As the Green Bay Packers embark on their training camp, all eyes are on first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love and their promising young receivers. However, amidst the excitement, Green Bay’s development of the young offensive tackles hasn’t generated as much attention.
The Packers have followed a unique strategy of adding tall, strong, and raw players to their roster, allowing them to develop their skills over time. This approach has yielded solid results in the past, with players like Yosh Nijman becoming integral parts of the offensive line group. With several young and talented prospects fighting for roster spots, this year’s training camp promises to be an interesting opportunity for them to show what they are capable of.
“We have some really young, promising players that are going to step into new roles,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “So, I really like the nucleus of this team.”
Recently, Green Bay’s commitment to developing offensive tackles has paid off. Nijman’s story serves as a prime example of their success. At 6’7″, 314 lbs., Nijman went undrafted out of Virginia Tech in 2019. Following a year on the practice squad and another mostly on special teams, Nijman emerged as a key contributor to the offensive line group in 2021. Now, he faces competition from second-year player Zach Tom for the starting right tackle position.
The Packers continued this approach by adding three more intriguing prospects last year. They drafted Rasheed Walker, a 6’6″, 324 lb. tackle from Penn State, in the seventh round. Additionally, Caleb Jones, an undrafted former Indiana tackle, signed with the Packers and made a notable impact during the preseason. His impressive performance led to a spot on the practice squad and eventual promotion to the active roster during the season. They also added Luke Tenuta, a 6’8″, 314 lb. player also from Virginia Tech, who joined after short stints with the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts.
This year, the Packers also signed undrafted rookie Kadeem Telfort, a 6’7″, 322 lb. tackle from UAB. These young players present the Packers with the potential to have a solid offensive line for years to come without the traditional cost at the position.
Depth at the tackle position is imperative. If at least two of these young players successfully develop into reliable backup alternatives, the Packers will significantly enhance their situation. The emergence of young talent would put Green Bay in a favorable position regarding Nijman. The 6’7″, 314 lb. tackle is currently playing under a $4 million restricted free-agent tender and will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason. If the Packers feel confident about the progress of their younger options, it would be pragmatic to use Nijman as a trade asset. This would not only free up cap space but also provide an opportunity to acquire additional draft capital.
“If I’ve learned anything over my time, it’s that you better have seven (starting-level offensive linemen),” Gutekunst added. “You’re going to need all seven before the end of it. Whether you call them starters or not-starters, you’re going to need seven by the time it’s done.”
Last year, David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins were still recovering from injury, and the coaching staff was not comfortable with Tom yet. Therefore, they opted to move Royce Newman to right tackle — and it ended up being a massive failure. This year, the same problem will not happen again with so many better options. If Newman plays, it’ll be at his preferred position as a guard.
Another important factor is continuity. The Packers have kept all their group from last year, so there is a natural expectation for internal growth.
“It’s actually great,” said Packers offensive line coach Luke Butkus. “To have some unity and some cohesion in that room, getting guys back, hearing the same language, talking the same language, getting everybody on the same page. It’s been awesome.”
As the Green Bay Packers begin their training camp, the developmental offensive tackles take an important stage, offering an intriguing aspect to watch amid greater expectations surrounding Jordan Love and the young receivers. It’s a fascinating story, even though Gutekunst didn’t draft any offensive lineman for the first time since he became Green Bay’s main decision-maker.
