The Green Bay Packers' offensive line woes are well known by now. As the team looks to find some fixes with new signings, the addition of Kevin Zeitler could prove to be just what they need.
Earlier this week, the Packers made a flurry of signings to try to help their offensive line. Along with Zeitler, they signed Laken Tomlinson and Mekhi Becton.
Originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012, Zeitler has been one of the NFL's most stalwart guards for years. This is what makes him one of the most intriguing signings of the Packers' bunch.
Zeitler's name being in the free-agent pool is a bit surprising on its own. Last year, he played in 16 games for the Tennessee Titans and was actually quite good. According to PFF grades, Zeitler was 13th amongst guards thanks to being 21st in run blocking and (ninth) in pass blocking.
Kevin Zeitler ranks among NFL guards last season.
— Mark Oldacres (@MarkOldacres) September 30, 2026
Also had the 14th-lowest pressure rate allowed at 3.8%.
This was with Cam Ward who was somewhat responsible for 30.4% of his own pressure, which was the 4th highest rate in the NFL.
Jordan Love had the 4th lowest rate at 5.7%. pic.twitter.com/psoWDjjVrO
Kevin Zeitler explains why he was available in free agency for so long
Although the guard, 36, is older for NFL standards, it's pretty clear he can play. This makes his availability all the more curious, but the Wisconsin-born player explained why.
According to Zeitler, during his brief time talking to the media since his signing, he underwent surgery on his quad, which delayed signing with a team. Despite this, he's been getting ready.
"I've been all over the country training. Nashville, L.A., Baltimore, here, so I've been all over the country getting the best training, treatment, keeping the body ready and I think all that, in various ways I've done it, it honestly has me feeling great," said Zeitler (via The Athletic's Matt Schneidman).
For the Packers, signing Zeitler is essentially like finding a needle in a haystack. While Becton and Tomlinson may be serviceable players, Zeitler has, by and large, been a genuinely good and impactful player even up until last year. For all intents and purposes, Zeitler represents a plug-and-play player at guard and should instantly improve the Packers' offensive line.
While Zeitler's presence on the team is a massive boon, there's still much work to be done. The team is essentially going to have to reset its entire offensive line on the fly, in the middle of the season, and hope it works out. With many offensive linemen still on the mend, it's really unknown just what the team's final lineup looks like, or who plays this weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
One thing is for certain, though, and it's that the Packers have at least addressed the issue in some way. Whether or not it works will have to be seen, but the team has given itself a chance with some big lotto tickets in the form of Zeitler, Becton, and Tomlinson.
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