In the wake of David Bakhtiari and Yosh Nijman‘s departure, the Green Bay Packers enter the 2024 season with five offensive tackles under contract: Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker, Luke Tenuta, Caleb Jones, and Kadeem Telfort.
With a combined total of 37 career starts, Tom and Walker are set to be Green Bay’s starting tackles for next season. Conversely, Jones, Tenuta, and Telfort have zero career starts.
Green Bay has a strong starting tandem at tackle with Tom and Walker. In 2023, they earned pass-blocking grades above 73.8 from Pro Football Focus. Tom excelled further with a 75.9 run-blocking grade and a 77.8 overall offensive grade. Remarkably, they allowed only five QB hits throughout the regular season.
Under Brian Gutekunst, the Packers haven’t selected an offensive tackle within the top 100 picks. However, it looks increasingly likely that they’ll break that trend, particularly given the team’s pressing need for depth. Green Bay’s playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers highlighted its lack of dependable depth. Tom’s injury disrupted the team’s offensive flow, visibly affecting Jordan Love‘s performance.
Heading into the draft, the Packers face more pressing needs than just offensive tackle. Their uncertainty at safety next to Xavier McKinney is one area of concern. Quay Walker also served as Green Bay’s primary off-ball linebacker last season, but his performance was below average, and PFF gave him a 58.5 grade. Furthermore, the Packers have only four interior offensive linemen under contract for the upcoming season. Royce Newman has struggled across all phases of the game, and Sean Rhyan’s pass-blocking grade fell below 45 last year.
The Packers have two starting-caliber tackles, but the team should remain open to addressing the tackle position early in the draft if the right value presents itself. With at least six offensive tackles projected to go in the first round, there’s ample opportunity to secure top-tier talent. The last time the Packers drafted an offensive tackle in the first round was in 2011, so it’s rare for Green Bay to address its offensive line on Day 1. However, this year presents intriguing prospects like Graham Barton and Troy Fautanu, who possess the versatility that Gutekunst typically values in offensive linemen. If the Packers select one of these prospects, they could address two offensive line needs with a single selection.
Green Bay’s successful history of finding talent in the late rounds is a counterpoint to drafting offensive linemen early. They drafted Bakhtiari, Tom, Walker, Corey Linsley, and Josh Sitton on Day 3. Therefore, why should the Packers attempt to fix what isn’t broken? Green Bay has demonstrated a knack for identifying and developing offensive line talent in later rounds, suggesting that they may be able to address their needs without investing high draft capital.
Considering that most elite tackle prospects are expected to be selected before Green Bay’s pick at 25, the Packers would likely need to trade up to secure one. However, investing significant draft capital in this endeavor may not be prudent, especially considering Green Bay’s track record of successfully finding talent in later rounds. That’s particularly significant given the team’s needs at linebacker, interior offensive line, and in the secondary.
Tackles are poised to be highly coveted by numerous NFL teams, and the Packers are no exception. If the right value presents itself when Green Bay is on the clock, there’s every reason for Gutekunst to pursue a tackle selection. But he must proceed cautiously, ensuring he doesn’t reach for a prospect who might still be available on Day 2. Should the value not align with the Packers’ needs in the first round, trading down becomes a viable option. That could enable Green Bay to acquire multiple tackles with the right value, thereby fortifying their depth and mitigating the risk of potential injuries to Tom and Walker.
