It is officially the month of the draft, which means in just a few short weeks, the Packers will have several new additions to their roster. Many around the league expect the Packers to target pass rushers, pass catchers, and cornerbacks in this year’s draft. Green Bay has needs at each of these positions. They still lack a proven number-one wide receiver. Their pass rush also left a lot to be desired. And with the uncertainty of Jaire Alexander’s status on the team, they certainly could add to help bolster that room. One position not listed is offensive line.
Say what you want about mock drafts, but some of the most tuned-in draft experts around the league expect the Packers to target these needs. ESPN’s Field Yates most recently projected the Packers to take edge rusher Mykel Williams out of Georgia. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler predicts the Packers will take defensive tackle Derrick Harmon out of Oregon. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com thinks the Packers will go with cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. from East Carolina. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. mocked wide receiver Emeka Egbuka out of Ohio State to the Packers.
While many experts have the Packers targeting those three positions, one notable mock draft that came out recently went against the grain. ESPN’s Matt Miller projected the Packers to take offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, Jr. out of Texas. Miller also wrote, “The Packers are entering the last year of Rasheed Walker’s contract, and rumors around the league have Green Bay drafting a tackle early.”
This suggestion might have fans very confused. Just last year, the Packers drafted an offensive tackle in the first round. They also went out and spent a significant amount of money on a guard. Some would argue that the Packers already have six offensive linemen capable of starting, so would they actually go out and use another premium pick on an offensive lineman? They should.
The Offensive Line is a Strength…Or Is It?
While the offensive line might not look like a need on the surface, it is quietly one of the bigger needs. Jordan Morgan spent much of last season injured, so he’s still a wild card. Josh Myers left in free agency, which means a change is coming at center. The Packers did bring in Aaron Banks to be a starting guard but until we see him play, it’s fair to be skeptical. Yes, some key players are returning; however, a decent amount of uncertainty remains.
The Packers do have quality options for their 2025 offensive line in Rasheed Walker, Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, Aaron Banks, and Jordan Morgan. After those six, though, yikes. The depth amongst the offensive line was exposed in the Packers’ playoff loss to the Eagles. Travis Glover and Kadeem Telfort were underwhelming, to say the least. Jacob Monk became a weekly inactive toward the end of the season. After that are a bunch of names many fans haven’t even heard of. Having six starting-caliber offensive linemen is great, but it’s always important to build depth.
After next season, the offensive line looks a lot less certain. As things stand today, after the 2025 season, Rasheed Walker, Zach Tom, and Sean Rhyan are all slated to become unrestricted free agents. While it’s expected that the Packers to extend Zach Tom, that still leaves the future of two key contributors up in the air. In addition, Elgton Jenkins will be 30 years old and has a cap hit of $24,800,000. Even if his transition from guard to center is seamless, he would be making almost $7,000,000 more than the league’s next highest paid center. The odds of him being on the 2026 roster with that cap number are not high.
The offensive line should be a relative strength of the 2025 Green Bay Packers. Regardless of how they decide to configure their offensive line, they have flexibility and versatility that should allow this group to perform at a high level. Even so, that strength could become a need very quickly. The Packers are only two injuries away from having to send Telfort or Glover out for meaningful snaps. We saw it once, and it wasn’t pretty.
Finding the Draft Day Fit
Teams are always looking for quality offensive linemen. Waiting until there is a hole to fill is not the smart way to do business. The Packers may be looking at multiple holes a year from now, so they shouldn’t wait. They have three picks inside the top 100, and they should strongly consider using one of them on an offensive lineman. That doesn’t mean they have to use their first-rounder, but they shouldn’t wait until rounds four through seven to address the position.
Dane Brugler recently updated his top 100 players and it contains 15 offensive linemen, which means there are a number of options within the top 100 picks. The Packers typically target college tackles with strong athletic traits and the ability to play multiple spots. Some of the top guys will likely go before the Packers pick at 23, but there are still several options the Packers should consider at 23, 54, or 87. Amongst those options are:
Will Campbell, LSU
Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
Armand Membou, Missouri
Tate Ratledge, Georgia
Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
Josh Simmons, Ohio St.
Jared Wilson, Georgia
Grey Zabel, North Dakota St.
Each of these options possesses good size and elite athleticism. Some of these options, like Zabel and Wilson, are best suited for the interior. Other guys, like Campbell and Ersery, are probably going to be tackles only. Many of these guys do possess the athleticism and versatility to become quality players at multiple positions, which is exactly what the Packers look for. Don’t be surprised if one of these guys is a Green Bay Packer on April 24 or 25.
Retool and Reload
The Packers have shown an innate ability at finding diamonds in the rough with day three draft picks. They always seem to have the next plug-and-play guy waiting in the wings. Rasheed Walker, Zach Tom, and David Bakhtiari all come to mind when thinking of late-round picks who became starters. They shouldn’t rely on late picks to retool their offensive line, though. While they have found some gems, they have also found some duds. Does anyone remember Cole Van Lanen, Jake Hanson, or Simon Stepaniak? Finding those gems is not a given.
They should continue to reload the offensive line this year by attacking that position early. General Manager Brian Gutekunst must consider long-term needs just as much as short-term ones. The offensive line may not be a massive need for 2025, but it certainly is for 2026 and beyond. Drafting another offensive lineman early would probably not be celebrated by a majority of Packer’s diehards. “The Packers just used another high pick on a backup offensive lineman?” While it might not be a popular pick, it might very well be the right one, and fans should not be surprised if they see that position called on draft night.
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