Packers leave door open for significant changes along offensive line ahead of pivotal Week 7 matchup against Lions
Veteran guards Aaron Banks and Kevin Zeitler worked alongside the starting tackles during Thursday’s padded practice, and Green Bay has a decision to make at both guard spots.
The Green Bay Packers are keeping the door open for offensive line changes ahead of their Week 7 game against the Detroit Lions. After a job-through on Wednesday, the Packers held a padded practice on Thursday, and seven potential starting offensive linemen took reps with the first unit.
The guard position is the focus. Green Bay lined up its five current starters: left tackle Jordan Morgan, left guard Laken Tomlinson, center Sean Rhyan, right guard Travis Glover, and right tackle Anthony Belton.
But Aaron Banks and Kevin Zeitler also practiced with the starters, aligning beside the tackles. Banks worked on the left side and Zeitler on the right, and both could be options for the Packers on Sunday.
Zeitler’s ramp-up period
Kevin Zeitler was active over the past two games, but he served as a backup and only played 11 special teams snaps. That isn’t the role Green Bay envisioned when it signed him. The Packers gave Zeitler a $4.05 million contract to be a starter, and the expectation is that he will take over at right guard once his ramp-up period is concluded.
The timing could make sense, since Travis Glover didn’t play well against the Dallas Cowboys last week. That performance gives the coaching staff a clear reason to consider the veteran at right guard against Detroit.
Banks and the left guard spot
On the left side, Laken Tomlinson has started at left guard since the day he arrived in Green Bay, and he’s been a major upgrade, especially in the run game. Nonetheless, Aaron Banks remains the presumptive starter once he’s fully healthy.
Banks has played only 22 snaps this season, all of them against the New York Jets in Week 2, while dealing with knee and toe injuries. He has handled several injuries throughout his NFL career, so the sense of continuity there is complicated to measure. If the Packers feel he is healthy, though, he could be an upgrade over Tomlinson as well.
What Thursday’s practice actually suggests
The Packers kept their five starting linemen together during practice. The same group that played against the Cowboys worked as a unit, while Banks and Zeitler took reps beside the tackles to mimic the moves.
That detail might indicate the Packers will keep the same starting lineup in Week 7, with the door open for potential changes. Head coach Matt LaFleur and the staff have options, and they don’t need to commit publicly before kickoff.
The offensive line has been a problem for Green Bay. The current formation with Tomlinson and Glover at guard stabilized the position, especially compared to the start of the season. Early on, with Donovan Jennings and Jacob Monk at the guard spots, the situation was catastrophic. Now it’s at least close to average.
Against the Cowboys, Jordan Love was heavily pressured, but he was still able to operate. That’s the baseline the Packers are working from, and it isn’t where they want the unit to be.
If the Packers can build their ideal formation with Banks at left guard and Zeitler at right guard, it would certainly be a theoretical improvement over what they’ve shown so far this season, at least in pass protection. Whether that happens against the Lions or a few weeks down the road depends on Banks’ health and Zeitler’s readiness.
