Packers positional breakdown: Offensive line

It's almost training camp time for the Green Bay Packers, so it's time to evaluate each position group on the roster. Offensive line Left tackle David Bakhtiari got cut, right guard Jon Runyan and swing tackle Yosh Nijman left in free agency. In a matter of months, the Green Bay Packers were forced to heavily […]

Wendell Ferreira NFL News Writer
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Jordan Morgan, Jacob Monk
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

It's almost training camp time for the Green Bay Packers, so it's time to evaluate each position group on the roster.

Offensive line

Left tackle David Bakhtiari got cut, right guard Jon Runyan and swing tackle Yosh Nijman left in free agency. In a matter of months, the Green Bay Packers were forced to heavily invest in the offensive line to rebuild a unit that, according to the basic philosophy of the franchise, is a priority — for how they play, with a run-centric offense, but also to protect franchise quarterback Jordan Love.

Going back to the way general manager Brian Gutekunst likes to attack the position, the Packers selected three offensive linemen in the draft — tackle/guard Jordan Morgan, center Jacob Monk, and tackle Travis Glover. It's the fourth time in Gutekunst's tenure in which he drafts three offensive linemen in the same class.

They also signed a couple of veterans, Andre Dillard and Lecitus Smith, to create some competition. Undrafted rookie Donovan Jennings rounds out the group.

Left tackle

The Packers expected David Bakhtiari to be the starter last year, but it lasted one game before a new development of his injury prevented that from happening. So former seventh-rounder Rasheed Walker stepped in ahead of Yosh Nijman. After a tough start, he played much better from week 9 on, which coincided with the Packers offense's growth.

Now going into his third NFL season, Walker is expected to start in week 1 for the first time — but it won't be without competition.

The Packers see first-round rookie Jorgan Morgan initially as a tackle, even though he has flexibility to eventually move to guard.

Left guard

Elgton Jenkins is a Pro Bowl guard, so there's not much concern here. Not considering injury, the only scenario where something changes at this position is if the coaching staff thinks the so-called "best five" has Jordan Morgan at left guard (and he had some reps there during OTAs), with Jenkins moving to center. Jenkins has had 297 career snaps at center, so it's not an absurd thought — but it's not the most likely outcome either.

Center

The Packers clearly want to get better at center. Josh Myers has never paid off the investment of a second-round pick, and to make things worse, he's entering the last year of his rookie contract. Green Bay could theoretically move Zach Tom inside — Rob Demovsky reported that they see him as a Hall of Fame center.

But it doesn't seem like they want to move him out of the right tackle spot. For now, Myers is the starter, but moving guards Elgton Jenkins or Sean Rhyan is possible. The direct competition comes from fifth-round rookie Jacob Monk, drafted to be a long-term option at the spot.

Right guard

This is theoretically the weakest link of the offensive line. Jon Runyan signed with the New York Giants in free agency, so Sean Rhyan, who played 16% of the offensive snaps last year (and it got progressively bigger throughout the season) steps in as the presumed starter.

However, Rhyan was worse than Runyan, putting up 52.5 grade in pass block and 50.2 in run block according to PFF — he had successful isolated plays, but it was never consistent enough.

Jordan Morgan had reps at right guard as well, and this is the easiest path for the rookie to start right away.

Right tackle

Zach Tom is the most valuable piece of the entire offensive line. And going into his third season, he is still inexpensive.

A torn pec for Tom, though, allowed the coaching staff to test the depth behind the start during the offseason program. Veteran Andre Dillard, who failed as a LT last year for the Tennessee Titans, had the initial reps, but eventually Jordan Morgan's role got bigger.

Developmental pieces and backups

With Yosh Nijman, the swing tackle last year, the Packers will have to develop new pieces to fill in if one of the five starters go down. At tackle, the most obvious options are Jordan Morgan and Andre Dillard. The Packers have also developed Caleb Jones, Luke Tenuta, and Kadeem Telfort, who were on the team in different capacities last season. Travis Glover is a developmental piece.

Inside, Green Bay started the offseason only with guard Royce Newman as a backup option — and he might not even make the roster because of his non-guaranteed $3 million salary. So, Gutekunst made sure the team would have more options. The team signed veteran Lecitus Smith, but rookies Jacob Monk at center and Donovan Jennings at guard give them some long-term depth.