3 Potential offensive line combos for Packers with Elgton Jenkins out

Packers Offensive Line Combination No. 2

Without Elgton Jenkins:

David Bakhtiari – Zach Tom – Josh Myers – Jon Runyan – Yosh Nijman

I can see why, in-game, the Packers didn’t want to have Tom move from right tackle to left guard. Not only is he changing positions, but he’s switching sides of the offensive line as well. However, with a week of prep, Green Bay could be willing to make the move. Tom played 96 snaps at left guard as a rookie, and keeping Jon Runyan at right guard instead of moving him back to left means less overall movement for this unit..

Tom has shown the ability to play really anywhere on the offensive line, but he seems to be at his best as a tackle, where he can play in space, and his athleticism can take over rather than having to rely more so on his power. But having said that, if the goal is to put the best five on the field, as LaFleur often says, I’m not sure that includes Newman or Rhyan, which would make the Packers more willing to move Tom inside.

If Tom goes to guard, even though Walker has been ahead of Nijman on the depth chart, he has spent really all his time at left tackle–not right. Even going back to Walker’s days at Penn State, he was a left tackle. In terms of playing on the right side, Nijman has more reps, not to mention that the Packers may just want to have Walker available on the left side in case they are without Bakhtiari at any point. That approach would create less movement upfront if Walker was needed.

Without David Bakhtiari:

Rasheed Walker – Zach Tom – Josh Myers – Jon Runyan – Yosh Nijman

As I just mentioned, if the Packers are again without Bakhtiari, it would make sense to have Walker continue to play on the left side and Nijman to take over at right tackle, where he’s banked more reps.