As the 2023 regular season draws closer and the battle for each of the 53 roster slots heats up, the Green Bay Packers’ coaching staff is still figuring out what many of the position groups will look like come September. In an offensive line group that is high on versatility but perhaps lacking in depth, an impressive camp by Rasheed Walker can not only solidify his place on the roster but fortify an all-important unit in front of Jordan Love.
To say that Walker saw limited time in his rookie campaign would be an overstatement. After being selected in the seventh round out of Penn State, Walker played exactly four snaps last year, all on special teams in Green Bay’s 26-20 Christmas Day win over the Miami Dolphins. Walker came in with the size necessary to play tackle in the NFL — he stands 6’6” and weighs 324 lbs. — but needed time to develop. Now he needs the opportunity to play.
While that opportunity hasn’t presented itself in the regular season yet, Walker’s training camp has drawn rave reviews from the coaching staff and those plugged in to the Green Bay beat. The Packers gave him extensive playing time in their preseason-opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals, helping to spring some huge runs in the process from the right tackle position.
While there aren’t any gigantic question marks within the Packers’ offensive line, there are a handful of “Well, this might not be how it works in the long term” aspects within the unit. The dual concerns over David Bakhtiari‘s knee and his happiness in Green Bay is perhaps the biggest hurdle to clear in the future. But right now, left tackle is deservedly all his. Zach Tom‘s play is presenting decisions at both center and right tackle, as he could supplant either Josh Myers or Yosh Nijman in those respective positions. But, believe it or not, Tom can only play one of those positions at once.
Add in some ankle injuries to players like Caleb Jones and Luke Tenuta, and Walker just might be looking at an incredible opportunity. The Packers have versatility, not only with Tom being able to fill in across the line but also Elgton Jenkins also being able to do so. After a strong showing against the Bengals on Friday, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur rewarded Walker with reps at left tackle with the first-team offense this week. While Walker isn’t an heir apparent to Bakhtiari at the left bookend, LaFleur and the coaching staff wanted to see what the second-year player looked like at that premier position.
A large part of the preseason is preparing for contingencies that may arise in the coming months, and Walker has firmly entered those conversations with his play over the past week. If a starter goes down, the coaching staff would need to decided whether they want to do a one-for-one replacement — replacing an injured Bakhtiari with Walker, for example. Or they could create a complicated domino effect: Elgton Jenkins to left tackle, Zach Tom to left guard, and Walker in at right tackle, perhaps? Those contingency plans may vary throughout the regular season, and whether it’s a one-game stopgap or longer-term fix.
One place where Walker has Jenkins and Tom beat is in sheer size. He profiles as an outside tackle more than someone along the interior. As it stands, Walker is probably seventh on the O-line depth chart after Bahktiari, Jenkins, Tom, Nijman, Myers, and Jon Runyan Jr. However, it’s a position group that normally consists of nine or 10 guys. Walker still needs some seasoning, but the Green Bay coaches are quickly trying to determine if he could be called upon this season, and the front office is evaluating how Walker fits into Green Bay’s broader future.
It’s a small sample size of only one preseason game and a handful of practices, but this is all positive news about Walker. It could also bolster the reputation of a potentially remarkable 2022 draft class if Rasheed Walker could turn into a fixture in the Packers’ lineup alongside Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Zach Tom. That list doesn’t even include developing players Kingsley Enagbare, Tariq Carpenter, Sean Rhyan, and Jonathan Ford.
There’s no such thing as too many good offensive linemen. If you don’t believe me, just ask anyone who worked on the Packers’ coaching staff in recent seasons. However, Brian Gutekunst felt pretty good about the position this offseason, to the point where he went 13 picks in April’s draft without selecting a single one. Walker is showing flashes and is firmly in the mix on one of the best units in the league, which is more than you can ask for out of the 249th pick in the draft a season ago.
