Expect Packers to go heavy addressing OL in NFL Draft
It can often be difficult to get a beat on what GM Brian Gutekunst is going to do each year in the NFL Draft. However, this year, it feels like nearly a given that the Green Bay Packers are going to load up on offensive line talent.
Whether you ask head coach Matt LaFleur, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, or offensive line coach Luke Butkus, competition along the offensive line was a key contributor to the unit’s play during the second half of the 2023 season.
Contributing to the offense’s early season struggles was the up-and-down play of the offensive line–both in pass protection and in run blocking. But in Week 9, when the rotation at right guard and left tackle began, the play of the entire unit was elevated. By the end of the season, the Packers offensive line was operating as one of the best in football.
But as we look at the current construction of the roster, there is little competition to be found.
Rasheed Walker may be the favorite to start Week 1 at left tackle for the Packers, but as LaFleur discussed recently, development is still needed, so I don’t imagine that he will be handed that job. Instead, it will have to be earned.
Already on the roster at tackle are Luke Tenuta and Caleb Jones, two players who the Packers have been developing the last two seasons, but relying heavily on players with seven combined NFL snaps to provide depth and competition comes with obvious risks.
A similar situation is unfolding at right guard with Sean Rhyan. Again, as of now, he is the favorite to start this season, but he too has to continue to show progress this summer, specifically in pass protection. The only other guard on the roster not named Elgton Jenkins is Royce Newman, who still could be a cut candidate.
Even at center, there is no backup option on the roster who isn’t already starting elsewhere, and this is the final season of Josh Myers’ rookie deal. As we saw last summer, this may be another position where the Packers want competition to help elevate the level of play.
The good news for the Packers is that this is a very deep draft class along the offensive line, especially at the tackle position.
On Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent big board, seven offensive tackles were ranked in his top 22 overall prospects. PFF mentioned Day 2 as a sweet spot for the interior offensive line, with plenty of talent available.
So, if we put it all together, the Packers need for depth along with the talent available in the trenches, the recipe is there for Gutekunst to not only double-dip along the offensive line, but to potentially make three selections.
Perhaps making this even more likely is the fact that the Packers have 11 selections – tied for the most in football – and we’ve seen Gutekunst take this approach before in previous drafts.
From 2020 to 2022 – three drafts – we saw the Packers select three offensive linemen each year.
Offensive line depth has been a hallmark of this Packers team throughout Gutekunst’s tenure as GM, and right now it is in question. So look for him to change that in the up coming draft–all the ingredients for doing so are there.
