What a difference a month makes. Following the Green Bay Packers’ Week 1 victory against the Chicago Bears, the offensive line was the perceived strength and anchor of the team. Fast forward three weeks and the offensive line is bloodied and bashed.
David Bakhtiari was the first domino to fall. After playing in the season opener, he missed the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He then missed the home opener against the New Orleans Saints. Prior to kickoff against the Detroit Lions, Bakhtiari was placed on injured reserve, raising the question if we’ve seen the last of one of the best left tackles in franchise history.
Buy Packers TicketsElgton Jenkins was the next to fall. The versatile offensive lineman suffered a sprained MCL during the Week 2 affair against the Falcons.
Bakhtiari and Jenkins are not only the top two linemen, but they are also two of Green Bay’s most talented and important players regardless of position. On Thursday against the Lions, their absences were noticed.
During Green Bay’s 34-20 setback, Jordan Love was under constant pressure. The Great Wall of Lambeau was more like the revolving door at the local Hyatt. Green Bay’s offensive line yielded 22 pressures and allowed Love to be sacked five times.
Zach Tom gave up a team-high six pressures and zero sacks. A kick inside may be in his future, which could allow Yosh Nijman to enter the starting lineup at left or right tackle.
Tom could take over at left guard to kick Royce Newman back to the bench. Newman gave up five pressures and one sack.
Josh Myers gave up one sack and two pressures. Jon Runyan gave up five pressures and one sack. Rasheed Walker gave up a team-high two sacks and four pressures.
A change has to be on the horizon. Matt LaFleur talks about getting their best five out there. It could mean a starting five of Nijman, Tom, Myers, Runyan, and Walker. It could mean 2022 third-round pick Sean Rhyan gets an opportunity at one of the guard positions.
On top of all the pressures and sacks given up, Green Bay’s run blocking has been abysmal all season. Changes need to happen in the short team to fix the issues. After a beatdown like the offensive line received in primetime, the long-term outlook of the group no longer looks as bright as it did back in August.
As we start to look ahead to the future, the offensive tackle class in the 2024 NFL draft is arguably the best position group of the bunch.
That’s good news for the Packers as Bakhtiari may have played his last snap in Green Bay. Even if he returns to the field, one has to imagine the Packers think long and hard about cutting ties with the veteran tackle this offseason. Is Tom’s best long-term position at tackle?
What will the starting offensive line look like when the Packers take the field to open the season in 2024? Jenkins is the only long-term locked-in starter at left guard. Tom figures to have a spot locked in, whether that’s at guard, tackle or center remains to be seen. Outside of those two, nobody on the roster should feel safe.
The 2023 NFL Draft marked the first time that Brian Gutekunst didn’t use at least one selection on an offensive lineman. After skipping a year, Green Bay’s general manager will likely get back to investing in the offensive line in the 2024 NFL Draft.
It’s no secret that Gutekunst, along with every other general manager in the league values versatility across the offensive line. Let’s take a look at some names in the 2024 NFL Draft that could play multiple positions at the next level.
Troy Fautanu, Washington
Fautanu is the starting left tackle for the Huskies and has also started games at left guard during his tenure at UW. That tackle-guard versatility will make him an attractive Day 2 or early Day 3 target when the 2024 NFL draft rolls around.
Graham Barton, Duke
Barton is capable of playing all five positions across the offensive line. The Duke offensive lineman has started 29 games at left tackle and five at center. In high school, Barton played guard at Ravenwood High School in Tennessee.
Joshua Gray, Oregon State
Gray has started 38 games at left tackle for the Beavers. Due to his arm length, some teams will likely kick him inside to guard. He’s excellent out in space and comfortable on his feet. He stays balanced throughout contact and creates movement as a run blocker.
Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
During his time at Kansas State, Beebe has started 17 games at left guard, 13 games at left tackle, and nine games at right tackle. In the first game this season, the versatile offensive lineman saw snaps at left tackle, left guard, and right tackle. In the next two games, Beebe played a combined 74 snaps at left guard and 71 snaps at right tackle. It’s been three years since Beebe has given up a sack. That’s 998 pass-blocking reps without giving up a sack. Beebe is stout in pass protection, using strong hands to control the defender across from him.
Zach Frazier, West Virginia
After starting nine games at left guard in 2020, Frazier has since started 30 straight games at center for West Virginia. A high school wrestler, Frazier does a great job of out-leveraging the man across from him. He has a high football IQ and quickly deciphers what’s coming his way. Thus far this season, the versatile interior lineman has given up zero sacks and just two pressures. The two pressures he gave up came in week one against Penn State. Since then he’s gone 97 straight pass blocking reps without yielding a single pressure.
Dylan McMahon, NC State
McMahon has started 22 games at right guard, eight games at left guard, and six at center. The NC State offensive lineman has missed the past two games with an injury. In the game before suffering an injury, McMahon struggled against Notre Dame’s interior lineman, giving up one sack and five pressures. McMahon is an athletic interior lineman and it shows when he gets out in space. He quickly climbs to the second level to erase linebackers.
Brandon Coleman, TCU
A JUCO transfer, Coleman has started games at left guard (11), right guard (one), and left tackle (15) over the past two seasons at TCU. Coleman has good length and plays with a bit of an edge as a run blocker. His outside-inside versatility will appeal to Gutekunst and his staff.
Jack Nelson, Wisconsin
Over the past three seasons, Nelson has started 16 games at left tackle and 13 games at right guard. Nelson struggled against Washington State this season. He gave up two sacks and six pressures against the Cougars. Outside of that game, Nelson has yielded zero sacks and just one pressure.
Jonah Monheim, USC
Monheim has started 26 games, with 18 starts at right tackle, five at left tackle, and three at right guard. The USC offensive lineman made the move to left tackle this season after starting at right tackle last season. Through five games this season, Monheim has given up one sack and four pressures.
Beaux Limmer, Arkansas
Limmer has started 28 games at right guard and six straight games at center for the Razorbacks. Limmer has a high football IQ and isn’t fooled by anything. He’s an above-average athlete with the quickness to get out in space and move people as a run blocker.
