Ian Cummings watched Seattle’s pass rush take apart the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60. He still ranks New England’s rebuilt offensive line as the most improved in the NFL this offseason, the headliner of his five most improved units on PFSN’s Hot List.
The throughline across the list is simple. “To have a good offense, having a good offensive line is a great start,” Cummings said, and these five teams spent the offseason chasing exactly that.
Patriots’ Offensive Line Reset Tops the Most Improved List for 2026
New England’s front held up in the regular season, then got exposed in the playoffs, especially on the left side, where rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson struggled. The fixes were aggressive.
The Patriots spent the 28th pick on Utah tackle Caleb Lomu, Cummings’ top tackle in the class, signed former Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker away from a division rival, and moved Wilson back to center, his natural position at Georgia. Lomu also gives the team insurance against a Morgan Moses decline and any more uneven play from Campbell.
“They’re positioning their players better to succeed at natural positions, and they have a solid unit across the board, something that you can’t really say from them last year,” Cummings said.
Houston lands second after going all in to protect CJ Stroud. The Texans traded up to No. 26 for Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge, who projects inside at center, then added veterans Wyatt Teller from Cleveland and Braden Smith from Indianapolis around returning guard Ed Ingram and tackle Aireontae Ersery.
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“The Texans have gone all in on improving their offensive line, making sure that CJ Stroud is protected,” Cummings said.
Lions, Browns and Raiders Bet on Cohesion and Coaching
Detroit checks in third. A unit that ranked among the league’s best from 2022 to 2024 slipped in 2025 after center Frank Ragnow’s retirement and Taylor Decker’s decline. The Lions signed center Cade Mays from Carolina, drafted Clemson tackle Blake Miller at No. 17, and are sliding three-time All-Pro Penei Sewell from right tackle to left, with longtime line coach Hank Fraley still running the room.
Cleveland sits fourth after fielding one of the league’s worst lines in 2025, a year it allowed 51 sacks. The Browns brought in four new starters, including guard Zion Johnson, center/guard Elgton Jenkins and tackle Tytus Howard, then drafted Outland Trophy winner Spencer Fano ninth overall. George Warhop returns for a second Browns stint as line coach, this time tasked with melding a brand-new group.
“The experienced starters that the Browns added will raise the floor of the unit, and Spencer [Fano] can maybe serve as an elevator,” Cummings said.
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Las Vegas closes the list, and its problems ran deeper than the roster. The Raiders allowed a league-high 64 sacks and finished last in rushing during a 3-14 season that cost Pete Carroll his job. New coach Klint Kubiak and line coach Rick Dennison replaced Carroll and his son Brennan, and the front office handed center Tyler Linderbaum a record interior contract to anchor a group that returns Kolton Miller, DJ Glaze and Jackson Powers-Johnson.
“The hope is that stability, cohesion, those two principles will help elevate this Raiders offensive line and now have the talent to get it done,” Cummings said.
Five teams, five different blueprints, from splashy spending to coaching resets to simply getting healthy. The one at the top has the least margin for error. “The Patriots improved a ton this offseason,” Cummings said, “but now it’s time to see if the pieces can come together for Drake [Maye] and company.”
