With left guard Elgton Jenkins expected to miss multiple weeks with an MCL sprain, the Green Bay Packers have a few options when it comes to how they shuffle the offensive line in his absence.
The offensive line was the known strength of this Green Bay Packers offense coming into the season and even coming out of Week 1. However, just a few days later, there are now two question marks on the left side.
Jenkins left Sunday’s game with said MCL sprain, and as of now, it is unknown if he will be placed on IR, which would require him to miss a minimum of four games. Along with that, David Bakhtiari did not play against Atlanta. On Monday, Matt LaFleur said that some swelling developed, and that ultimately kept Bakhtiari out of the lineup.
Overall, the Packers’ offensive line unit, even with these injuries, has held up well in pass protection through two games. PFF has credited this unit with allowing only five pressures in two games.
With that said, where this group, and the offense in general, has struggled is in the run game. The Green Bay running backs are barely averaging over three yards per rush this season, putting the offense in predictable passing situations with their inability to move the ball on early downs and allowing the defense to get into favorable play calls. This aspect was a key contributor to the Packers’ fourth-quarter struggles against Atlanta.
If the Green Bay Packers offense is going to find steady success this season, they have become more consistent in the ground game.
We do not know how long Bakhtiari will be sidelined. For all we know, he could return this week. However, what we do know at this time is that the Packers will be without Jenkins for the time being. LaFleur said on Monday that the team would discuss their options and make the week “competitive” when it comes to determining who the best five are.
Here is a look at three of those potential offensive line combinations – in no particular order – that we could see from Green Bay in the coming weeks.
Packers Offensive Line Combination No. 1
Without Elgton Jenkins:
David Bakhtiari – Royce Newman – Josh Myers – Jon Runyan – Zach Tom
This is the lineup we saw on Sunday – minus Bakhtiari – once Jenkins exited the game. LaFleur said on Monday that Newman did a “nice job” stepping in for Jenkins. PFF didn’t credit Newman with any pressures allowed, although, like the others on the offensive line, he took some lumps as a run-blocker.
The concern with Newman is his consistency. While there have been stretches of fairly steady play from him, when things go awry, they really go awry. He has experience and versatility, both of which are valuable, but he seems best suited to come off the bench and to help the Packers get through a game when needed, as he did on Sunday, versus someone Green Bay should be relying on heavily on a weekly basis.
Perhaps the Packers could look to have Sean Rhyan start at left guard as well, although Newman is clearly ahead of him on the depth chart for the first two games. With that said, I thought Rhyan outplayed Newman in training camp and the preseason. If the above is option one of three options that the Packers have, we will call putting Rhyan at left guard option 1.5.
Without David Bakhtiari:
Rasheed Walker – Royce Newman – Josh Myers – Jon Runyan – Zach Tom
As already alluded to, this was the lineup that the Packers went with against the Falcons when they were without Jenkins. There were some shaky moments early on from Walker, but he settled in, and going back to the early preseason, he has been ahead of Yosh Nijman on the depth chart.
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.
Packers Offensive Line Combination No. 3
Without Elgton Jenkins:
David Bakhtiari – Zach Tom – Josh Myers – Jon Runyan – Rasheed Walker
Of the options just discussed, this might be the least likely, given that an already inexperienced Walker would be asked to flip sides of the offensive line–where he has really no playing time.
But, again, if we reference “the best five,” as LaFleur often does, this is what that group looks like, given Green Bay’s current circumstances, with Tom obviously ahead of both Newman and Rhyan as an interior option and Walker ahead of Nijman on the depth chart going back to about halfway through training camp.
Although this lineup would require Walker to switch sides, as we’ve seen from the Packers in the past under LaFleur, with a little preparation time, this team isn’t afraid of making these type of adjustments to the offensive line.
Without David Bakhtiari:
Rasheed Walker – Zach Tom – Josh Myers – Jon Runyan – Yosh Nijman
If the goal is to keep Tom inside for the time being without Jenkins available, then if the Packers are without Bakhtiari as well, we aren’t going to see Walker at right tackle. He will stay on the left side, with Nijman taking over on the right.