Johnson started eight games in 2025 then re-signed with the Eagles on a one-year deal after providing functional swing tackle play. Johnson is a massive, heavy-handed and high-cut tackle who has improved his patience, leverage and strike-timing under previous offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. When balanced, the 29-year-old veteran can stay inside-out, land a stiff punch, widen rushers and force them to take the long route. However, middling movement skills and lower-half stiffness leave him slow to redirect and vulnerable to being manipulated out of position on an island. In the run game, Johnson can cover up and wash down targets on angle-drive blocks, but he plays high and gets out-leveraged against movement across his face. He remains a useful spot starter but not a primary solution.

Trapilo appeared at right tackle in one game and worked as a sixth lineman over the first 11 weeks of his rookie season before starting six games at left tackle and rupturing his patellar tendon during his first postseason appearance. Trapilo looked most comfortable in his lone appearance on the right side, while his left tackle tape was predictably uneven. He repeatedly floated past his spot in protection, swung open his hips, redirected late and allowed rushers to pry open his inside shoulder. Chicago mitigated some of these issues with extensive schemed help, but his mediocre movement skills were still easy to manipulate. In the run game, Trapilo is serviceable on combination blocks, using his size and solid hand placement to cover up and wash down targets, but below average foot quickness and high pad level limited his backside cut-off range and sustain when isolated.

Thomas made four starts at left tackle during his second professional season, while also seeing spot duty at right tackle. He displayed intriguing physical traits but unreliable execution. Thomas is a big, stout tackle with heavy hands and good in-line power, allowing him to uproot defenders when he catches them on his track during double-team feeds, angle-drive blocks and climbs. He also presents enough build-up speed to lead around the edge and help secure perimeter lanes. His technique remains robotic and raw, though. Thomas will drop his eyes at the point of attack when the picture changes, cross his feet when expanding against high-side rushes and lose cleanly when forced into recovery mode. His worst reps are glaring enough to keep him below everyday-starter level. After missing his entire rookie season with a knee injury and entering the league as an inexperienced lineman, his power profile does leave room for development.

Walker already outperformed his seventh-round draft slot with extensive starting experience, including 48 starts over the last three seasons. However, his profile remains closer to a low-end starter or high-end swing tackle than a foundational blindside protector. The Green Bay Packers' condensed formations, tight-end alignments, chips and play-action-oriented structure helped manage his exposure, reducing the number of true island reps where his leverage and anchor limitations were likely to show. Walker has the size, natural strength and grip strength to control reps when he lands first meaningful contact, but his strike-timing and placement are inconsistent. He often plays upright with late, high hands, which exposes his chest, compromises his anchor and allows power to compress the pocket. In the run game, he brings physicality and strain, but inconsistent pad level and hand-placement limit how often he can generate and sustain movement at the point of attack. Walker's availability and experience give him value, especially in the right structure, but the technical volatility and pass-protection ceiling keep him below the dependable-starter tier.

Moore maintained his durability during his first season in Tennessee, but his on-field performance took a step back from his career-best 2024 campaign. The change in environment mattered. Moore saw a heavier pass-protection workload, less play-action support and a rookie quarterback in Cam Ward who struggled to prevent pressures from turning into sacks. Still, Moore's individual pass-protection issues were clear. His anchor was subpar against speed-to-power, and erratic footwork in his sets created routine oversets, soft inside access and quick losses. His strike-timing and hand placement also regressed, shrinking his margin for error against higher-end competition. In the run game, Moore remained a functional placement blocker with enough movement skill to track smaller targets and execute on the move, but he did not provide enough displacement or physical control to offset the pass-protection leakage. Moore's durability and prior baseline leave some room for a rebound season under a new staff, but his 2025 tape places him closer to a low-end starter than the solid mid-tier profile he previously showed.

Jones showed modest improvement in 2025 before a severe neck injury ended his season and created significant uncertainty entering the 2026 campaign. His pass protection was more controlled than prior seasons, but much of the perceived improvement was aided by Aaron Rodgers' quick trigger and Pittsburgh's heavy use of 12/13 personnel to build in help. Jones remains a solid mover with pop in his hands, but his technique remains too erratic. He will duck his head, throw his hands into contact and open quick access across his face, while his run-game sustain is inconsistent once defenders survive initial contact. The injury setback, declined fifth-year option and addition of Max Iheanachor all reflect the volatility of his status. Jones still has starter-level traits, but his current profile is an inconsistent, guardrail-dependent tackle with major health and reliability concerns.

Ekwonu started 15 games last season before suffering a ruptured patellar tendon during the Panthers' Wild Card loss. The injury clouds his availability for 2026 and explains the Panthers' offseason additions of Rasheed Walker and first-round pick Monroe Freeling. Even before the injury, Ekwonu's play remained too inconsistent to lock him in as a long-term answer at left tackle. His pass protection was undermined by erratic set lines, uneven positional leverage, late strike-timing and balance issues, leading to too many quick losses on the high side, through the middle and inside against counters. He has the raw power and stiff punch to jolt rushers when everything lines up properly, but he has not consistently found the landmarks or timing needed to control reps. In the run game, Ekwonu's power shows up more clearly, with the ability to generate force, dent defenders and jar linebackers upon arrival. Sustainability remains an issue. His pads rise, his balance leaks and defenders who survive his initial power can slip, push-pull or work off his frame. Ekwonu now faces a long recovery without the recent film quality to guarantee a starting job when he returns to the field.

Little started 14 games in 2025 and opened the year as Jacksonville's left tackle before a Week 13 concussion allowed Cole Van Lanen to seize the job. Little returned in Week 16 and moved to right guard after Patrick Mekari's back injury, then moved back to left tackle in Jacksonville's Wild Card contest after Van Lanen went down. Little's value is built on adequacy across multiple spots than a true starter's trump card. He has enough size, play-strength and quickness to withstand power, cover up targets in the run game and intersect on the move. Although, his below-average range and inconsistent set expansion leave him stressed against wide rush alignments. He is not an overwhelming blocker and lacks the recovery profile to trust as an everyday left tackle. Even so, his versatility and baseline tools make him one of the league's better swing linemen.

Ersery started 16 games as a rookie with uneven results, flashing enough size, power and physicality to project growth, while still looking like a tackle who needs protection structure to function cleanly. His dense build, heavy hands and competitive demeanor showed up when his timing and placement were right, allowing him to anchor on command, jolt rushers and create movement in the run game. He also offered useful bursts on the move, particularly leading around the edge and clearing lanes off his backside. The problem stemmed from instability when isolated. Ersery's erratic footwork, inconsistent strike-timing and shaky contact balance led to glaring losses against both speed and power, especially versus quality edge-rushing competition. Houston's extensive schematic help in the playoffs—chips, tighter formations and more confined pass-protection environments—provided the clearest template for how to maximize him early. Ersery has the mass, play-strength and temperament to emerge as a functional starter, but his hand usage and recovery profile must improve before he can be trusted on a heavy diet of true island reps.

Salyer started five games in 2025, splitting time between left tackle and right guard for an injury-decimated Los Angeles Chargers line before signing a free-agent deal with the Dolphins. Salyer is a shorter tackle with solid length, tremendous mass and crafty hand usage, allowing him to keep defenders in front of him and mitigate below-average redirect and recovery skills. His controlled footwork, independent hands and understanding of angles help him maximize his frame in protection, though quicker rushers can still stress him when forced into sudden recovery. In the run game, Salyer can move people when working linearly and catching defenders on his track. However, he lacks the short-area quickness to consistently sustain when the picture changes post-snap. His toolkit and positional flexibility give him functional value as a quality swing backup with low-end starter capability.