When the Green Bay Packers coordinators met with the media on Tuesday, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich mentioned a strong, experienced offensive line and veteran running game as two aspects that should help Jordan Love as a first-year starter.
The Packers have heavily invested in the offensive line under Brian Gutekunst. The line took some lumps last season. Its two best players, David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins, returned from their respective ACL injuries, and the offensive staff needed to find the best alignment for the group. But by midseason, Stenavich and Co. found a solid grouping and improved drastically.
Going into 2023, all of those players are returning, but the line still has lingering questions. Of the five starting spots, only Bakhtiari and Jenkins are set. It sounds like the entire right side and center are up for grabs, because Stenavich wants to find the best spot for promising sophomore lineman Zach Tom.
As the offensive staff tries different alignments this off-season, what will it mean for current right guard Jon Runyan Jr.? Runyan has been solid in the guard position. But entering the last season of his rookie deal, it’s worth asking if Runyan has a long-term place in Green Bay.
While center, right guard, and right tackle are all up for grabs, why would Runyan specifically be in danger?
Runyan has admirably held the line at left and right guard as the team shuffled players around. Runyan started on the left but shifted to the right side after the team moved Jenkins back to left guard from right tackle. While he had a few rough games, Runyan was one of the better starting offensive linemen last season. He was much more consistent than center Josh Myers, who had a lot more valleys. And while Yosh Nijman has grown into a valuable swing tackle, the Packers benched him in favor of Tom after some injuries and a few rough games toward the end of the season.
So why is Runyan’s spot in more danger than Myers’ or Nijman’s? Runyan’s draft position and expiring contract may simply make him the odd man out. However, it ultimately comes down to Zach Tom.
Most rookies are bad. Zach Tom wasn’t! Despite playing in multiple spots, often with little notice, the Wake Forest product looked like a veteran every time he hit the field. Tom showed some beautiful pass-protection skills and improved in the run game as the season went on. He’s clearly one of Green Bay’s best five offensive linemen and could be the next great Day 3 lineman.
The question is, what is his long-term spot?
Green Bay loves versatility, but it adds an additional challenge in trying to find a talented player’s best spot. Tom played tackle and center in college, which also seem to be his best options at the pro level. But he can absolutely play guard.
According to Stenavich, Tom will compete at right guard, right tackle, and even center this off-season. It won’t affect Runyan much if he ends up at right tackle, or he’s viewed as the team’s future left tackle should the team move on from Bakhtiari.
If Tom wins the right guard job, it obviously affects Runyan a lot. But even if Tom wins the center job, which is arguably his best position, the snowball effect could still push Runyan out.
Myers was one of the more disappointing players in 2022, but his status as a second-round pick will give him a longer leash. Myers was recruited to play tackle but ended up playing center at Ohio State. Still, he could end up being a better guard than center. If Tom wins the job, there’s a high chance Stenavich tries Myers at right guard to give their investment another shot. Runyan could be relegated to a backup swing guard.
The Packers also have other options besides Tom. Sean Rhyan had a rookie season best forgotten about, but he’s still a third-round pick with high upside. Rhyan is a classic tackle-to-guard prospect that Green Bay historically loves. He’ll get his fair shot to compete for a starting guard spot, which means the right side. Jenkins isn’t getting beaten out anytime soon, and it sounds like he’s staying at guard for the foreseeable future.
Runyan is in the last year of his rookie deal, which means he’ll need an extension before the 2024 season. If the battle for the offensive line shakes out a certain way and the Packers don’t view Runyan as a long-term starter, they may choose to move on after this season.
But he has been a diamond-in-the-rough find in the sixth round, arguably one of the best picks from the often-maligned 2020 draft class. Runyan has been a reliable starter, but factors outside of his level of play could push him out of the starting lineup. Even if he maintains his spot, he might not be viewed as a long-term answer.
Whatever language you want to use about it, the Packers are building a new, young core team around Jordan Love. An experienced offensive line will help Love tremendously, and Green Bay has a deep room. Will Runyan remain part of that core? We’ll see how the position battles go.
