Green Bay Packers: The Value in Hanging on to Lane Taylor

Although many thought that the Green Bay Packers would cut or trade Lane Taylor, at this point, there is much more value in hanging on to him.

While they weren’t big signings by any means, as we expected the Green Bay Packers have addressed the tackle, linebacker, and receiver positions in free agency. They would also cut Jimmy Graham to free up some space and according to GM Brian Gutekunst, extending Kenny Clark is also on their to-do list. Once again, two moves that many of us anticipated.

However, one move that has been talked about quite a bit but hasn’t happened yet is moving on from Lane Taylor.

2020 is the final year of Taylor’s contract and many out there – including myself – expected the Packers to either cut or trade him prior to free agency beginning. And it’s easy to understand why.

Taylor is coming off a bicep injury that caused him to miss most of the 2019 season and the year before when he was available, he would give up eight sacks and 36 total pressures according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Although it is worth pointing out that he battled injuries that year as well.

On top of that, with the signing of Billy Turner last offseason along with the emergence of Elgton Jenkins, the Green Bay Packers are set at the guard position for the 2020 season. Not to mention that if Green Bay did decide to cut or trade Taylor, they would save $4.1 million in cap space this year, which could go towards a new addition.

So while there are certainly valid reasons to make the move, considering how free agency has played out for the Packers, at this point keeping Taylor just makes more sense.

For one, the main reason to move on from Taylor would have been to free up cap space for a free-agent addition. As we all know the Packers just don’t have the same spending power this offseason, so freeing up that extra cap space could have led to an additional signing or even a more high-profile signing.

However, with most of the big names off of the market, Green Bay is very likely done at this point or if they do make a signing, it’ll be a cheap deal.

And although Taylor has struggled recently as I pointed out, he has also shown over his career that he is a starting-caliber player in this league. During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Taylor would have 1,481 pass-blocking attempts and allowed just four sacks and four quarterback hits in that span.

But perhaps the most important reason to hang on to Taylor is that he gives the Green Bay Packers another option at right tackle. While he is known as a guard and that’s primarily where he’s spent his career, back in 2017, Taylor did start at left tackle in Weeks 4 and 5 and gave up just one sack with no quarterback hits.

As we all know Bryan Bulaga left in free agency for the Los Angeles Chargers and Rick Wagner was brought in by the Packers. And while we hope that Wagner can step in and fill that role, there is still some uncertainty.

Since 2014, Wagner has started all 16 games just one time and this includes only 12 starts last season. Not to mention that when he was on the field in 2019, he struggled. If Wagner can play up to the level that we saw from him in past years, Green Bay should be fine at right tackle.

However, that remains to be seen and having Taylor as an insurance policy at a key position like tackle is certainly quite valuable.

While I will fully admit that I thought trading Taylor and freeing up some cap space was the correct move, at this point given how free agency has played out along with the depth that he provides at both the guard and tackle positions, there is more value in hanging on to him.