When it rains, it pours for Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers. What was already a complicated start to the campaign has now become a true nightmare, as right tackle Zach Beko-Bewele will miss the remainder of the season.
The veteran tackle, who changed his name ahead of the season to honor his heritage, suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. He was the lone strong and proven piece on their makeshift offensive line, and that's officially a problem.
Considering the shortage of options available right now, the Packers' best shot at salvaging the season comes with a tall ask: Convincing Taylor Decker, a former divisional rival, to jump ship and join enemy lines.
The Packers desperately need Taylor Decker
Decker asked to be released earlier in the offseason after failing to strike a deal with the Detroit Lions. He claimed that he would never play for a divisional rival, but given how things ended for him in Michigan, maybe he'd want to reconsider.
The Packers could move Jordan Morgan to right tackle and let the former Pro Bowl tackle take care of business on the blindside. It would give them another proven veteran who, despite not being a star, has a long track record of success in the division.
Pro Football Focus ranked the Packers' offensive line at No. 27 after Week 1, and that was when their best player was healthy. With Bako-Bewele now nursing a major injury, what looked like a big concern is now officially a catastrophe.
The Packers have cross-trained their offensive linemen and hope to develop positional versatility. Instead, that has hurt their development at their actual positions, and they're not good enough at either spot.
It's time general manager Brian Gutekunst puts an end to this madness and gives OL coach Luke Butkus something to work with. This team can't continue to gamble on mid-round rookies and unproven guys to handle things up front.
Decker might reconsider his stance on playing for a divisional rival after watching his team move on from him and the rest of the league ignore him in free agency. Sticking it twice a year to the team that didn't want to pay him should be a big enough incentive.
Other than that, the Packers may have no choice but to try their luck with guys like Jack Conklin, though his injury history is also a major red flag. If not, they'll have to dip their toes in the trade market, but what they definitely cannot afford to do is stay put and roll it back with whoever's left on the roster.
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