Packers’ Offensive Line Depth Shines in Camp
When Zach Tom came to Green Bay Packers training camp last summer, the rookie wasn't sure where he was going to line up.
The Packers weren't entirely sure, either.
General manager Brian Gutekunst said he thought Tom's best position when they drafted him was center.
Tom wound up playing every position but center. By the end of the season, he was the team’s preferred right tackle.
Tom is the poster child for what the Packers have done with their offensive line under Gutekunst.
The only investment they have not made under Gutekunst is a first-round pick.
That day may be coming sooner than later, but there's a whole season to play before talking about that.
Since Gutekunst took over in 2018, he has made 61 draft picks. He's drafted 11 offensive linemen. That includes taking three on Day 3 of the draft in 2021 and 2022.
He's used a pair of second-round picks on interior offensive linemen. While Josh Myers has not panned out the way the team has hoped, he’ll likely to be the team's center when they open their season in Chicago in two weeks.
Jenkins is in the discussion with Jaire Alexander and Rashan Gary as Gutekunst's best pick. He has played all over the offensive line, as well, but has settled in at left guard, where he’s a two-time Pro Bowler.
Rasheed Walker, a seventh-round pick in 2022, has been a revelation through camp this summer. Yosh Njiman, an undrafted free agent in 2019, started 21 games the past two seasons. Caleb Jones, an undrafted free agent in 2022, has a bundle of upside after making the roster a season ago.
Then there's David Bakhtiari. Gutekunst didn't draft him, but he was influential in the selection.
The Packers putting a priority on the offensive line is one of the reasons to believe the team can be successful despite moving on from Aaron Rodgers.
This is not just a theory at this point, either. There is actual evidence in games that the Packers' depth on the offensive line is something to be excited about.
Bakhtiari hasn't played a snap with the starting offense during the preseason. Instead, Nijman started the opener against Cincinnati and Walker got the call against New England.
As Mina Kimes pointed out on The Mina Kimes Show, of all quarterbacks with 10 or more attempts, no man has been pressured less than Jordan Love.
“Competition really is important there,” Gutekunst said before training camp started. “Having depth there and competition and keeping that room growing, it's just vital. The trenches are such a big part of what we do. And I just think that the competition, especially [because] we have so many young players in that room, it's really healthy.
“Each day, they’ve got to get out there and compete for it. I'm excited about that group, I think we have a really deep group. We came into the offseason with 13 guys, which is very unusual to have that many guys, especially guys that we think very highly of.”
One of the best ways to help a young quarterback develop is to keep him clean.
The Packers have done a great job of that early in the season against two teams that have an excellent pass rush.
The Patriots played their starters. Matthew Judon and Josh Uche were matched against Walker and Tom while Love was in the game.
It's not like the Packers are playing putting an emphasis on the quick game in the preseason, either.
Love's average time in the pocket has been 2.79 seconds, according to Pro Football Focus, almost perfectly in the middle of the pack among the 61 quarterbacks with at least 18 dropbacks.
In fact, the only front that has given the Packers' offense fits is its own.
Their depth at tackle is arguably the most impressive part of the roster.
Most NFL teams feel good if they have three players that they feel won't get the quarterback killed if they need to play tackle.
They'll feel better if those players are even passable.
With Bakhtiari, Tom, Njiman and Jenkins, the Packers have four players that have not only started at tackle but excelled.
Walker's camp has potentially put him into a place where he's supplanted Njiman as the team's primary swing tackle. Jones is another depth piece they feel good about.
That's six players the team feels could play tackle without having to fully change the way their offense operates.
That isn't normal.
If Trent Williams goes down, the 49ers' ship is sunk. That's true with most teams that have a star left tackle.
The Packers have had to deal with a complex injury to Bakhtiari that truly makes him day-to-day. Bakhtiari has been an elite left tackle, but the ship has not sunk just because he's been out of the lineup.
That's a testament to his replacements from the recent past: Jenkins, Njiman and Tom.
Now, all four of those players are healthy, and they have young prospects ready to step into bigger roles in 2023.
The depth of the offensive line is an embarrassment of riches. It's also the team's biggest strength.
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