Of the many directions the Green Bay Packers could go in Round 1 of the draft, offensive line is one that people aren’t discussing. After bringing in Aaron Banks and sliding Elgton Jenkins to center, a lot of the pieces look to be in place.
Key word: looks. It’s not all as locked as it appears at first glance. Don’t be shocked if the Packers go offensive tackle in Round 1 with Josh Simmons out of Ohio State.
By all accounts, Rasheed Walker had a fine year at left tackle in 2024. Still, despite that and his emergence as a solid piece up front — especially for a seventh-round pick in 2022 — there hasn’t been much chatter about extension talks. Walker is set to be a free agent after next season.
Naturally, the pivot move would be to assume Jordan Morgan, who the Packers took in the first round last year, is the obvious candidate to get a look at left tackle.
Matt LaFleur confirmed this via Jason Wilde of Channel 3000 at the NFL owners meetings in early April.
It’s going to be a great competition. (Morgan) and ‘Sheed are going to battle it out and hopefully push each other to be that much better. Certainly, it’s something we feel like (Morgan) can do. Otherwise, we wouldn’t do it. So we’ll let them battle it out and see where it goes.
On one hand, Walker has improved year by year. In some eyes, he has probably earned the gig already.
On the other hand, Green Bay used a premium pick on Morgan. Fair or not, it needs to find out what they have in the Arizona product at some point.
There’s plenty of uncertainty about both Walker’s contract situation and Morgan’s fit at left tackle.
That’s where Simmons enters the frame.
Simmons’ transition from a right tackle who struggled at times for San Diego State to a dominant left tackle at Ohio State was eye-opening.
In six games before suffering a season-ending injury, Simmons allowed zero sacks and just one quarterback pressure. He was also flagged for only one penalty with the Buckeyes.
Simmons skyrocketed up draft boards. If you Google what some analysts thought before the injury, they had him going in the top 10.
A torn patellar tendon abruptly ended Simmons’ season, and that injury has caused his draft stock to slip slightly. Now, instead of a top-10 slot, Simmons’ value has slid to the later part of the first round. It just so happens Green Bay is selecting at No. 23.
Are there other areas that need to be tweaked via the draft more urgently than offensive line?
Yes.
The same case could’ve been made last year, and the Packers still took Morgan with their first pick.
Here’s why the Simmons pick could make all the sense in the world for Green Bay.
Right tackle Zach Tom is due a massive payday, and it’s all but a formality at this point that a deal will get done. It’s just a matter of when. You don’t let someone of Tom’s caliber just walk away in free agency and call it a day. He’s evolved into a premier right tackle and is entering the prime of his career.
Tom’s free agency also aligns with Walker’s and right guard Sean Rhyan‘s.
As good as Walker has been, the Packers may not want to spend big on two tackles after forking over a large sum of money to left guard Aaron Banks in free agency. And Rhyan’s contract situation is just as foggy as Walker’s. If Morgan doesn’t work at left tackle, he got run at right guard last year and could be slotted in if Rhyan isn’t given a new deal.
This massive domino effect would land Green Bay in a spot where it still needs a left tackle. If Simmons’s medicals all check out — and that’s a big if — the Packers would have a justifiable case for taking him in Round 1.
The last thing you want for your franchise quarterback, who just had a Brinks truck show up at his front door, to have a gigantic question mark on his blindside at left tackle. Before his injury, Simmons looked like the cream of the crop among this year’s left-tackle prospects. If he gets back to that point, he’d be a steal at No. 23.
It’s not the sexy pick. It’s not the wide receiver many are clamoring for. It’s not competition being added at edge rusher for third-year player Lukas Van Ness and veteran Rashan Gary.
However, it’s insurance if Tom gets his expected extension, the Packers hold off on anything for Walker, and Morgan doesn’t pan out at the position.
A front office should never overlook or ignore the left tackle. David Bakhtiari and Chad Clifton spoiled Green Bay for years.
Suppose there are any reservations about an extension making sense financially from Green Bay’s perspective for Walker and any added questions about Morgan at left tackle. In that case, it has to be addressed sooner rather than later.
Simmons would provide more than just reassurance. He could be the next big thing at left tackle for the Packers.
