Packers add three offensive linemen in sixth round of 2020 NFL Draft

The Packers strengthened the offensive line in the sixth round.

It’s never a bad idea to add depth along the offensive line, and the Green Bay Packers made that a focus in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

With the first of three picks in the sixth round, at No. 192 overall, the Packers selected Michigan offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr. Runyan has played at multiple spots along the offensive line but many draft analysts believe his best fit will be at guard.

Then, with back-to-back picks at No. 208 and 209 overall, Green Bay selected center Jake Hanson and tackle Simon Stepaniak.

It’s unlikely that all three players will develop into starters or even top backups for the Packers, but the hope is that one or two of them will.

It’s important to note that All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari and center Corey Linsley will be free agents next offseason. Bakhtiari would be a franchise-tag candidate if a long-term deal isn’t agreed, so we have to imagine he’ll be back in 2021. But that could leave Linsley’s future uncertain, which is perhaps why the Packers have opted to draft a few linemen including Hanson, a center.

Something else to follow will be what this means for backup guard Lane Taylor. Taylor was a starter at guard but the emergence of Elgton Jenkins last year has changed that. With a potential cap-saving to be made by moving on, will this added depth along the line mean the Packers plan to release Taylor?

Maybe not. These three picks could be about adding the best talent available while also creating competition for places on the roster.

It’s been an offense-focused draft for Green Bay with only one pick — inside linebacker Kamal Martin in the fifth round — going on a defensive player. However, none of their picks to this point have been on a wide receiver. That’s very hard to believe.