Green Bay Packers offensive line is the deepest in the NFL

Today’s news of RT Billy Turner being released by the Green Bay Packers, which saves them around $4 million in cap space, is proof that the Packers have the deepest offensive line unit in the league.

Although head coach Matt LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst lose their starting right tackle, this particular position group is still in a good place.

David Bakhtiari is a cornerstone of the franchise. He is arguably not just the best left tackle in the game, but he definitely has a very compelling case to be called the best offensive lineman. Bakhtiari is a five-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler. The former Colorado Buffalo will be entering his 10th season in the NFL and with Green Bay.

Elgton Jenkins could very well be the most versatile offensive lineman in the game. Although he is predominantly a guard, he has demonstrated the ability to play all five positions in the league for Green Bay through his first three seasons.

He was an All-Rookie performer in 2019 while also making his first Pro Bowl in 2020. Despite tearing his ACL this past season, he should be ready to go at some point in the 2022 season. You cannot replace versatility in the NFL.

Josh Myers, although he had an injury-plagued rookie season, showed his talent and resilience. He played 100% of the snaps in his first four games of the season before a knee injury sidelined him for almost the rest of the regular season. He did fight back to play in the final week of the season.

Look for him to come back stronger and be even better this upcoming season. If he played 100% of the snaps in his first four games when snapping to Aaron Rodgers, you know there is something special about him.

Royce Newman was another talented rookie that showed his prowess as he played in all 17 games and started in 16 of them. He predominantly played right guard but can also play the tackle position. Again, the Packers have shown their ability to draft versatile offensive linemen not just over the past few seasons, but for the majority of their time as an NFL franchise.

A good comparison to Newman on defense would be Eric Stokes. That’s probably not the comparison you were looking for. Both players took their lumps as rookies. Whether it was blown assignments or penalties, they had some mistakes. But they both showed their toughness and grit in important moments when they had no other choice.

In the Packers’ Week 17 win over the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday Night Football commentator Cris Collinsworth described him as “mean”. Collinsworth later elaborated on it saying he thinks Newman fits the bill of a Packers lineman. He is a very formidable and tough player that can handle the big stage.

Yosh Nijman and Jon Runyan Jr. both were forced to step in this season due to injuries and performed admirably. Nijman started for Bakhtiari in eight games while Bakhtiari was working his way back from his ACL tear. He won matchups against the likes of Nick Bosa, Robert Quinn, Trey Hendrickson, Chandler Jones, etc. He was called for just one false start. He is an exclusive rights free agent, so look for Green Bay to keep him around.

Runyan moved around to play multiple spots on the line due to the injuries of Bakhtiari, Turner, and Myers. He showed his versatility. In 16 games starting and 17 games played, Runyan was called for no penalties.

Two other intriguing pieces of the Packers O-line are free agents Lucas Patrick and Dennis Kelly.

Patrick has played in Green Bay for five seasons while also earning the trust of Aaron Rodgers when given the opportunity to play both center and guard. Kelly has played in the NFL for a decade and in his first season in Green Bay, he performed strongly while Turner was out with a knee injury.

The Packers have an offensive line that is at the top of the leaderboard. They might not get the recognition they deserve, but each position on the line can go two- or even three-deep. Look for the Packers to take multiple in the draft.

In Green Bay, Wisconsin, you can never have enough offensive linemen. Depending on how free agency goes, the Packers will be sitting in prime position to keep Aaron Rodgers clean for the entirety of 2022 and beyond assuming health is not an issue.