2026 NFL Free Agency: Five Best Offensive Linemen Available

Some of the most coveted players in free agency this offseason could very well be offensive linemen. There are numerous teams who need to improve their offensive lines, and often a shortage of quality offensive linemen.
Last season, the Bears were the best example of a team that bolstered their offensive line through free agency and trades, and it paid off as they went on to win the NFC North in 2025. A number of teams such as the Chargers, Lions, Raiders and Browns should similarly prioritize building up their line play this offseason.
MORE: Ranking the 50 Best NFL Free Agents Available in 2026
For teams in need of better offensive line play, here are the five best linemen they should go after in free agency.
5. G Joel Bitonio

Browns guard Joel Bitonio is currently considering retirement, but if he does decide to keep playing, he is one of the top linemen available. Bitonio has spent his entire career so far with the Browns, who selected him in the second round way back in 2014. Bitonio is 34 years old, but remains a quality guard, ranking eighth according to PFF in pass blocking.
4. G Alijah Vera-Tucker

Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker has been one of the better guards in the NFL when he’s managed to stay healthy. Vera-Tucker has missed at least 10 games in three separate seasons of his career, and was out for the entire 2025 season after tearing his triceps before Week 1. The former first-round pick is just 26 years old though, and has plenty of upside if he can stay on the field.
3. OT Rasheed Walker

Packers tackle Rasheed Walker is slated to become a free agent next month as his rookie contract expires. The former seventh-round pick has been a starter for Green Bay over each of the last three seasons, and ranked 11th this past year in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric.
2. OT Braden Smith

Colts tackle Braden Smith is on track to hit free agency for the first time in his career. The 2018 second-round pick has spent his entire career so far in Indianapolis, and previously re-signed with the team in 2021 on a four-year, $72.4 million deal. Smith played in 13 games in 2025 before missing the end of the season due to a concussion and neck injury.
1. C Tyler Linderbaum

Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum is this year’s prized free agent along the offensive line. Linderbaum is one of the top centers in the game, ranking fourth among centers in PFF’s overall grades and fourth according to ESPN’s pass block win rate metric among interior offensive linemen. At just 25, Linderbaum is in the thick of his prime and could become the stalwart of new team’s offensive line this offseason.
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Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.