From Last Word On Pro Football, by Jim Weidner
If all goes according to plan, it appears that the Green Bay Packers have their offensive line set for this coming season. They will enter 2017 with arguably one of the best starting tandem tackle combinations in starting left tackle David Bakhtiari and starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga. Both stayed healthy throughout last season, a first in Bulaga’s career, and both performed at a high level.
Although the Packers parted ways with former All-Pro starting left guard Josh Sitton before the start of last season, backup guard Lane Taylor stepped in and held his own. Once again, the Packers will be without a Pro Bowl caliber starting guard, with former standout guard T.J. Lang departing as a free agent to Detroit this offseason. Lang will be replaced by former All-Pro and New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans. The Packers are hoping to get at least one more solid season out of Evans and lessen the damage caused by Lang’s departure.
At center, Corey Linsley will return for his fourth season. Linsley has 38 career starts under his belt, but his health entering training camp is in question after having off-season surgery to repair an ankle injury. If Linsley gets back to 100 percent, he should give some stability to the middle of the Packers offensive line.
If healthy, the Packers offensive line should be one of the top offensive lines in the NFL. However, behind the starters, there are a lot of unknowns when it comes to the Packers offensive line. The Green Bay Packers offensive line depth have a lot of unanswered questions.
Green Bay Packers Offensive Line Depth: Plenty of Unanswered Questions
The Packers have struggled with injuries in recent history and their offensive line hasn’t been immune to this issue. That is why the questionable depth behind the Packers starting offensive line has many Packers fans worried going into this season. Offensive line coach James Campen will have his work cut out for him, making sure the backups are ready in case one or more of the starters are lost to injury. Here is a breakdown of the depth at each spot on the Packers offensive line.
Offensive Tackle
The Packers spent a second round pick on former Indiana offensive tackle Jason Spriggs in the 2016 NFL Draft. The 6’6” former Hoosier was a standout in the Big Ten, but entered his rookie season pretty light for NFL standards. Even with not having the NFL weight needed, Spriggs saw action and started two games at guard for the Packers last season. But it appears that Spriggs’ days as a guard are in the past and will focus on tackle only this season and is projected as Bakhtiari’s backup on the left side. Spriggs appears to have the most potential out of all the Packers backup offensive linemen.
On the right side, behind Bulaga, it appears the main backup will be second year offensive tackle Kyle Murphy. Murphy, like Spriggs, was picked in the 2016 draft. In his case, the Packers took him in the sixth round. In his final season at Stanford, Murphy was voted All-Pac 12 for his performance at left tackle. Murphy played sparingly in his rookie season for the Packers. Besides expecting to battle for the backup right tackle position, Murphy also could be in the mix as a backup guard spot as well.
Guard
The Packers may need the most depth at guard. Although Taylor had a solid season in 2016-2017, he is still a former undrafted free agent and his play could possibly slip in his second season as a starter. Evans has had a stellar career, but is 33 years old, which might make him staying healthy through a regular season and possibly playoffs a slim proposition. Murphy will be in the mix, but so will rookie Kofi Amichia and second year and former undrafted free agent Lucas Patrick.
The Packers spent a sixth round pick on Amichia in this year’s NFL Draft. A former tackle out of South Florida, Amichia doesn’t possess the type of size you would expect out of an NFL guard, at 6’3” and 304 pounds. But he does possess above average athletic ability. Battling Amichia will be former Duke guard Lucas Patrick. Patrick spent last season on the Packers practice squad. Although he isn’t as athletic as Amichia, he does have more weight suited for the interior, weighing in at 317 pounds. The one veteran who is in the mix is Don Barclay. Barclay was once the starting right tackle for the Packers, but after suffering a knee injury that sapped some of his quickness, he has found a spot in the interior of the offensive line. Barclay is the front runner to be one of the backups at guard, with Murphy, Amichia, and Patrick battling for the other spot.
Center
J.C. Tretter started at center for the Packers last season with Linsley coming back from a hamstring injury. But Tretter departed this offseason as a free agent to the Cleveland Browns, leaving a big hole at the backup center position. It’s a crucial piece of the Packers offensive line depth with Linsley recovering from surgery. The rookie Amichia might take some snaps at center during training camp, but the position is Barclay’s to lose. Besides having starting experience, albeit at tackle and guard, Barclay has the confidence of starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Packers are hoping that Linsley is full go when the regular season starts, but if he isn’t, Rodgers and the rest of the Packers have faith that Barclay can step in and perform at a solid level.
The key going into this season for the Packers offensive line is health. If that unit can stay healthy, it isn’t hard to believe that the Packers will have one of the better offensive lines in the NFL. But if the Packers are once again bit by the injury bug, all bets are off. It will then be up to Campen to make sure the backups are ready to step in and protect their All-World quarterback.
