The offensive line of 2017 was a mess, but a predictable
mess because the offensive line has been Ted Thompson’s red-headed stepchild
since he became Head Honcho in 2005 and released All-Pro right guard Marco
Rivera and left guard Mike Wahle right off the bat to sabotage Mike Sherman and
it worked as the Packers fell from 10-6-0 and 13 straight years of .500 or
better teams and four straight playoff appearances to 4-12-0 and the beginning
of two straight non-playoff teams.
He signed his first two unrestricted free agents to replace
Rivera and Wahle in Adrian Klemm from the Patriots and Matt O’Dwyer from the
Bucs and both crapped out with 2005 seventh round draft pick Will Whitticker
winning the job to replace Rivera after O’Dwyer didn’t even make it out of training
camp and Klemm being replaced at midseason by 2004 seventh round draft pick
center Scott Wells.
It took five seasons of flux before Josh Sitton took over
right guard and two seasons before Daryn Colledge took over left guard.
2016 ended with the Packers losing to the Falcons in the
conference title game. The offensive line (L to R) was David Bakhtiari, Lane
Taylor (an undrafted free agent from 2013 that had just two starts under his
belt prior to taking over for Sitton, who was mysteriously cut just before the
season opener and signed with the Bears). JC Trettor, T.J. Lang and Bryan
Bulaga when the season ended.
Immediately Lang and Trettor were allowed to leave as free
agents to sign with the Lions and Browns, respectively. Thompson then signed former
Saints All-Pro Jahri Evans to replace Lang. He was serviceable, but faded
towards the end of the season before missing the final two games. The only
offensive lineman to start all 16 games was center Corey Linsley. And Thompson
didn’t sign a backup center.
The season began with Bakhtiari, Taylor, Linsely, Evans and
Bulaga as the starting offensive line. Bulaga got hurt during the game and
basically missed the next three games (although he started Week 3, but dropped
out almost immediately) with journeyman guard Justin McCray taking over at
right tackle during that stretch. He returned to start four straight games, but
tore his knee in Week 9 and missed the rest of the season.
Week 2 opened with Kyle Murphy playing left tackle because
Bakhtiari injured himself celebrating the Seahawk win and missed the next four
games. He returned to start the last 12.
Week 3 had Murphy at left tackle and McCray taking over
Bulaga at right tackle. Week 4 had Taylor moving to left tackle when Murphy got
hurt and Lucas Patrick starting at left guard because undrafted free agent Adam
Pankey was the only actual tackle on the roster after being called up from the
practice squad and he wasn’t ready to play (red-headed stepchild) and McCray
again starting at right tackle.
Week 5 had Taylor
again at left tackle with McCray moving to left guard and Bulaga returning to
right tackle. Week 6 was the fateful game against the Vikings and ironically it
was the second game the starting offensive line was together with Bakhtiari,
Taylor, Linsley, Evans and Bulaga starting.
Week 7 saw Taylor
going down with McCray again starting at left guard. After the bye week the
starting unit was together again in Week 9, but that would be the last time
because Bulaga went down for the count. Week 10 saw McCray taking over at right
tackle again and Taylor returning to left guard. Week 11 saw that unit together
again. Week 12 saw McCray hurt and Jason Spriggs starting at right tackle. Week
13, 14, 15 had Spriggs still at right tackle. Week 16 saw Evans go down, so
McCray started at right guard.
The final week of the season the starting offensive line was
2013 #4 David Bakhtiari at left tackle, undrafted free agent Lane Taylor at
left guard, 2014 #5 Corey Linsley at center, undrafted free agent Lucas Patrick
at right guard and undrafted free agent/former AFL player guard Justin McCray
at right tackle.
The reserves were Dillon Day, who was signed off the Broncos
practice squad on Dec. 20, at center, undrafted free agent Lucas Patrick at
guard, Colts 2014 #7 pick Ulrick John, who was signed off the Cardinals practice
squad on Sept. 26 at tackle and undrafted free agent Adam Pankey, who was
activated off the practice squad on Sept. 13, at both guard and tackle.
