How the Packers should prioritize future contract extensions

4th priority: Corey Linsley

A player the Packers could lose in free agency next offseason is center Corey Linsley. But it’s not because of a lack of talent, but rather because the other names previously mentioned in this article potentially taking priority. But if the Packers lose Linsley, the team that signs him will be delighted.

Linsley has been an underrated part of the Packers’ success over the past six years. He was thrown into the starting lineup in Week 1 of his rookie season against the feared Seattle Seahawks defense, and on short notice following an injury to then-starter JC Tretter. But Linsley was impressive that night and it was a sign of what was to come.

Linsley wouldn’t give the starting job back to Tretter after a strong rookie season, and he now has 86 regular-season starts with the Packers. According to ESPN, Linsley led all centers in pass block win rate in 2019. But he wasn’t a Pro Bowler and still doesn’t get discussed as one of the best centers in the league.

Working against Linsley is that he’ll turn 30 before the start of the 2021 season, which could impact any long-term offers, but he should still have years ahead of him. If the Packers can get a new deal agreed, they absolutely should. But only when long-term deals are in place with Bakhtiari and Clark.