Green Bay Packers 2018 roster review: Jahri Evans
Similar to the rest of the Green Bay Packers offense, it was a down year for Jahri Evans, a former All-Pro during his time with the New Orleans Saints.
Jahri Evans inked a contract with the Green Bay Packers in the 2017 offseason. It was arguably the busiest offseason in the Ted Thompson era. It was rare for Thompson to sign a free agent from another team, let alone five.
Evans was one of those signings. He was a major piece of the Saints’ Super Bowl team in 2009. Evans spent 11 seasons in New Orleans protecting a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback in Drew Brees. Those 11 seasons included six Pro Bowls and five All-Pro selections.
At the time, the signing was a great move. Replacing one Pro Bowler for another at a bargain of a price was very smart. As we will discuss, however, Evans did not live up to his $2.5 million cap hit in 2017.
Season in review
The struggles of the offense in 2017 have been duly noted on Lombardi Ave on numerous occasions during the last couple of weeks. Even more recently discussed was the inconsistency of the offensive line.
Especially when Brett Hundley was the quarterback, the struggles of the offensive line became evident.
When the Packers lost T.J. Lang to the Detroit Lions in free agency, the team needed to fill a huge void left by Lang.
Evans didn’t have a bad year. The Packers signed a former All-Pro for a bargain. Granted Evans is getting old, but he is still capable of above-average seasons, but for whatever reason, he didn’t have the best of years.
He allowed 3.5 sacks, which is the most in a season for him since the 2014 season. The 2012 season, which is statistically is best, he didn’t allow a single sack while playing in all 16 games for the Saints, per the Washington Post. So he is capable of amazing seasons.
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Looking ahead to the 2018 season
Evans is an unrestricted free agent. It will be interesting to see if the Packers decide to bring him back or not. There is reportedly interest from the Packers to re-sign him, however.
If the Packers decide to re-sign Evans, it will definitely be for less money than the $2.5 million cap hit he had in 2017. The Packers have gotten younger with the offensive line during the past couple of drafts.
Last season, after the Packers announced the signing of Evans, Aaron Rodgers expressed his trust in the younger guys the team already had signed.
“I like the guys that we have, and I think there’s going to be a great competition between those guys,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers is referring to Don Barclay, Kyle Murphy and Lucas Patrick.
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If the Packers listen to Rodgers and stay young with their offensive line, it is unlikely Evans is re-signed for 2018 and beyond, at least as a starter.