Packers 2020 roster preview: Lane Taylor will compete for starting job

Packers guard Lane Taylor will compete for a starting job in 2020.

Lane Taylor started at left guard for the Green Bay Packers in 2019 but would only play in two games.

Rookie Elgton Jenkins replaced him and put together a dominant first season with the Packers.

Now, Taylor enters 2020 competing for a starting job at guard.

2019 review

Taylor started the Packers’ opening two games at left guard but suffered a biceps injury in practice ahead of the team’s Week 3 game against the Denver Broncos. He would be placed on injured reserve and wouldn’t return.

This opened the door for second-round pick Jenkins to start, and he made the most of his opportunity. Jenkins would be named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and rank eighth among guards in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric.

Odds of making roster: 90 percent

Even if Taylor is a backup, there’s a strong chance he’ll make the roster. Any concerns with his contract are now gone after he agreed to a pay cut in the final year of his deal.

What to expect in 2020?

In the short term, Taylor will compete for a starting job. Paul Bretl of Dairyland Express wrote a great article on why we shouldn’t assume Taylor will be a backup this season.

After all, let’s not forget Taylor has started 49 games for the Packers in his career and he even has some experience playing at tackle.

While it’s unlikely Taylor will replace Jenkins at left guard any time soon, there could be competition for the right guard job with Billy Turner.

The Packers did draft three offensive linemen earlier this year, but the top two candidates for the right guard job are Turner and Taylor. Both players have a lot of NFL experience. It’ll come down to which player puts together the strongest training camp and preseason.

Taylor is on a contract year but he has the chance to win a starting job this summer.