Packers 2020 roster preview: Corey Linsley in final year of contract

Will this be Corey Linsley’s final season with the Packers?

Corey Linsley has been a rock-solid starting center for the Green Bay Packers since he entered the league in 2014.

Linsley has started 86 games for the Packers since then, but will this be his final year in Green Bay?

After this season, Linsley’s contract is up.

2019 review

Linsley rarely gets the attention he deserves. He’s been such a consistent part of this offensive line for many years, and he is rarely injured having missed just 10 games since he entered the league. He’s started all 16 games in the regular season four times in six seasons. He’s also played on 100 percent of the Packers’ offensive snaps in three different seasons, according to Pro Football Reference.

Linsley is incredibly underrated but the 2019 season was another great one for him. He led all centers in the NFL in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric at 98 percent.

Yet, despite all of his success, Linsley is still yet to make a Pro Bowl. Maybe that’ll change in 2020.

Odds of making roster: 100 percent

Linsley might not get the credit he deserves, but the Packers know how important he is. He’ll have an important role to play in the middle of the offensive line again this year.

What to expect in 2020?

With so many tough decisions awaiting general manager Brian Gutekunst when it comes to re-signing free agents and managing the salary cap, one has to wonder whether this will be Linsley’s final year in Green Bay.

If and when they agree on long-term extensions with David Bakhtiari and Kenny Clark, there will only be so much cap room left. Then there’s Kevin King, Aaron Jones, and Linsley, all set to become free agents in 2021.

Considering how consistent Linsley has been since his rookie season, there’s no reason to expect anything different this year. And that will make him one of the top offensive linemen in free agency next spring if the Packers can’t work out an extension.