Interior offensive line play isn’t sexy, so even the best guards in the NFL often aren’t household names. But keeping inside pressure away from the quarterback is incredibly important, and guards are regularly utilized as battering rams in teams’ run attacks. Let’s go around the league and rank the top guards in the NFL.
Who’s the Best Guard in the NFL?
Now in his ninth NFL season, Zack Martin is still the best guard in the NFL. A lock to enter the Hall of Fame when he eventually retires, Martin is arguably the best guard of the past 15-20 years. He’s beyond sound in pass protection, and his athleticism is regularly on display in the Cowboys’ run game.
Martin hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, and Dallas has now rebuilt the offensive line around him. Fans of offensive line play will get treated to Martin and Tyron Smith — who has shifted from left to right tackle upon his return from injury — working on combo blocks for the rest of the season.
Rest of the Top 10 Guards Ranked
2) Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns
Joel Bitonio has been a first- or second-team All-Pro in four consecutive seasons, and he’s well on his way to earning another nod in 2022. The Browns have one of the best offensive lines in the league, and Bitonio is their most talented player up front.
The 31-year-old is an excellent communicator, as evidenced by how he coordinates blocking assignments with his linemates. After starting Browns center Nick Harris went down in the preseason, replacements Ethan Pocic and Hjalte Froholdt have both played well, a testament to the benefits of standing next to Bitonio.
3) Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts
The sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, Quenton Nelson has largely dominated since entering the league, but 2022 has been his least productive campaign. Early in the season, Nelson was getting pushed back in the pocket far more frequently than in years past. However, his play has seemed to rebound to its usual level over the second half of the season.
With a $20 million annual salary, Nelson is the highest-paid guard in the NFL — no one else at the position makes more than $16.5 million. The Colts might not feel like they’re getting their money’s worth — given the state of their offensive line as a whole — but Nelson is far from the problem up front.
4) Michael Onwenu, New England Patriots
New England’s offensive line has been beset by injuries and ineffectiveness this season, and the coaching staff turnover undoubtedly hasn’t helped matters. Yet, Michael Onwenu has remained the constant through it all. Per PFF, Onwenu hasn’t given up a sack all season, while he’s allowed just eight pressures, the fewest among guards with at least 500 snaps this year.
The Patriots stole Onwenu in the sixth round of the 2020 draft, and the former Michigan Wolverine’s versatility served him well during his first two NFL campaigns as he saw time at both guard spots and right tackle. This year, Onwenu has finally been allowed to stick at one position, with all 866 of his snaps coming at right guard.
5) Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons’ offensive line may be the most improved group in the NFL this year, and Chris Lindstrom has an essential part of that effort. The 14th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Lindstrom has always been solid, but he’s taken his game to a new realm this season.
Lindstrom is getting the attention he deserves in 2022, as he just earned the first Pro Bowl nod of his career, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s in contention for an All-Pro berth. As Atlanta attempts to rebuild its roster, they’ll need to make Lindstrom — a free agent after 2023 — a priority.
6) Joe Thuney, Kansas City Chiefs
You always know what you’re getting with Joe Thuney, and that consistency led the Chiefs to lure him away from the Patriots with a five-year, $80 million deal last March. He’s been worth every penny through two seasons, and he might be the best pass-blocking guard not named Zack Martin.
Kansas City made significant offensive line investments last year, acquiring Orlando Brown Jr. via trade before drafting Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith. Those expenditures have paid off, and Thuney — as the rugged veteran of the group — is the unit’s tone-setter week in and week out.
7) Wyatt Teller, Cleveland Browns
The second Brown in our top 10, Wyatt Teller has been an absolute mauler in the run game since coming over from Buffalo in 2019. Nick Chubb is one of the best running backs in football, but he’s also been aided by Teller and Bitonio blocking in front of him. Specifically, Teller is probably the best pulling guard in the league.
Teller’s development in Cleveland is a testament to Browns offensive line coach Bill Callahan, one of the top OL instructors in the NFL. You don’t often see a former fifth-round pick change teams and then become a second-team All-Pro, and Callahan’s work with Teller should be applauded.
8) Elgton Jenkins, Green Bay Packers
Elgton Jenkins had been the only pending free agent in our top 10, but the Packers decided to lock him up on Friday. Green Bay gave the 26-year-old a four-year, $68 million extension that makes him the second-highest-paid guard in the league.
Injuries have cost Jenkins time over the past two years, but his skill set is especially valuable. Since joining the Packers as a second-round pick in 2019, Jenkins played at least one snap at every offensive line position. His ability to play anywhere is an excellent asset, but Green Bay may want to let him stabilize at one spot going forward.
9) Shaq Mason, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Although he’s somehow never made a Pro Bowl in eight NFL seasons, Shaq Mason is one of the best guards in the NFL. The Patriots traded Mason to the Buccaneers this offseason in a cost-cutting maneuver, but New England probably wishes they could have him back.
Tampa Bay’s offensive line has been an issue this season, as injuries and poor play have reduced the unit from elite to average (at best). Yet, Mason has been a steady presence amid a year of upheaval. For the cost of only a fifth-round pick, the Buccaneers can’t be happier with his production.
10) Alijah Vera-Tucker, New York Jets
Alijah Vera-Tucker has been on injured reserve since Week 7 after suffering a torn triceps, but he’s done enough in his two-year career to rank inside the top 10 NFL guards. After a solid rookie campaign in 2021, AVT stepped up his output this year while displaying notable versatility.
Vera-Tucker moved from left guard to right guard over the offseason to accommodate free agent addition Laken Tomlinson. Then, AVT started one game at left tackle in place of the injured George Fant before shifting to right tackle in Week 5. He was above average at all three spots, giving the Jets options for 2023.
Guard Rankings | 11-32
11) Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
12) Brandon Scherff, Jacksonville Jaguars
13) Landon Dickerson, Philadelphia Eagles
14) Kevin Zeitler, Baltimore Ravens
15) Laken Tomlinson, New York Jets
16) Nate Davis, Tennessee Titans
17) Robert Hunt, Miami Dolphins
18) James Daniels, Pittsburgh Steelers
19) Jonah Jackson, Detroit Lions
20) Isaac Seumalo, Philadelphia Eagles
21) Austin Corbett, Carolina Panthers
22) Alex Cappa, Cincinnati Bengals
23) Cody Whitehair, Chicago Bears
24) Damien Lewis, Seattle Seahawks
25) Ezra Cleveland, Minnesota Vikings
26) Teven Jenkins, Chicago Bears
27) Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos
28) Jon Runyan, Green Bay Packers
29) Zion Johnson, Los Angeles Chargers
30) Dalton Risner, Denver Broncos
31) Ben Powers, Baltimore Ravens
32) Matt Feiler, Los Angeles Chargers
