For Packers and Kevin Zeitler, Here’s Why It’s Dream Fit

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Sometimes, dreams come true.

They did for Kevin Zeitler. The longtime NFL starting right guard and native of Waukesha, Wis., was signed by his home-state team, the Green Bay Packers, on Wednesday.

“It’s pretty cool,” Zeitler told reporters outside the locker room at Lambeau Field after practice. “Growing up a big Pack fan, enjoying the Brett Favre eras and all that. Just to come back and kind of know the history, be back in the state of Wisconsin, it’s pretty great. My family’s pretty excited. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

The Packers are hoping Zeitler can make their championship dreams come true, as well.

The Packers are 1-2 due in large part to the inept play of their offensive line. Zeitler, the Packers hope, will be part of the solution. He enters his 15th season in the NFL having started 213 games. Jacob Monk, the man he’ll be replacing – perhaps as soon as Sunday’s game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – has started four games.

For the better part of three games, opponents marched through the middle of Green Bay’s offensive line and clobbered quarterback Jordan Love and stopped the running backs in their tracks. Zeitler will stand in their way, giving the Packers a chance to save their season.

“In the NFL, you can never beat experience,” Love said.

Zeitler wouldn’t have signed with the Packers if he didn’t think they had a chance to be good.

“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “Obviously 1-2, it is what it is. A million things have happened, but there’s a lot of talent on this team, lot of great guys and things can flip just like that.”

The Packers are counting on Zeitler to be the flipper.

It won’t be easy. Wednesday’s practice was the first day in pads for Zeitler since the Titans’ wrapped up last season on Jan. 4. That was 269 days ago. While he has been working out in anticipation of getting an opportunity, there’s a difference between staying in shape and being in football shape.

Just your run-of-the-mill Packers practice today with the influx of veteran offensive line talent.

Here is the daily practice update, including a bunch of O-line video. ⬇️https://t.co/aQexoolx31
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 30, 2026

Day 1 went, “Great,” he said.

“You train as hard as you can when you’re on your own, but it’s just not the same,” he said. “Getting out there, adrenaline is running. You’re trying to get back into it, get your balance back, but I felt great. I’m glad to be back into it, love being around a new group of guys and ready to roll.”

Ready to roll physically. But how about mentally? There’s a crash course in the offense he must learn before he’s able to face Todd Bowles’ attack-from-all-angles Buccaneers defense.

“The best part about playing for all these teams over the years is I’ve had access to almost every type of offense here and there,” he said. “So, right now, it’s just learning the terminology, but all the concepts I’ve done in some way, shape or form. Now it’s just learning how the guys talk, how they space themselves, how it all works out. For Day 1, it went pretty darn smoothly, I’d say.”

Here’s Kevin Zeitler. He gets off the rock in a hurry. pic.twitter.com/erYBB8Fe9S
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 30, 2026

Zeitler is no stranger to learning a new offense. This will be his fourth team in as many seasons, having earned Pro Bowl honors in his third and final season with the Ravens in 2023, followed by stints with the Lions in 2024 and the Titans in 2025.

As soon as Zeitler is “ready to go, he’ll be in there,” coach Matt LaFleur said before practice.

“I think everything that you’re looking for,” LaFleur said. “He’s stout, he can anchor in pass pro, he’s really effective in the run game. Whether it’s zone scheme, gap scheme, he’s done it all. So, there’s nothing he hasn’t seen or done. We’ve just got to get him ramped up.”

Zeitler said there was a “slight reach-out” between the Packers and his agent, R.J. Gosner, a couple days ago. On Monday, “kind of out of nowhere,” he said, he got a call for a free-agent visit. So, he arrived in Green Bay on Tuesday to meet the coaches and front office.

On Wednesday, the deal was done. Zeitler was ready to play. The Packers were ready for a change.

“When you’re on a visit, you’re running around the building, meeting everyone, a million different things, but it was good,” he said. “Visit was great, everything. I’m really happy all the negotiations – I didn’t partake in that, that was other people yelling at each other – it all finally came together this morning and I was glad I wasn’t on the plane this morning back home.”

Zeitler remains a formidable player. Last year with the Titans, Sports Info Solutions charged him with three sacks and a total of 14 blown blocks, including nine in the passing game. Monk was charged with nine blown blocks in three games, including seven in the passing game.

To be sure, he is a huge upgrade, even at this stage of his career.

From Zeitler’s perspective, he said it was a dream come true to continue his career with the team he grew up cheering for.

“Just the homecoming aspect of it all,” he said, “it’s pretty sweet, honestly.”

I talked to a scout after the Packers were crushed by the Falcons. Here's what he said about the state of the team ...

And why there's reason for optimism. ⬇️https://t.co/MkSrZ56enT
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 30, 2026

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