NFL Free Agency: Should Packers Re-Sign Yosh Nijman?
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have 12 unrestricted free agents, including former starting offensive tackle Yosh Nijman.
In Part 3 of a series, here is the NFL free agency outlook for Nijman, an experienced player at a position in which the Packers have limited depth.
Here’s Why Packers Should Retain Yosh Nijman
The Packers almost certainly are going to release David Bakhtiari. That would leave Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom as the starters and no proven depth whatsoever.
Luke Tenuta, Caleb Jones and Kadeem Telfort combined to play exactly zero games in 2023. Tenuta, a sixth-round pick by Buffalo in 2022, spent the year on injured reserve. Jones, an undrafted free agent in 2022, spent the year on the gameday inactives list. Telfort, an undrafted free agent in 2023, spent the year on the practice squad.
The Packers were incredibly fortunate in 2023. Once Walker replaced Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins shook off a knee injury, the No. 1 line played the final 15 games together (including postseason). That doesn’t happen every year. That doesn’t happen most years.
The Packers badly need depth. No doubt they’ll use an early draft pick on an offensive tackle, but Nijman has been there and done that. He started 21 games at the tackle spots in 2021 and 2022. When healthy, he almost never was overmatched or outclassed.
For what it’s worth, according to Pro Football Focus, Walker in 515 pass-protecting snaps in 2023 allowed six sacks and 33 total pressures. That’s 85.8 snaps per sack and 15.6 snaps per pressure. Nijman allowed 10 sacks and 58 total pressures in 943 pass-protecting snaps in his three seasons. That’s 94.3 snaps per sack and 16.3 snaps per pressure.
Here’s Why Packers Should Not Re-Sign Yosh Nijman
At some point, it’s time to move on. Out with the old, in with the new is the law of the NFL jungle.
During training camp, Nijman’s battle with Tom to be the starting right tackle lasted about 2.3 seconds. From there, it was Nijman, who was coming off a season of 13 starts, against Walker, who played zero offensive snaps as a rookie, to be the swing tackle.
It should have been a mismatch, especially with Nijman playing under the $4.3 million restricted free agent tender. Instead, the job went to Walker.
“Right now, he’s a backup tackle for us,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said at the end of training camp. “That’s where he’s at. Football is a very competitive sport, and some guys rise to that competition and some guys don’t, so that’s basically what I have to say about that.”
It was as blunt a statement as any coach has delivered about a player since the team started streaming its press conferences instead of holding them in a hallway for reporters to talk to individually, and it didn’t sit well with coach Matt LaFleur.
Nonetheless, what was said was said.
Nijman played 230 snaps during the regular season in 2023, mostly in a rotation with Walker. His playing time dwindled down the stretch. With Tom suffering a concussion in the playoff loss to San Francisco, Nijman struggled in 26 snaps.
The Verdict
You can’t have enough offensive linemen. The Packers presumably will draft an offensive tackle, but will they be able to get a player capable of being an instant contributor or will it be more of a developmental prospect? This is a strong class of offensive tackle prospects, but the depth drops off a cliff.
From that second perspective, the Packers almost have to re-sign Nijman. Otherwise, they’d run the risk of entering the regular season with Walker at left tackle, Tom at right tackle and some Mystery Man as the swing tackle.
For what it’s worth, Nijman at the end of the season said he wanted to stay in Green Bay. While the season was a disappointment, he felt some loyalty for the team taking a chance on him and sticking with him through his development. The Packers would be smart to make it happen.