On the practice squad was 2017 #6 guard Kofi Amichia. During the season Eagles 2016 undrafted free agent
guard Darrell Greene and Steelers 2017 undrafted free agent defensive end who
was converted to offensive tackle Francis Kallon were signed and released. Also
released was T Don Barclay from injured reserve.
On injured reserve were tackles Bryan
Bulaga (knee surgery), Kyle Murphy (foot) and Jason Spriggs (knee surgery).
TACKLES:
David Bakhtiari is 26 and signed a
4-year $51.67
million contract extension to 2020 at the beginning of the season and, except
for being stupid, he’s considered one of the top left tackles.
Bryan
Bulaga is 28 and has two years left on a 5-year, $33,750,000 free agent
contract he signed after his rookie contract ran out. He has only played the
entire season twice and that was his rookie season when he wasn’t a starter and
in 2016. He is been on injured reserve three times missing seven games in 2012
with a fracture left hip, the entire 2013 season with a left knee injury and
last year missing 11 games with a right knee injury. He also missed four games
in 2011 with a left knee cap injury, one game in 2014 with a concussion and
four games in 2015 with a left knee meniscus
injury. A decision will have to be made about him, but my guess is he will
return since he is considered one of the better right tackles when he is
healthy.
Jason Spriggs is 23 and has two
years left on his rookie contract. He was considered a bust at left tackle
until he returned from a hamstring injured and started four games at right
tackle with decent results. However, he suffered a severe knee injury and might
be lost for next season.
Kyle Murphy is 24 and has two
years left on his rookie contract. He played real well at left tackle until he
suffered a foot injury. He might be the answer at right tackle if Bulaga is
released.
Ulrick John is just a body. He didn’t
play much even with all the injuries at tackle.
GUARDS:
Lane Taylor is 28 and signed a
3-year, $16,500,000 contract extension before the season. He is a decent left
guard, but will never be an All-Pro.
Jahri Evans is 34 and should be at
the end of the line. He was named to the Saints 50th Anniversary Team and will
be elected into the Saints Hall of Fame when he retires, but has been on the
downslide for three years now. He finished the season with an ankle injury. I
think he shouldn’t be re-signed.
Justin McCray is 25 and has only
played one season in the NFL and that was last year with the Packers. He began
his career in 2014 as an undrafted free agent and spent his rookie season on
the Titans practice squad. He was cut in 2015 and spent that year out of
football. He spent 2016 with the Orlando Predators of the Arena League and had
signed with the Tampa Bay Storm before the Packers called. He played very well
for the Packers at left guard (2 games), right tackle (5 games) and right guard
(1 game) and is currently a free agent. I would re-sign him quickly.
Lucas Patrick is 24 and spent 2016
on the practice squad. I thought he played well enough when he started at both
guards. I think he is worth keeping for the time being.
Kofi Amichia is 23 and was a sixth
round draft pick who spent the entire season on the practice squad. With all
the injuries he wasn’t considered an option. The KISS ASS LOCAL MEDIA had nice
things to say about him, but I’m a guessing that was just the crap they were
fed by Ted Thompson. He’s still under contract, so he will be kept I guess.
CENTERS:
Corey Linsley is 26 and signed a
3-year, $25,500,000 contract extension after the season. He has been durable,
except for missing seven games in 2016.with a hamstring injury giving JC
Tretter a chance. He is the starting center for the foreseeable future.
Dillon Day is 26 and was signed off
the Broncos practice squad and was inactive for the last two games. He was a
Broncos undrafted free agent in 2015 and spent 2015 and 2016 on their practice
squad. He was inactive for three games with the Broncos early in the season
before being cut and picked up by the Colts who cut him after 12 days. He is
just a body.
To Sum It Up: Ted Thompson left
the Packers with Corey Linsley, Lane Taylor, David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga
signed for at least two years. That leaves right guard as the only open
position, if Bulaga can recover from his knee injury.
The Packers don’t normally draft a
guard high and the Packers are thinking of re-signing Evans. I think someone
younger with an upside will be out there in free agency.
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