Desperate situations call for desperate measures. The Green Bay Packers are keeping the door open to start one or multiple of the veteran offensive linemen they signed this week when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4. Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich admitted the possibility, a sign of how dire the situation has become along the offensive line through the first three weeks of the season.

“I think anything’s a possibility, for sure,” Stenavich said on Tuesday. “So we’re gonna do whatever we can to put the best guys out there. We’ve got to see where they’re at and just where they’re at with the playbook and the calls and everything like that with the gameplan. But yeah, everything’s a possibility, and we’re gonna try and explore all avenues.”

Over the past two weeks, the Packers signed guards Cordell Volson (who was already released), Laken Tomlinson, Mekhi Becton, and Kevin Zeitler to the roster or practice squad. All of them are veterans with significant NFL experience, and the hope is that their familiarity with the offensive philosophy Green Bay runs could make them plug-and-play options sooner than typical midseason additions.

In regards to Zeitler specifically, who’s been the most recent addition, LaFleur said that he will need a ramp up period, but the plan is to get him ready to contribute as soon as possible.

The Packers are ready to move quickly

On Wednesday’s practice, the Packers didn’t have Jacob Monk available. Either way, the lineup had Jordan Morgan, Laken Tomlinson, Sean Rhyan, Donovan Jennings, and Anthony Belton.

Signed hours ahead of practice, Kevin Zeitler simulated right guard snaps at the end of the line. That means if he’s ready to play by Sunday, he could enter the lineup and replace Donovan Jennings. An offensive line with Morgan, Tomlinson, Rhyan, Zeitler, and Belton would at least give the offense a baseline of talent.

Rock bottom in pass protection

Green Bay currently ranks 32nd in pass block win rate at 16%, per ESPN. No other team is below 32% in that metric. The Packers have also been 30th in success rate through the first three weeks. Those numbers indicate an offensive line in crisis, one that has failed to give quarterback Jordan Love and the offense a reasonable platform to operate.

“We have an explosive offense. We really do. But we just got to make sure we run our offense,” the OC added. “And that was the thing, we didn’t do that Thursday. We’ve had a lot of hard conversations, some really productive conversations. I’ll just leave it at that. But we just need to run our offense.”

Why veterans could help now

The Packers have leaned on inexperienced players along the offensive line this season, including Jacob Monk, Donovan Jennings, and rookie Jager Burton. Developing young linemen takes time, sometimes it doesn’t work, and the results have reflected that through three weeks.

Stenavich, who served as the Packers’ offensive line coach from 2019 through 2021, explained how the process of getting the new additions acclimated will work alongside offensive line coach Luke Butkus. The key difference between the young players already on the roster and the veterans brought in is that the older players at least know who to block. They understand protections and assignments at a level that doesn’t require weeks of installation.

“In the process, basically, you find things that they’re familiar with,” Stenavich explained. “This is like this, this is like that. And then they look at whatever you give them, the gameplan, anything like that that they have questions on. Then you kind of go through all the different scenarios that can come up situationally. It’ll be big with calls and third down, the third-down menu and everything like that. So yeah, it’s just a process. But again, when you have guys who are veterans that have played, there’s a lot of familiarity with a lot of different things when you’ve been around a few places. So I anticipate mentally they’ll be able to come in and help us as soon as possible.”

That’s what makes Tomlinson, Becton, and Zeitler potentially ready to contribute right away. The Packers don’t need Pro Bowl-caliber play from these additions, but just competent, assignment-sound blocking that stabilizes a unit ranked at the bottom of the league.