Packers 2021 pre-draft preview: What’s next at tackle?

Tackle is a premium position. The Green Bay Packers have had great tackles over the past decade, but is it a need this offseason?

Two weeks away from the 2021 NFL Draft, we continue our positional preview for the Packers with a closer look at offensive tackle.

Is it a position Green Bay should target early on?

Free agency recap

The Packers brought back exclusive rights free agent Yosh Nijman. They also released Rick Wagner to save cap room, who had started nine games in 2020.

Need in the draft?

Yes.

Adding more depth at tackle should always be a priority, but the Packers could be looking for more than just depth this year. Without Wagner, there are questions to be asked regarding the future starter on the right side. Drafting a tackle makes sense.

Draft outlook

Once David Bakhtiari is back from injury, Billy Turner is the likely starter at right tackle. But Elgton Jenkins is also a candidate to play at tackle after impressing in that role last season. If Bakhtiari misses any time due to his ACL injury, maybe Turner and Jenkins will be the starters to begin 2021.

But the right move might be to keep Jenkins at one of the interior positions, potentially at center to replace All-Pro Corey Linsley.

There are many questions to be asked across the offensive line. As Green Bay has a number of versatile linemen, it’s tough to predict how the starting five might look in Week 1.

It’s a deep tackle class so it would be a good idea to take advantage of that. If the Packers can find a starting tackle in the early rounds to pair with Bakhtiari long-term, it would allow them to keep Jenkins at guard or center, while Turner could make a full-time switch back to guard.

Tackle should be a priority for the Packers in the draft.