Falcons Chris Lindstrom In Line for Inaugural NFL 'Protector' Award

The Atlanta Falcons finished sixth in total offense in 2024, despite a very public quarterback meltdown and change in the second half of the season.

Typically, national pundits focus on the skill players the Falcons have at their disposal in Bijan Robinson and Drake London, but the seamless passing of the guard from Kirk Cousins to Michael Penix Jr. was possible in part because of a veteran offensive line.

And there are few better than Falcon’s right guard Chris Lindstrom.

NFL Network analyst Nick Shook recognizes Lindstrom as one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL and has listed him at No. 10 for the inaugural version of the 2025 NFL Protector of the Year Award.

Though it’s a little surprising to see that he’s only the fourth guard behind Dominick Puni (49ers), Quenton Nelson (Colts), and Joe Thoney (Bears). 

“Those who watched Kirk Cousins' downfall in Atlanta might be surprised to learn he was playing behind the NFL's top-rated guard (per PFF) last season,” Shook wrote on NFL.com. While it's an illustration of how difficult football can be -- Lindstrom deserves recognition, regardless of how the quarterback performs.

“Why, you ask? Well, take a look at Bijan Robinson's 2024 campaign: 1,456 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, 431 receiving yards, and one receiving score. He racked up those numbers in part because of how well Lindstrom performed in the run game.” 

Lindstrom was credited (or blamed) with giving up just one sack in 2024, Week 2 vs. Philadelphia, despite playing with a stationary target at quarterback. 

Penix is a significantly more mobile quarterback than Cousins, but that doesn’t necessarily mean fewer sacks. Mobile quarterbacks tend to stretch plays longer and deliver more big plays, but holding the ball longer instead of throwing it away also can lead to more sacks.

Lindstrom has fallen victim to being one of the best players in the NFL on a bad team. He’s rarely gotten the recognition he deserves, except from PFF. Following his 2022 breakout season, PFF graded Lindstrom as the top player in the NFL regardless of position.

A playoff appearance could go a long way to increasing Lindstrom’s national profile. 

“Second-year pro Michael Penix Jr. is taking over full time under center, and if Atlanta can rebound from a disappointing finish to 2024 -- and if Robinson follows up last year's showing with an equally good or better performance in 2025 -- it will be very difficult to ignore Lindstrom for much longer,” Shook wrote.