While the offseason still has a few weeks to play out, it seems like the Green Bay Packers mostly have their starting offensive line alignment figured out.
It’s clear that Zach Tom is one of the team’s best five linemen, but the question was where he would play. Despite still getting first-team reps at right tackle, center, and even guard, Tom looks like the team’s starting right tackle. This leaves Yosh Nijman as the team’s main swing tackle, which is a good thing to have, especially with the team heavily monitoring David Bakhtiari‘s situation on a day-to-day basis.
The Packers are blessed with three great starting tackle options and promising backup and swing tackle options. The preseason is a great reminder that half of the teams in the NFL don’t have one great starter. Offensive line depth is really neat; Green Bay has dealt with lingering injuries to their stars. And also that a fully healthy offensive line in 2020 probably means a Super Bowl appearance (I am sad now).
But should Green Bay not share their offensive line wealth with the rest of the league? Stocking up on 2024 draft picks is crucial, and Gutekunst is always wheeling and dealing. Should the Packers consider finding a trade partner for one of their spare offensive linemen?
Traditionally, the Packers are one of the league’s best teams at finding and nurturing offensive line talent. Good big men are a staple in Green Bay, which gives them a packed group compared to the rest of the league. It’s nice to have a packed stable in case of emergency, but there’s also value in getting some capital from guys you don’t expect to play.
This winter, we often talked about how 2024 picks might be more valuable to the Packers than 2023 ones. That’s a major evaluation year. In the first year of the post-Aaron Rodgers era, it’s good for the team to survey what they have to decide who factors into their long-term plans. Keep in mind that the team already has the extra pick from the Rodgers trade.
By next year’s draft, the Packers will have a much better idea of whether or not Jordan Love is “the guy,” so to speak. If he is, Green Bay can use that extra capital to build a contending team around him. If he’s not, they can use the extra capital to find their guy.
Every pick counts, whether it’s an early-round pick used to get someone who can contribute immediately or a later-round pick to get role players or to trade up in the higher rounds.
Gutekunst isn’t a stranger to selling players in late August. In 2021, he traded cornerback Josh Jackson to the New York Giants for a seventh-rounder and CB Ka’dar Hollman to the Houston Texans for another seventh-rounder. In 2022, he traded offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen to the Jacksonville Jaguars for, you guessed it, a seventh-rounder.
Offensive linemen are always needed around the league, so that’s the best position to work with. The question is which linemen should the Packers be shopping?
Yosh Nijman would be the most impactful option, who the team has honed into a quality starter. While no team was willing to deal a second-round pick after Nijman signed his second-round tender, teams might be a little more open after seeing how injuries and position battles have played out this summer. Nijman’s contract is team-friendly, a one-year deal worth $4.3 million, and a team would have first crack at signing him to a long-term deal. A Day 2 pick wouldn’t be an unreasonable cost for a tackle-needy team.
The con is obviously that Nijman is extremely valuable as a swing tackle in Green Bay, especially with Bakhtiari’s injury situation. If Bakhtiari misses time, the Packers would want Nijman to take over. And we don’t know the team’s long-term plan with Bakhtiari. If Green Bay moves on from their stalwart left tackle in 2024, Nijman is the best option to take over as the starter.
Personally, I think Bakhtiari should stay in the team’s long-term plans. And Green Bay has been exploring their other swing tackle options recently. Just this week, 2022 seventh-round pick Rasheed Walker has seen some first-team snaps. Matt LaFleur said Walker’s play earned him a chance, especially with Bakhtiari and Caleb Jones not practicing. If the team sees Walker as the next Nijman-type, they could feel more comfortable with dealing Nijman.
Beyond Nijman, Royce Newman and Jake Hanson make sense as trade bait.
Newman’s stint in Green Bay has trended the wrong way after starting at guard for most of his rookie year. Newman has plummeted down the depth chart and, unfortunately, proven to be a liability when called up to the starting lineup. Newman looks like the primary backup guard, as we saw on Family Night. But Sean Rhyan is likely gaining steam, and Rhyan has the higher upside. Neither played well in the first preseason game, but I’d stick with Rhyan.
While Newman might not be an amazing player, he’s probably better than what a lot of teams have, and he might not be on the team by Week 1 anyway. If Gutekunst can get a seventh-round pick for Newman, he should do it.
Similarly, Hanson is a player the team seems to like, but he hasn’t had great results when given an opportunity. The interior offensive line depth isn’t as good as the tackle depth, but the Packers could afford to trade Hanson for a seventh-rounder. But the Packers aren’t happy with what they have at center, working out a few options and having Josh Myers compete with Zach Tom. The team may choose to hold onto Hanson just because of a lack of other backup center options.
Whether they look to trade their primary swing tackle or some depth interior pieces, Gutekunst should be looking to maximize his offensive line depth for 2024 draft capital. Nijman fills an important role but may not factor into the team’s long-term plans. Newman and Hanson are backups that might not make the final roster. Surely, it’s a market worth exploring.
