If Matt LaFleur wants the Green Bay Packers to focus on running the football more during the 2020 season, then the interior offensive line will have a critical role to play. The Packers retained Lane Taylor and improved the depth in the middle of its line by selecting a center and two guards in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Packers Wire predicts Green Bay’s depth chart at interior offensive lineman for the 2020 season:
C1: Corey Linsley
At the conclusion of the 2020 season, Linsley will become an unrestricted free agent. Unfortunately for the Packers, the former Ohio State standout is not the only player who will see his contract with Green Bay expire. Aaron Jones, David Bakhtiari, Kevin King, and Kenny Clark will also be free agents. Linsley has been really good at the center position for the Packers over his career. In each of his six seasons with Green Bay, Pro Football Focus has given the center a grade of over 73.0. If Linsley once again performs at a high level, it is hard to imagine him not returning to play in the Green and Gold.
RG1: Billy Turner
After starting all 16 games last season for the Packers, Turner is the favorite to earn the starting position at right guard. However, the Minnesota native still has a lot of work to do before he secures his spot at the top of the depth chart. During the 2019 season, Turner didn’t play to the level that Packer fans had hoped for. According to PFF, Turner gave up a team-high six sacks last year. If the 6-foot-5 guard doesn’t show some improvement, LaFleur may opt to replace him.
LG1: Elgton Jenkins
During a recent virtual press conference, Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari spoke very highly of Jenkins. “He can be as good as he wants to be. He is very naturally gifted. I think a thing that separates him is instincts as a football player,” Bakhtiari said. Bakhtiari also told reporters that Jenkins’ play in year two could propel Green Bay’s line to another level of dominance. In 2019, Jenkins played well enough to be recognized by PFF as one of the best left guards in the NFL. The Mississippi State product’s overall grade ranked him in the top ten for his position.
G3: Lane Taylor
The return of Taylor makes the battle for starting right guard a lot more interesting.Turner is still the favorite to win the job, but Taylor is not too far behind. The 30-year-old guard was a starter last year until he suffered an arm injury that ended his season. Taylor – who recently agreed to restructure the final year of his contract – will bring experience to the Packers’ locker room in 2020, even if he doesn’t earn the starting job.
G4: Lucas Patrick
In the 2020 season, Patrick will likely serve as a valuable backup at guard and center. In 2019, the former Duke lineman appeared in 14 games. Patrick was signed by Green Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2016, but steady improvements have allowed the 6-foot-3 guard to find a spot on the Packers’ roster each of the last three seasons. Patrick recently signed a contract extension with Green Bay in December of 2019. The new deal means that Patrick will be under contract through the 2021 season.
G5: Jon Runyan
Many experts didn’t like the Packers’ 2020 draft class. The selection of Jordan Love in the first round and AJ Dillion in the second round puzzled many people. However, the pick of Runyan was widely viewed as a great move. At Michigan, the 6-foot-4 guard appeared in 34 games with 26 career starts. He was also named a two-time All-Big Ten honoree. Runyan may have limited opportunities in his rookie season, but he could be the future at guard for the Packers.
C2: Jake Hanson
Barring injury, Hanson probably won’t see much playing time at center in the 2020 season. The 208th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft had a terrific career at Oregon. He earned the starting center job as a redshirt freshman and started 49 games over the course of his four seasons in Eugene. If the Packers don’t re-sign Linsley during this offseason, then Hanson could become Green Bay’s starting center as soon as the 2021 season.
G6: Cole Madison
Madison has missed most of the last two seasons. In 2018, he took the season off to focus on his mental health. In 2019, he suffered a torn ACL and was placed on IR. Because he has yet to even participate in a game and the Packers just selected two guards in the draft, Madison will have to battle for his roster spot.
G7: Simon Stepaniak
The Packers have good depth at the guard position, so Stepaniak’s rookie year will likely be focused on developing skills instead of immediately contributing. At Indiana, Stepaniak started 31 career games and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior. If the 6-foot-4 guard is able to improve in his rookie season, he could be ready to help the Packers line in the future.
G8: Zack Johnson
The Packers signed Johnson on April 29th. At North Dakota State, he played in 54 games and started the final 46 games of his career. In camp, the former NDSU star will fight with other rookies for a roster spot. Look for him to be a solid practice squad member with the potential to move up in the coming years.