Green Bay Packers: O-Line Best & Worst Case Scenarios
By Kenny Jilek
Returning Roster Probables
I have six guys who are coming back and basically locks to make the roster in 2020. I don’t like using the word locks because anyone can be cut in a surprise money-saving move, but these guys have all shown the ability to play serviceably in the NFL, and at the very worst, they could find another team if they were released.
David Bakhtiari
The fan-favorite All-Pro tackle is in a contract season, and he’ll likely look sharp trying to get paid. That won’t be anything new, though, as he has been lights out for pass rushers on the edge, shutting down elite talent week after week while protecting Aaron Rodgers’ blindside.
Last season, he played nearly 100 percent of the Packers’ offensive snaps, being as reliable as it gets. If he recreates that reliability again, he’ll maximize his earnings. The only way he doesn’t start every game is if he doesn’t stay healthy, and that’s rarely been a problem for him as he’s only missed six games in seven years.
Bakhtiari is looking for big money when this season is over, and the best thing he can do is take care of himself and don’t give teams leverage to drive his price down because of an injury.
Elgton Jenkins
Elgton Jenkins rookie season was one of the best in the league after being a second-round pick in 2019. He came in for Lane Taylor in week three and played well enough to hold the job for the remainder of the season.
After having a camp full of competition and fighting for his job last year, he’ll have more security coming into this season with the left guard position waiting for him. There’s a very small chance that Lane Taylor and Billy Turner both look good enough to start, and Jenkins gets benched, but that would have to mean Jenkins was also uncharacteristically awful too. His best case is building on his rookie season and becoming a Pro Bowl guard in his second year.
Corey Linsley
Linsley is the last of the three guys that have a basically guaranteed starting spot on the offensive line coming into the 2020 season. Linsley has been consistently solid at center in his first six years in Green Bay and started all 16 games in each of the last three seasons.
Like Bakhtiari, he is in a contract year and will be looking to stay healthy and impress not just the Green Bay Packers’ front office, but every team around the league. His time in Green Bay may be coming to an end, so he’ll want to make the most of it to earn what he can in free agency. His worst-case scenario would be Hanson coming in and taking his job, but that’s pretty far-fetched.
Billy Turner
Turner got a big contract last offseason to come play guard for the Green Bay Packers. Because of that contract, he was basically handed his spot, and the competition was at left guard. Now, because of his underwhelming play last year and Jenkins’ outstanding play, the competition is now for his position at right guard.
The best thing that could happen for him is winning that competition and playing well enough that he keeps it all year and warrants the Green Bay Packers keeping him around for 2021. Although they can save $5,800,000 in cap space in 2021 by releasing him, so he’ll need to play well to keep his contract.
However, even worse than winning the spot and not playing well enough to stay on the Packers for next season would be losing the position battle to Lane Taylor. Turner will also be competing with Rick Wagner for the right tackle spot, and the same best and worst outcomes apply to that situation as well.
Lane Taylor
Taylor is the other competitor in the right guard battle after initially winning the left guard spot but going on injured reserve with a bicep injury before week three. After reworking his contract, he is back to take his place as a starting lineman in 2020.
Standing in his way is Billy Turner. Taylor’s best case would be winning that job and being able to keep it for the whole year this time. He has also played a couple of games at tackle in his career and could give competition to Rick Wagner. His worst case would be losing out on both of those spots and having to be the top backup.
Lucas Patrick
Finally, Lucas Patrick just signed a new contract, and I don’t see that as a contract the Packers would release because of the talent he has. He’s not a starting guy, but when he needs to fill in, the offense does not have to be run differently.
He can enter the game, and the Packers can utilize the same run and pass protections that they would without him. With the competition happening at guard, Patrick’s spot as the top backup may be in jeopardy, and he might be the second replacement guard behind whoever loses the competition.
However, if either Turner or Taylor win the tackle job, then he would be the top guard backup because Wagner doesn’t play inside. His other biggest variable is him versus Jake Hanson for the backup center spot.
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Did you agree with each lineman’s best and worst-case scenarios? How do you feel about the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line group as a whole this season? Let me know in the comments below or @DairylandXpress. Next up will be the defensive line.
Past Best and Worst case scenario articles: