People who follow the Green Bay Packers closely expected the development of their young tackles to be a big factor during training camp. From that group, Rasheed Walker has been particularly impressive. As our friend Chris Callaway wrote last week, Walker is forcing his way into the rotation. He started at left tackle over Yosh Nijman against the New England Patriots, while the Packers kept David Bakhtiari off the field as a precautionary measure.
On Saturday, Walker ended up being Green Bay’s highest-graded pass-blocker. He didn’t allow a single pressure in 21 pass-blocking snaps, and he was the best player on the field according to Packers analyst Andy Herman.
“Rasheed had a really good week of practice and we wanted to see him,” Matt LaFleur said after the game. “I talked to coach Belichick throughout the course of the week and had a pretty good indication that they were going to play their ones and we wanted to see how he would respond in that situation.”
During preseason, it’s always clear how much offensive line depth is a problem around the NFL. Backup offenses struggle to operate in large part because the difference between starters and reserves on the offensive line is much bigger than it is for defensive linemen. However, this hasn’t been a problem for the Packers, especially at tackle.
Caleb Jones and Luke Tenuta are also interesting players, but both got injured in the preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. That opened space for Walker, a former seventh-round pick for the Packers, to shine during practices and the game against New England. And he did. Hs impressive play creates flexibility and alternatives for Green Bay if he can consolidate and maintain his performance level.
Immediate options
The Packers have had problems with Josh Myers at center. Even though LaFleur downplayed it, the team tested other options throughout camp. I argued that it was smarter to keep Zach Tom at right tackle because of how valuable the position is and how well Tom has played there. But if Walker can also be a good right tackle, there is a scenario where it makes sense to move Tom inside and give the former seventh-rounder a chance. The game against the Seattle Seahawks next Saturday would be a good opportunity to test the formation.
Trade possibilities
If Walker can consistently impress, it opens up the option for the Packers to trade an offensive tackle. If offensive line depth is a problem for other teams and Green Bay has at least four starting-level tackles, if not more, it makes sense to use the surplus talent to generate value.
Walker has surpassed Nijman on the depth chart, making Nijman the perfect trade chip. Nijman isn’t under contract beyond 2023, and a trade would open up $4 million in cap space for the Packers this year. Moreover, Walker is under contract through 2025, so he is clearly a better long-term option, contract-wise.
Future considerations
The fact that Walker is young and cheap for the foreseeable future helps his cause to be a big part of the Packers’ plans beyond this season. David Bakhtiari’s contract situation is a major issue, because he’s slated to make $21.4 million in 2024, with a $40.4 million cap hit. There is a chance the Packers extend him, but the knee injury he suffered in 2020 still prevents him from a regular practice schedule, which remains a concern.
Nijman will be an unrestricted free agent, so there’s no assurance he will stay in Green Bay. If both are gone, Walker could become the starting left tackle, with Tom playing at right tackle. Walker has a pretty affordable deal, with cap hits of $890k in 2023, $1.005 million in 2024, and $1.12 million in 2025. The Packers would have two young, inexpensive, and solid options at tackle under contract for two more years.
Besides being a short-term option at backup left tackle and possibly long-term starter, Walker could also be tested as a right tackle to give the Packers even more flexibility.
It’s still early to know for sure what Rasheed Walker will become, but his development has been promising. Against the Seahawks, he is going to have another opportunity to perform against real NFL opposition, and it’s a chance for the Packers coaching staff to evaluate his progress.
