will move in any situation without having to think. That takes time.
Four of five starters along the Buffalo Bills offensive line have played more than 2,000 snaps together the past two regular seasons. Bookend franchise tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown are north of 3,000 snaps.
Left guard David Edwards joined the team in 2023 and played 148 snaps (12.7%) before playing 977 snaps (89.8%) in 2024, when Connor McGovern (97.6% in 2023 and 88.3% in 2024) moved to center to replace longtime great Mitch Morse. Right guard O'Cyrus Torrence played 100% of snaps during his rookie year and 93.1% last season.
That type of offensive line continuity is not common.
Most of the units in the league endure consistent turnover and the Bills have been remarkably healthy (knock on wood).
By contrast, the Chicago Bears return two starters this season: tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright.
Since 2023, the two have been on the field for 21 of 34 regular season games, or just 61.8% of the time.
Backup center Ryan Bates, who played 105 snaps (9.2%) in 2024, is the other returning lineman on a remade unit. Starting between the tackles will be Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson. Chicago has two rookies listed as backups, right guard Luke Newman and right tackle Ozzy Trapilo.
It's going to take some time, but time waits for no one. Brian Flores and his psychotic defense head to Chicago for Monday Night Football in Week 1.
Brad Beatson
How will the Bears O-line react to actual game speed? To the Vikings defensive-line stunts and simulated pressures?
To be effective against modern defenses, offensive lines need to move like synchronized swimmers in lockstep with one another, knowing how their arms and legs will move in any situation without having to think. That takes time.
Linemen need to learn know how to compensate for one another's weaknesses and accentuate their strengths on a down-to-down basis, with the ultimate goal of remaining invisible to everyone watching the broadcast.
Otherwise, they'll be highlighted by Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on Monday night.
Since 2022...
- Perfect: The 2023 Bengals and Bills are the only teams to make it through the regular season with the same starting five offensive linemen
- Six in a Row: There have been 41 instances of a team starting the same five linemen for at least six consecutive games
- (.580): On the whole, 32 of those 41 teams started six or fewer offensive-line combinations during the regular season and went a combined 322-233 for a (.580) winning percentage.
- (.363): The remaining nine teams started seven or more O-line combos and went 57-100 for a (.363) winning percentage
Magic Number
- 6 or Fewer: Teams should strive to play six or fewer offensive-line combinations for the majority of snaps during the regular season.
The Formula
Minimum Threshold
To calculate offensive line continuity, there needed to be some sort of baseline measurement:
- The lineman must have played at least 50% of the offensive snaps in one or more regular-season games for their current team
- The lineman must be on the 2025 roster or practice squad and have played for their current team during the 2022, 2023, and/or 2024 seasons
Annual Calculation
To determine an effective ratio, there needed to be a maximum quotient:
- Since 2022 3 seasons x 17 games x 5 linemen = 255 linemen
- Since 2023 2 x 17 x 5 = 170 linemen
- Since 2024 17 x 5 = 85 linemen
📸 2025 Snapshot: Miami Dolphins 🐬
Right tackle Austin Jackson is the only healthy lineman who has played significant snaps for the Phins since the start of the 2022 season. Liam Eichenberg has been with the team since 2021, but he begins the 2025 season on the PUP list; Terron Armstead retired this offseason.
- The Dolphins roster three additional linemen who have played snaps for them: Aaron Brewer (2024), Kendall Lamm (2023-24), and Kion Smith (2023).
- Kion Smith played just 70 offensive snaps in 2023. He's currently the backup left guard to rookie Jonah Savaiinaea.
- The Dolphins may be switching to more of a power run game with more gap-scheme elements and less wide-zone calls, which could be the main reason for the group's turnover. It's going to take some time.
Weighting the Formula
- 2024 1-year linemen: 65%
- 2023 2-year linemen: 25%
- 2022 3-year linemen: 10%
65% Passing Grade: Offensive linemen who played at least 50% of the snaps in one or more games count for 65% of the continuity grade.
25% Second Wave: A quarter of the formula is dedicated to linemen who have been with their team for at least two seasons and registered at least one appearance each year where they met the minimum threshold.
10% Longevity: Ten percent is dedicated to those who have played for the team for the past three seasons. There are exceptions, but by-and-large this percentage gives a boost to teams who have identified mainstays or emerging franchise cornerstones.
