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AFC West positional rankings: How the offensive lines stack up

By Grant Tuttle

OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 16: Right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 16: Right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif /
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In our latest AFC West positional rankings post, we break down the division’s top offensive linemen for each team to see who is best.

The Offensive Linemen in the AFC West are very good. I believe that every team has an above-average offensive line in this division. That cannot be said for every division in football. There are very few weak links on these lines, which shows how much the AFC West needs to invest in the offensive fronts because of the talented pass rushers the division also holds.

Let’s move forward with our series of the 2018 AFC West positional rankings with a closer look at the offensive lines, position by position. Reminder: This series assumes that all players are healthy and able to play.

Left Tackle

1. Donald Penn, Oakland Raiders

Donald Penn has been around for a very long time. There may be a question of how much longer he can play, but in the meantime, he is a top five player at his position. Penn is likely to lose any quickness that he may still have in the coming years as he is 35 years old. This season, however, his protection of Derek Carr will be crucial in a division that has some of the best pass rushers in football.

ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 23: Russell Okung #76 of the Los Angeles Chargers raises his fist during the National Anthem before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 23: Russell Okung #76 of the Los Angeles Chargers raises his fist during the National Anthem before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

2. Russell Okung, Los Angeles Chargers

Okung is going into his second year as a Charger. The Chargers hope that the offensive line continues to improve and Russell Okung is a crucial part of that. Until last season, the Chargers had a bottom three offensive line in the National Football League. However, Okung was a dominant player last season and will continue to keep Philip Rivers upright for the upcoming season.

GREEN BAY, WI – SEPTEMBER 28: Julius Peppers
GREEN BAY, WI – SEPTEMBER 28: Julius Peppers /

3. Eric Fisher, Kansas City Chiefs

Fisher continues to be a question mark. Critics are mixed on Fisher. Some believe he is good, others believe he is an average player. I have always thought that he was better suited to be a guard in the NFL. However, he does a serviceable job at Left Tackle. Fisher will not hurt the offensive line, but is certainly not at an elite level.

LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 24: Offensive tackle Garett Bolles #72 of the Denver Broncos looks on against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 24: Offensive tackle Garett Bolles #72 of the Denver Broncos looks on against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on December 24, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

4. Garrett Bolles, Denver Broncos

Bolles struggled in his first season with the Denver Broncos. As a rookie, Bolles was not a good pass blocker, which contributed to the teams 20th ranked passing attack. The Broncos are hopeful that he can turn it around this season and develop in to the player they hoped for when they drafted him.

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