Photo: USA Today Sports

UPGRADES

San Francisco up 6

When a team acquires a veteran free agent, for example, center Alex Mack from the Atlanta Falcons, his cohesion score automatically goes to zero, just like any other rookie or free agent joining the lineup. But veterans like Mack have a tendency to skip the line when it comes to bonding with their team, and the results were on full display Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. The 49ers' offensive line surrendered two pressures of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, one each from right guard Daniel Brunskill and Mike McGlinchey. Left tackle Trent Williams was dominant in run blocking, allowing the backs to gain the edge on outside zone plays. This is an established program and adding a gem such as Mack elevates them from pretty good to elite. Prior to their week two matchup against Philadelphia, the 49ers rank third in the latest grades.

Arizona up 6

The Cardinals' line has been underrated all summer, checking it at eleven at the end of preseason rankings. With second-year player Josh Jones playing most of the right guard snaps and Justin Murray replacing right tackle Kelvin Beachum (ribs) in the 3rd quarter, one would expect a downgrade here. But their bullying performance against an above-average Titans' defensive front in Week 1 has led to an upgrade. Of special note was the play of center Rodney Hudson. Like Mack in San Francisco, this is a veteran who acclimated to the system almost immediately. Beachum is officially day-to-day and still in the rankings, despite missing Wednesday's practice. The Cards' line grades out at sixth just prior to their Week Two home game against Minnesota.

Seattle up 2

This upgrade is due to the improved play at two positions, left tackle and center. Duane Brown renegotiated his contract this preseason and the team gave him many new incentives to hit. Brown was clearly playing inspired as he was all over the field last Sunday against Indianapolis. Brown appears to be in All-Pro form. Meanwhile the center news reads more like a downgrade. Presumed starter Ethan Pocic missed most of the preseason with a hamstring injury, played 14 snaps against Indianapolis but excited with a knee injury. This week the team put him on injured reserve. The good news is that center Kyle Fuller took the rest of the snaps, and the offense scored all their touchdowns with him on the field. Fuller is an exclusive rights free agent and at 6'5" he's taller than most pivot men. Add Gabe Jackson in the mix at right guard and the Seahawks' line grades 12th, just inside the line for top-third in the league.

Houston up 5

After missing the preseason right tackle Marcus Cannon made his debut and played 50% of snaps against Jacksonville. Cannon split time on purpose with Geron Christian, who played the other 50% of the snaps due to Cannon's conditioning. Cannon is a cancer survivor who opted out of the 2020 season, and he is still working his way back into full game shape after a long layoff. Still, this new-look lineup with Cannon at right tackle and former right tackle Tytus Howard at left guard performed well in the divisional matchup. This week the Texans' line faces a mighty challenge against Cleveland's defensive front, but this is a solid and underrated line by league standards (17th overall), there are outcomes where they can weather the storm.

LA Chargers up 7

This is a pure cohesion upgrade as four of the five starters in Los Angeles never played before together before last week's cross-country road win at Washington. The new starters, especially left guard Matt Feiler, had an overall dominant performance against a highly-regarded WFT defensive front. It's not all roses and sunshine, as right tackle Bryan Bulaga exited the game with a back injury in the second half and has not been practicing this week. Storm Norton replaced Bulaga and gave up a sack-fumble to Montez Sweat. Bulaga is officially day-to-day but he has had major back issues in the past and this injury could linger. While Bulaga is still in the rankings, look for Norton to get reps in his place as early as this week against a depleted Dallas defensive front.

Similar to LA Chargers, Kansas City also received widespread cohesion upgrades due to newly acquired players gaining experience together.

DOWNGRADES

New Orleans down 2

Center Erik McCoy suffered a calf injury during the first series of last week's win over Green Bay. McCoy is expected to need several weeks to heal, and most beat writers have targeted the team's Oct 17 bye week as a possible return point. To compensate, the coaches moved right guard Cesar Ruiz to center (his natural college position) and Calvin Throckmorton received the rest of the snaps at right guard. Throckmorton is a former undrafted free agent out of Oregon who spent the entirety of last season on the Saints' practice squad. He performed well in replacement but their Week 2 opponent the Carolina Panthers will form a game-plan to target this player specifically. The Saints also have James Hurst and Landon Young, but those players have been working at tackle. Whoever the starter is, it's a small hit to the Saints' ranking, still holding in the top-5 of the grades.

