On Thursday, the Green Bay Packers announced the signing of offensive tackle Andre Dillard. He has played three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and one with the Tennessee Titans.
Dillard is versatile, which Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst value, but he joins the Packers more as a rotational depth player than a likely starter. He will probably need to compete for a 53-man roster spot.
Dillard had his best season with the Eagles in 2021, earning average Pro Football Focus grades of 65.4 for run blocking and 71.7 for pass blocking. His pass-blocking grades notably surged to 84.7 in 2022. However, Dillard only had 11 pass-blocking snaps throughout the year.
He struggled in Tennessee last season, especially as a pass blocker. Dillard earned a pass-blocking grade of 44.6 or lower in five weeks of the season. In addition to his pass-blocking issues, Dillard received a run-blocking grade of 50 or lower in five games throughout the year.
Last season, he allowed 12 sacks, tying for the most among offensive tackles, and allowed 41 pressures. His performance in run blocking ranked him as the 54th-best offensive lineman in the league.
Dillard has played snaps at left tackle and both guard positions throughout his career. However, his addition to the Packers doesn’t fully address their offensive line needs. Green Bay can potentially move him around, but Dillard alone doesn’t provide a comprehensive solution. The Packers reportedly believe Zach Tom has Hall of Fame potential at center, suggesting a need to find a new right tackle.
Moreover, there’s a pressing necessity to fortify the interior offensive line. Although Sean Rhyan has shown promise as a run-blocker, he still requires further development in pass protection, with a career 50.8 run-blocking grade and a 42.5 pass-blocking grade, according to PFF. Additionally, Josh Myers has displayed inconsistency throughout his career, performing as an average pass-blocker and below-average run-blocker.
Green Bay has 10 offensive linemen under contract for 2024. Among the tackles, only Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker, and Andre Dillard have starting experience in the league. The Packers currently have Sean Rhyan, Elgton Jenkins, and Royce Newman as guards. While Jenkins is recognized as one of the best guards in the league, the Packers still require additional depth for competition — and potentially even a starter. Rhyan is still in need of development. Despite showing promise as a run blocker, he requires further refinement in pass protection. Additionally, Royce Newman’s career blocking grades hover around 60.2 at best.
If the Packers intend for Dillard to fulfill the role of a swing tackle, he could potentially serve as Rasheed Walker’s backup. However, even with this arrangement, Green Bay would still lack a valuable backup for Zach Tom if he remains at tackle. Alternatively, if the Packers move Dillard inside to guard, they would likely need to acquire at least two additional tackles to provide adequate depth at the position.
Regardless, the interior of the line would still require competition and depth. Moreover, if Green Bay decides to move Dillard inside to guard and Tom slides inside as well, the Packers would need a starting tackle.
The Dillard signing shouldn’t alter Green Bay’s draft strategy, especially considering their pressing need for offensive linemen. Last year, the Packers didn’t select any O-linemen in the draft, which certainly won’t happen again this week. The Packers need at least one tackle and two interior linemen. While Dillard adds experience and versatility, he’s neither a guaranteed starter nor enough insurance, which doesn’t change the imperative of spending a few of those 11 2024 draft picks on offensive linemen.