Disqualification
- Players who begin the 2025 season on injured reserve or the physically unable to perform list, or if they're set to serve a suspension or on the non-football injury list, did not count toward the continuity calculation.
Risers
There was some uncertainty along the Eagles front line earlier this spring and summer with Landon Dickerson undergoing surgery (damaged meniscus), Mekhi Becton off to Los Angeles and Fred Johnson signing with Jacksonville.
On August 25, the Eagles traded a 2026 seventh-rounder to Jacksonville to get "Big Fred" back in their building. Johnson played 481 snaps (41.6%) for the Eagles during Saquon Barkley's mammoth 2024 season.
On August 27, Dickerson returned to the practice field and has a chance to play Week 1 against the Cowboys. He has played more than 3,000 snaps for the Eagles since 2022.
The Eagles were #20 in the initial rankings prior to training camp. Now, they rank #7 on the eve of the season.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, waited until August to re-sign Will Hernandez, who tore his ACL in Week 5 of last season. After signing, Hernandez was initially placed on the PUP list but then able to pass a physical and activated to the 53-man roster on August 26.
Although Hernandez isn't slated to the start for the Cardinals, he has played a ton of snaps for the Red Birds these past few seasons: 1,112 (98.2%) in 2023 and 845 (70.1%) in 2022.
Backup left tackle Kelvin Beachum brings stability to the unit as well, having played more than 2,000 snaps for the team since 2022.
The addition of Hernandez elevated the Cardinals from #15 in the initial rankings to #6 as we approach kickoff.
Fallers
The Falcons have had a rough preseason, losing starting right tackle Kaleb McGary (leg) for the year and his backup RT Storm Norton (ankle) for 6-8 weeks. Starting QB Michael Penix is left-handed and the Falcons are down to their third-string blindside protector.
In Week 1, the Falcons host Todd Bowles and his blitz-happy Buccaneers.
McGary had played 2,940 offensive snaps for the Dirty Birds over the past three seasons. Norton played about 400, peaking at 25.1% of ATL snaps in 2023.
The Falcons began the summer in the Top 5 of the rankings but fell to the middle of the pack after the injuries.
Rashawn Slater signed a contract extension with the Chargers on July 27 and suffered a season-ending injury on August 7.
Slater played 904 snaps (84.7%) in 2024 after playing 100% of snaps in 2023. In 2022, he played just 175 snaps (14.7%) before rupturing his biceps tendon in Week 3 and missed the rest of the season.
He will be replaced by Trey Pipkins who has played nearly 3,000 snaps for the Bolts since the start of the 2022 season.
Thanks to their depth, the Chargers remain in the Top 10 heading into the season. They fell from #2 to #9 following the Slater injury.
Family Connection
The Buffalo Bills rank second in 2025 offensive line continuity while the Los Angeles Rams rank fourth. Aaron Kromer was named the Bills OL coach before the 2022 season. Prior to that, he worked for the Rams where his son Zak is the assistant OL coach.
Since 2022, the Kromers have coached a couple of Davids: David Edwards (in L.A. for '22 / BUF since '23 ) and David Quessenberry (BUF '22 / L.A. '25).
2025 NFL Offensive Line Continuity Results
- Denver Broncos — 94.8%
- Buffalo Bills — 93.7%
- Carolina Panthers — 92.8%
- Los Angeles Rams — 86.5%
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 84.5%
- Arizona Cardinals — 82.5%
- Philadelphia Eagles — 78.2%
- Cleveland Browns — 76.74%
- Los Angeles Chargers — 76.70%
- New York Giants — 76.69%
- Dallas Cowboys — 76.5%
- Kansas City Chiefs —75.0%
- San Francisco 49ers — 74.79%
- Green Bay Packers — 74.77%
- Baltimore Ravens — 72.2%
- Las Vegas Raiders — 71.4%
- Indianapolis Colts — 71.3%
- Atlanta Falcons — 68.6%
- Pittsburgh Steelers — 66.1%
- New York Jets — 61.7%
- Detroit Lions — 61.5%
- Washington Commanders — 60.4%
- New Orleans Saints — 57.6%
- Cincinnati Bengals — 54.6%
- Seattle Seahawks —47.3%
- Houston Texans — 45.43%
- Minnesota Vikings — 45.43%
- Tennessee Titans — 43.3%
- Jacksonville Jaguars — 43.2%
- New England Patriots — 42.8%
- Miami Dolphins — 37.0%
- Chicago Bears — 34.4%