Other players were able to step up when the Green Bay Packers lost All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari and Pro Bowl left guard Elgton Jenkins to knee injuries in 2020–2021. Yosh Nijman filled in at left tackle at the time, and Jon Runyan Jr. wore a left guard.
Billy Turner at right tackle and Royce Newman, a rookie at right guard, kept the right side of the line in check. Josh Myers and Lucas Patrick split the center responsibilities in 2021, while Corey Linsley won the award before leaving on a free agent in 2020.
The offensive line and the team as a whole have undergone numerous changes as of the year 2023.
But the Packers have once again been forced to play without their top two offensive linemen.
They have been replaced by fresh, young offensive linemen who have given Jordan Love the best pass protection in the NFL.
The Green Bay Packers’ offensive line receives the highest ranking from PFF.
Every week, PFF updates its ranking of the NFL’s offensive lines. The Packers have consistently been in the top three of these rankings, but many expected them to falter after losing Bakhtiari and Jenkins and playing against the formidable New Orleans Saints defense.
Although Bakhtiari’s availability for play is unknown and Jenkins will undoubtedly miss Thursday’s game, PFF ranked the Packers’ offensive line as the best in Week 4:.
The injured David Bakhtiari was replaced by second-year left tackle Rasheed Walker.
On 55 dropbacks, Walker gave up just one pressure.
With a 93 point pass blocking efficiency rating after three weeks, the Packers’ offensive line is in first place in the NFL.
Zach Tom is the best player.
This year, Tom hasn’t let anyone sack him or hit the quarterback.
Both Newman and Myers’ names are highlighted in red in the PFF rankings, indicating they are the weak links in the chain. This is undoubtedly the case given that Myers has performed poorly since being selected and that Newman was a possible roster cut heading into the season.
The results, however, are difficult to dispute.
The line has performed well in pass protection regardless of who is in there, and Love has only been sacked three times this season.
Zach Tom was hurt during the New Orleans Saints game.
During the victory over the New Orleans Saints, Zach Tom sustained an injury. He sustained a knee injury, but it wasn’t as severe as what Bakhtiari and Jenkins had.
Tom wouldn’t have practiced if the Packers had, according to head coach Matt LaFleur, even though they did not. Tom was listed on the team’s injury report as a limited participant as of yesterday’s walk-through.
He appears to be leaning toward performing on Thursday night.
How Do David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins’ Futures Affect the Green Bay Packers?
Jenkins’ future with the Packers is assured for the foreseeable future after the Packers signed him to a sizable contract extension last season. He is a freak athlete who can perform at a Pro Bowl level at all five positions on the offensive line.
Bakhtiari’s final year in Green Bay is probably this one. Even if he were fully healthy this season, the Packers couldn’t afford his $40 million cap hit.
Rasheed Walker, a second-year left tackle who was selected in the seventh round of last year’s draft, has performed admirably in Bakhtiari’s absence despite the possibility of an extension.
For many years to come, Walker is probably going to hold down the left tackle position.