PFF released its official 2026 NFL offensive line rankings, and it’s a head-scratcher that should give the Detroit Lions all the motivation they need heading into Sunday’s regular season opener against the Saints. For a squad widely seen as having a strong offense, one NFL analyst’s placement for their O-line is truly wild. What’s not to like about a crew with stars like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, and Jared Goff ready to roll for another season? Apparently, PFF’s Gordon McGuinness sees a lot.
Nineteen is Not The Magic Number, Folks
You read that right: the Detroit Lions’ offensive line is ranked No. 19 in the league. Nineteen! And here’s the kicker, they’re actually sitting lower than the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that only scraped together a 3-14 record last season. Seriously? How does that even make sense when you’ve got players like St. Brown and Gibbs tearing it up? The analyst just isn’t buying the hype for this Lions offense, and this ranking feels like a direct challenge. It sets a serious tone for Dan Campbell and company right out of the gate.
The Injury Bug Bites Hard, Shifts Lines, and Raises Eyebrows
So, what’s the deal with this low ranking? Gordon McGuinness from PFF spills the tea, and it all boils down to injuries. One injury, in particular, completely changed the game for Detroit’s ranking. He noted, “The injury to new starting center Cade Mays drops the Lions from a team that would have ranked 13th on this list to just inside the top 20.” That’s a massive hit, dropping six spots because of one guy going down! Penei Sewell, who just had a career-high 95.1 PFF grade last year, is moving from right tackle to left tackle to fill in for Taylor Decker. While Tate Ratledge looked solid as a rookie at right guard, Christian Mahogany apparently struggled. Plus, with rookie Blake Miller set to start, McGuinness sees “several concerns with this group.” If Miller can hit the ground running, and Mays returns, PFF thinks the Lions *could* be a top-10 unit. But without that, Jared Goff could easily find himself under more pressure than he’d like this season.
It’s certainly concerning to start the season without Mays, especially with so many other questions marks. The immediate challenge is regrouping for their first game on Sunday against the Saints. What happens then could set the tone for the entire season. Can this initial lineup hold strong, or will Goff be running for his life? We’ll find out soon enough.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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