Dallas down 4

After playing the entire Thursday Night game against Tampa Bay, right tackle La'el Collins was suspended five games for violations of the league's substance abuse policy. The rumor has Collins suspended for missed tests rather than any positive results and the player will be appealing the decision. Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones has announced Terrence Steele will replace Collins in the near term. At right guard, Zack Martin was on the Covid list just prior to Week one, but he is ready for Week 2 at the Los Angeles Chargers. With Connor McGovern playing well in Martin's place there are some who believe Martin should be moved out to right tackle. Either way, this team will miss Collins for however long he is away, and it's a downgrade to their grade.

Green Bay down 4

Left tackle David Bakhtiari is the league's highest-paid offensive lineman. And despite the admirable effort of Elgton Jenkins at left tackle against the Saints, it's clear that the Packers miss their leader on the offensive line. With Bakhtiari on PUP, out at least six weeks still rehabbing a leg injury from last season, rookie Royce Newman has been forced into the lineup at right guard. The Packers' line looks to bounce back Week Two against a vulnerable Detroit front seven, but they are more of a solid option rather than an elite one until Bakthari returns.

New England down 8

Right tackle Trent Brown played seven offensive snaps last week against Miami before exiting the game with a calf injury. A combination of Justin Herron and Yasir Durant took his place, and Herron especially was leaky in pass protection. The team could move Mike Onwenu back to right tackle should this become a long-term issue. Brown is technically day-to-day but did not practice on Wednesday, and given his injury history, isn't a great bet to heal in time to face the Jets this weekend. Once peaking into the top-5 of the rankings, the Patriots' line falls to about average, 15th overall in the latest rankings.

Tennessee down 1

There comes a point in every athlete's career where his play on the field no longer matches his reputation. While left tackle Taylor Lewan's rough day against Arizona could be just that, the fact remains that it's been a while since Lewan has exhibited dominant form. The Titans' grade is downgraded based on Lewan. They rely upon him and should he get his act together, I'll be here front and center, to admit this ability downgrade was an error. But this feels more like the start of a decline rather than just another rough day. The Titans' line ranks 17th overall, and they have a rough matchup this week, at Seattle.

Denver down 4

During the game against the Giants last week, Graham Glasgow left the stadium in an ambulance after experiencing an irregular heartbeat. Glasgow has not been practicing and coaches have said his status is "iffy" for this week's choice matchup against Jacksonville. This is a rare situation by NFL standards and the team might give Netane Muti an extended run while Glasgow deals with his illness. Muti is an interesting prospect, and line coach Mike Munchak is a miracle worker, but a healthy Glasgow can take over a game. Denver falls to 24th in the latest rankings.

Detroit down 8

Left tackle Taylor Decker landed on injured reserve prior to the loss against San Francisco. Decker underwent finger surgery and coaches say he will miss at least a month. In his place, rookie Penei Sewell was sensational at left tackle and Matt Nelson was solid. While Sewell's performance is an encouraging one to Lions' fans, especially after his awful preseason at right tackle, the overall group takes a sizeable hit in talent with Decker on the shelf. Currently ranked 25th, The Lions' line will face an angry and talented Green Bay front on Monday Night Football.

Baltimore down 2

All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley injured his ankle this week against Las Vegas and had to undergo further medical testing. The rumor mill has Stanley missing not only this weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, but multiple games. The injury could require surgery and a trip to the injured reserve. In the near term Alejandro Villanueva, who struggled at right tackle last week, will move back to his natural left tackle position. Patrick Mekari will likely be the choice at right tackle. In other news, left guard Tyre Phillips was placed on injured reserve this week with a leg injury. Ben Powers took his place in the game but rookie Ben Cleveland could win the job over the long term. These players grade out similarly, but Cleveland has the run game upside. This line has been struggling in the early going, and they rank 27th in the current rankings.

