The Denver Broncos are projected to have the best O-line in pass protection in 2025.
That, per renowned analytics analyst Ben Baldwin of rbsdm.com.
Baldwin posts weekly analytics charts for quarterbacks and offensive lines throughout the season, and he’s used Pro Football Focus data to predict the best lines going into next year.
Denver Broncos projected to have best O-line in pass protection
One of the reasons the Broncos were able to surprise many last year, and make the playoffs for the first time in eight years, was winning in the trenches.
They were led from the outside-in, with Garett Bolles enjoying his second-best season ever according to PFF. He graded out at a 78.8 overall and 88.4 in pass blocking. Mike McGlinchey didn’t receive as high of grades, but still played well with a 74.5 in pass blocking.
Then, there was All-Pro Quinn Meinerz who blossomed into a star this season. He not only was the third-best guard overall, but he was known as a road grater before 2024. This year, his pass blocking improved from 31st to 5th-best among guards. And even Luke Wattenberg blocked very well from the center spot.
Using those Pro Football Focus grades, Baldwin has the Denver Broncos projected as the best O-line in pass blocking.
Now that free agency is mostly done, trying to guess how good each offensive line will be based on their current listed starters on Ourlads* and projections based on past PFF grades (more recent play weighted more heavily)
*Please check the site rather than ask me about the starters for your team!
— Ben Baldwin (@rbsdm.com) March 19, 2025 at 7:51 AM
That’s fantastic news for Bo Nix, the quarterback sensation that had a great rookie season. No doubt, some of his passes wouldn’t have been completed without proper protection from his linemen.
And that was a somewhat under-the-radar quality of this Denver Broncos rebuild; they started in the trenches first.
It’s not sexy–compared to star wideouts or running backs–but an offensive line is crucial to making the entire offense function well. And the Broncos went out and built a great line which is set for the next few years at least.
That’s why they’ve been able to focus on playmakers in the draft–like Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele–and will probably take a tight end or running back early in this year’s NFL Draft, too.
Broncos line is strong in multiple analytics, not just PFF grades
People have a love-hate relationship with Pro Football Focus. Probably because the grades don’t always make sense to the casual observer and can be inconsistent at times.
Of course, PFF isn’t the end-all, be-all but just another metric to judge players’ performances.
And there’s another set of analytics data that points at the Broncos having likely the best offensive line in 2025; ESPN’s pass and run block win rates.
Last year, Denver’s O-line finished best in both PBWR (74%) and RBWR (75%). And they were among the best all season long, too.
When looking at individual players’ scores, Wattenberg (98%), Meinerz (97%), and Powers (96%) were all in the top-5 interior offensive linemen in PBWR. Similarly, McGlinchey was sixth (94%) while Bolles was seventh (93%) among offensive tackles in pass block win rate.
Ultimately, the Broncos went from middle-of-the-pack to elite in pass blocking last year. Not only that, but the team went from constant joke to in the playoffs.
That means opposing defenses are going to be looking for new ways to get pressure on Nix and attack that elite offensive line.
When a team goes from constant losers to competitive, they get their opponents’ best shot every week. Denver will have to collectively step their game up, and that goes for the offensive line, too.
Opposing defenses will be looking at new ways of putting pressure on Nix, and the linemen will have to be prepared.
