- Penei Sewell (+650) is a high contender: After main the NFL with a 95.1 PFF run-blocking grade in 2023 — the second-highest mark recorded by PFF prior to now decade — Penei Sewell adopted it up with one other 90.0-plus season, reinforcing his standing as one of many league’s premier highway graders coming into his age-25 marketing campaign. Over the previous two years, Sewell has ranked within the 98th percentile in positively graded run-blocking performs.
- Chris Lindstrom (+4000) is a reputation to observe: Named PFF’s high guard heading into the 2025 season, Lindstrom earned a 94.6 PFF run-blocking grade in 2024, tied for the best within the NFL with Jordan Mailata and the perfect single-season mark by a guard prior to now decade.
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Thanks to the efforts of Buffalo Bills sort out Dion Dawkins, the NFL launched a brand new accolade at NFL Honors: the Protector of the Year award. Designed to highlight the league’s high offensive linemen — usually the unsung heroes of soccer — the award celebrates the blockers who make offensive success attainable.
Unlike different shops, PFF presents a data-driven perspective with detailed blocking grades for each lineman within the NFL. That distinctive perception provides us a transparent edge in figuring out the highest contenders for one of many sport’s most demanding positions.
Here are the early favorites to win the NFL’s first-ever Protector of the Year award in 2025.
Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
T Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions (+650)
After main the NFL with a 95.1 PFF run-blocking grade in 2023 — the second-highest mark recorded by PFF prior to now decade — Penei Sewell adopted it up with one other 90.0-plus season, reinforcing his standing as one of many league’s premier highway graders coming into his age-25 marketing campaign. Over the previous two years, Sewell has ranked within the 98th percentile in positively graded run-blocking performs.
While he’s additionally a powerful move protector, that space of his sport isn’t fairly on the identical elite stage. His 97.7 pass-blocking effectivity in 2024 tied for sixteenth amongst tackles. If he can take a step ahead in that division this season, Sewell might turn out to be a frontrunner for the league’s inaugural Protector of the Year honor.
Penei Sewell (2024)
T Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles (+750)
Even at 35 years previous, Johnson continues to anchor one of many league’s greatest offensive traces with elite-level play. He posted a career-high 88.9 general PFF grade in 2024, ending top-10 amongst qualifying linemen in each pass-blocking (88.7) and run-blocking (85.4) grades.
Johnson boasts one of many cleanest grading profiles of any sort out in soccer and stays a cornerstone of the Eagles’ top-ranked unit up entrance. The solely query now could be how for much longer he can maintain this stage of dominance as he pushes deeper into his mid-30s.
T Tristian Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+1300)
As the reigning winner of PFF’s Best Pass Blocker Award in 2024, Wirfs could have a compelling case to be a finalist for the inaugural Protector of the Year honor. Pass safety stays essentially the most important facet of sort out play, and Wirfs continues to set the usual for it. His 94.1 PFF pass-blocking grade final season not solely led the NFL but additionally ranked because the second-highest single-season mark amongst all offensive linemen prior to now decade.
That mentioned, Wirfs’ sport stays considerably one-dimensional. His 62.8 run-blocking grade marked a profession low and tied for forty third amongst qualifying tackles in 2024. If he can elevate that facet of his efficiency, Wirfs might emerge as one of many high contenders for the brand new award.
T Jordan Mailata, Philadelphia Eagles (+1500)
The 2024 season was a landmark yr for Mailata, who earned PFF honors as not solely the league’s greatest run blocker but additionally the highest-graded offensive lineman general. His 95.2 PFF grade led the NFL by a large margin and ranked because the second-highest recorded by PFF amongst all offensive linemen since 2015.
Mailata constructed an elite résumé as a cornerstone of Philadelphia’s top-tier offensive line, however a midseason hamstring damage casts some uncertainty on his 2025 outlook. The damage landed him on injured reserve in Week 6, inflicting him to overlook 4 video games towards the Giants, Bengals, Jaguars and Cowboys — all of which boast formidable edge defenders.
If Mailata can replicate his dominant type over a full season, he’ll be a high contender for the inaugural Protector of the Year award.
C Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs (+2200)
It stays to be seen how positional worth will issue into the choice for Protector of the Year, however all issues thought of, Humphrey ought to be close to the highest of the listing. The Chiefs middle has been one of many league’s most constant and productive offensive linemen since coming into the NFL and is heading into his third straight season as PFF’s top-ranked middle.
Humphrey’s 92.4 general PFF grade in 2024 was a profession excessive and ranked third amongst all qualifying offensive linemen. He was considered one of simply two gamers to earn a 90.0-plus grade in each move safety and run blocking final season.
If inside linemen are given the identical recognition as their sort out counterparts, this might be Humphrey’s award to lose.
G Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons (+4000)
Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom could also be underrated on early watchlists for the Protector of the Year award, regardless of his elite pedigree as one of many league’s premier run blockers. Named PFF’s high guard heading into the 2025 season, Lindstrom earned a 94.6 PFF run-blocking grade in 2024, tied for the best within the NFL with Jordan Mailata and the perfect single-season mark by a guard prior to now decade.
Where Lindstrom lags behind his fellow contenders is in move safety. His 68.0 pass-blocking grade final season was his lowest since 2021 and ranked simply twenty seventh amongst qualifying guards. If he can enhance in that space, his dominant run-blocking profile might propel him into critical competition for this award.