Packers: There will be competition for right guard job at training camp
Who will be the Packers’ starting right guard in 2020?
It remains to be seen whether training camp and the regular season will begin on time. But if and when training camp begins, one positional battle to watch for the Green Bay Packers will be at right guard.
Billy Turner and Lane Taylor were the Packers’ Week 1 starters at guard last season. But Taylor suffered a season-ending injury prior to the Packers’ third game of the year, which gave an opportunity to rookie Elgton Jenkins.
Jenkins dominated as the starting left guard for the 14 remaining games of the regular season and has secured a starting spot along the Packers’ offensive line.
So where does that leave Taylor?
Turner, Taylor the top contenders for right guard job
Just because Taylor isn’t expected to get his job at left guard back anytime soon, it doesn’t mean he won’t be a starter in Week 1. Now he could compete to start at right guard.
Taylor has spent some time on the right side of the offensive line although most of his Packers career has been at left guard. But he has 49 games of starting experience in the NFL.
Turner started all 16 games for Green Bay at right guard last season. He didn’t miss a single snap.
But that doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to remain the starter this year. Andy Herman of 247Sports.com graded each player for the Packers in 2019, and Turner received one of the worst grades among offensive players.
"“Billy Turner was mostly a neutral player throughout the course of the season but really struggled against Seattle and San Francisco which really hurt his overall grade,” Herman wrote."
The left side and center of the offensive line is among the best in all of football, with left tackle David Bakhtiari, left guard Elgton Jenkins, and center Corey Linsley.
The right side is a slight concern with uncertainty at right guard and Ricky Wagner replacing longtime right tackle Bryan Bulaga.
There should be competition for the right guard spot. That will include the three rookie interior linemen drafted by the Packers, although Turner and Taylor are the top two contenders for the job.