NY Giants down 7

The Giants' line is in flux at several spots. Right tackle Nate Solder made his first start in several years, and the rust was apparent on several occasions. The team will likely stick with Solder, as Matt Peart has been somehow worse. At left guard, Shane Lemieux attempted to play with a partially torn patellar tendon but was only able to play 17 snaps vs Denver. Ben Bredeson, the recent trade acquisition from Baltimore played 44 snaps and will likely get the bulk of the reps until Lemieux heals. Bredeson is a rugged run blocker but can be compromised in pass protection. The Giants' line ranks 28th headed into a tough divisional matchup against Washington on Thursday Night.

Las Vegas down 3

Right guard Denzelle Good went down with a knee injury against Baltimore and has been placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL, expected to miss the entire season. During the game, Jermaine Elumunor took his place, but the team picked up Jordan Simmons from the Seattle practice squad, and Simmons could find his way into the lineup sooner rather than later. At the other guard spot, Richie Incognito is still out with a calf injury, leaving John Simpson to start. While Kolton Miller remains a stalwart at left tackle, this Las Vegas line is patchwork at the guard spots. They grade 29th before traveling to face a talented Pittsburgh defensive front.

NY Jets down 3

Left tackle Mekhi Becton suffered a knee-cap dislocation during the loss at Carolina. Becton underwent surgery and is expected to miss at least 4-6 weeks. It has been a rough patch for Becton lately, as he struggled with a foot injury and a concussion in the preseason before getting carted off last week. In his place, right tackle George Fant moves to the left side, his natural position, and Morgan Moses steps in a right tackle. While Becton offers game-changing run-blocks, as far as backup plans go, this isn't too terrible. The real issues were inside where the interior trio of Alijah Vera-Tucker, Connor McGovern and Greg Van-Roten were abused by the Panthers' defensive tackles. This is a bottom-dwelling line, grading out as 30th before their home opener against the New England Patriots.

OTHER NEWS

Atlanta - The left guard position remains an issue. With Matt Gono (neck) on PUP and Josh Andrews (hand) to IR, rookie Jalen Mayfield saw 90% of LG snaps Week 1, and he had his hands full. This isn't an official downgrade, more of a status report.

Cleveland - Several issues to watch in Cleveland, as Jedrick Wills is day to day with an ankle injury. Against Kansas City, Chris Hubbard played 66% of offensive snaps at left tackle and was mostly solid. Right tackle Jack Conklin showed up on the injury report with a knee mid-week. Both he and Wills remain in the line-up, but those with exposure to this offense should check game-day inactives.

Chicago - Left tackle Jason Peters was forced from the game against the Rams last week with a quad injury. Larry Borom took over for Peters but he is questionable with a knee injury of his own and is not practicing. Peters is still the projected starter this week but Elijah Wilkinson could take his place. As Wilkinson is a natural right tackle, that would be a problem spot this week hosting Cincinnati.

Indianapolis - Left tackle Eric Fisher rejoined practice this week in a limited fashion, his first activity since suffering an Achilles tendon injury in last year's playoffs. Fisher will probably not be ready for Week Two hosting the Rams, but the team needs him badly to step in for Julien Davenport.

Miami - Left tackle Austin Jackson passed Covid protocol and was in uniform for the game @ NEP but the coaching staff chose to start rookie Liam Eichenberg in his place. Jackson had a rough preseason and Eichenberg was mostly solid in his place. Still, the coaches have affirmed Jackson as the left tackle starter, for now. RG Robert Hunt had an uncharacteristically bad game in run blocking. If he doesn't bounce back there could be further lineup changes.

Philadelphia - Some backup housekeeping, as the team placed Jack Driscoll to IR, but got Landon Dickerson practicing again. Dickerson graded out as a top prospect in last year's draft, a center with right tackle size, held back an injury. With Dickerson healthy, the 2nd ranked Eagles' line adds a key interior depth piece.

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