Packers Lose Lucas Patrick to Bears

Lucas Patrick started 28 games at the three interior spots the past two seasons and ranked among the NFL's best pass protectors.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
Mar 16, 2022 7:54 AM EDT
Original:
Mar 16, 2022

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Lucas Patrick, a starter the past two seasons on Green Bay’s strong offensive lines, agreed to join the Chicago Bears on Tuesday night in NFL free agency.

A source confirmed it’s a two-year, $8 million deal. The Packers will get a compensatory draft pick in the 2023 draft. Based on the picks that were dispensed by the league earlier in the day, Green Bay could get a sixth-rounder, though that will be dependent on Patrick winning a starting job.

With Chicago, he’ll be reunited with Luke Getsy. Green Bay’s quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator last season, Getsy is the Bears’ new offensive coordinator under first-year coach Matt Eberflus. Earlier in the day, Chicago lost guard James Daniels to Pittsburgh.

The Packers tried to get rid of Patrick every season, it seemed. Of the six draft picks invested on the offensive line in 2020 and 2021, five were guards or centers. And every year, he grabbed a more and more important role.

“Lucas is kind of the glue guy, man,” coach Matt LaFleur said late in the season. “He holds that whole group together. He brings that grit, that toughness, the way he competes, the way he cares about his teammates, and he’s been doing it for our whole time here really together, especially the last two years. I think Lucas is playing at a really high level and we’re fortunate that we have a lot of great people in that room.”

Deemed a potential cap casualty last offseason, Patrick instead beat out one of those draft picks, Jon Runyan, for the starting job at left guard. When Patrick suffered a concussion at the end of the Week 1 game against Jacksonville, the door was open for Runyan to move into the starting lineup. Patrick returned to action, though, for another of those draft picks, injured center Josh Myers, and played practically every snap the next 12 games. When David Bakhtiari and Myers were back for the finale, Patrick moved to right guard.

All told, Patrick started 13 games at those three positions. PFF charged him with one sack and 18 total pressures. Of the 39 centers who played at least Myers’ total of 178 pass-protecting snaps, Patrick ranked 14th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency while Myers ranked 29th.

SIS charged him with six blown blocks (1.8 percent). Runyan’s blown-block rate was 1.5 percent, Newman’s was 2.3 percent and Myers’ was 0.9 percent.

An undrafted free agent in 2016, Patrick started 34 games at the three interior spots, with 28 of those starts coming the past two seasons.

As a guard in 2020, he finished sixth in ESPN’s pass-block win rate. As a center in 2021, he finished third in that metric.

If the Packers had to line up today, it would be Runyan at left guard, Myers at center and Newman at right guard. The depth would be almost nonexistent, though, with neither 2020 sixth-round pick Jake Hanson or 2021 sixth-round pick Cole Van Lanen having played a meaningful snap from scrimmage.

Elgton Jenkins, a Pro Bowl left guard in 2020, is coming off a torn ACL. He could return to that spot or replace Billy Turner at right tackle. The Packers released Turner on Monday.

Patrick is the second Packers player to leave via free agency this offseason. Linebacker Oren Burks said he is joining the 49ers.

Green Bay Packers: Key 2022 Transactions

Extended: QB Aaron Rodgers

The offseason drama is over. Four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers signed a contract extension with the Packers that significantly lessens his 2022 cap charge while tying him to Green Bay through at least the 2024 season.

Re-Signed: LB De'Vondre Campbell

All-Pro linebacker De'Vondre Campbell will return on a five-year, $50 million contract, Packer Central was the first to report. He turned a one-year, $2 million contract into a Year 1 payout of $16.25 million.

Tendered: WR Allen Lazard

The restricted free agent, and coach Matt LaFleur's beloved "goon," was given the second-rounder of almost $4 million. He'll be able to shop himself around the league until April 22.

Extended: OLB Preston Smith

The Packers extended outside linebacker Preston Smith after he recorded nine sacks in 2021. The upcoming season would have been his final one under contract. The extension resulted in more than $8 million of cap savings and includes sack-based incentives.

Released: OLB Za’Darius Smith

Releasing two-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith produced more than $15 million in cap savings. He missed most of last season with a back injury.

Released: RT Billy Turner

The Packers released offensive lineman Billy Turner, who started 43 games at three positions in his three seasons with the team. Elgton Jenkins or Yosh Nijman could wind up in the lineup.