Speed and athleticism are almost as important as strength in a zone blocking scheme"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections The APC PodcastPackers Film RoomFantasy Football AdviceCSTShareTweetShareShareFriday Cheese Curds: Packers looking to add athleticism to offensive line Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY SportsWhen your franchise quarterback is the top paid player in the NFL http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-justin-vogel-jersey , protecting that investment is a top priority.That precisely what the Green Bay Packers will be looking to do in the offseason, in particular during the NFL Draft.The Packers have a need at guard as well as right tackle since Bryan Bulaga’s body seems to be failing him at times. He’s still one of the best tackles in the league when he’s healthy but the team just can’t count on him be available for all 16 games.As the NFL Scouting Combine continues, Green 12th pick—Packers WireWhile you never say never, it’s difficult to imagine Green Bay trading down from their original draft position for a second year in a row.Ron Zook joins Salt Lake Stallions coaching staff—24/7 SportsI hate to say this, but Salt Lake is the AAF affiliate of the Green Bay Packers.Cadbury, Oreo manufacturer seeks paid ‘Chocolate Taster’—UPISign us up, please. It’s a long offseason. However Womens J'Mon Moore Jersey , David Bakhtiari did confirm that he’s the elite left tackle in the NFL."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections The APC PodcastPackers Film RoomFantasy Football Advicethat he’s the elite left tackle in the NFL.CSTShareTweetShareSharePackers 2018 Roster Grades: Offensive Line was average as Packers struggledJeff Hanisch-USA TODAY SportsOver the next two weeks, Acme Packing Company will take a look each position group on the Green Bay Packers and provide insight into how they performed during the 2018 season. Today, we examine the tight ends.After a strong 2017, even with a plethora of injuries, the Packers seemed to feel confident with the offensive line going into 2018. However, the 2018 season ended up with some mixed reviews. Let’s give a quick overall recap before getting into the individual notes.David Bakhtiari has taken over the mantle from the recently retired Joe Thomas as the best pass blocker in the NFL and we saw a significant improvement from center Corey Linsley, as well. Lane Taylor and Bryan Bulaga played through various injuries for a good chunk of the season as they held down their respective positions. We also saw the team find a couple of competent backups that could make some waves while looking for a starting position in the future.The Packers moved on from right guard Jahri Evans in hopes that Justin McCray would take a hold of the position. His play wasn’t anything special and he struggled with injuries. McCray could not get the position back after he was healthy and the Packers turned to the left side too well. That doesn’t seem to be a big deal though as Bakhtiari doesn’t look to let go of the left tackle spot anytime soon. While Spriggs still didn’t look like as good as the starters when he played http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-jk-scott-jersey , he has adapted to the NFL over the past few seasons and has shown some promise to possibly taking over at the right tackle spot whenever the Packers move on from Bryan Bulaga. Hopefully, he continues to make progress under new offensive line coach Adam Stenavich otherwise he’ll be destined for a swing tackle role if he sticks around after his contract expires next season.Lucas Patrick, GuardLucas Patrick seems to be progressing similarly to Jason Spriggs. He started slow in his first couple seasons and now has developed into the top reserve for the interior of the offensive line. While he played well in his limited starts, you can see that he needs to improve his footwork and pass blocking to get a permanent starting spot. Patrick started two games at right guard and two games at left guard throughout the season. He has a similar style to Lane Taylor where he is a better run blocker but, being inside, he can have some cracks in his pass protection as he will get help from the center depending on the call. His versatility in the interior makes him valuable and follows a similar path as past reserves who stepped into a starting position. Justin McCray, GuardJustin McCray had a tough 2018. McCray looked to be the next young player to step up and take hold of an open position but injuries got in his way. He started the season at right guard but was replaced by Pankey Kevin King Jersey , Nico Siragusa, Cole MadisonThese five got little to no playing time in 2018. Alex Light and Adam Pankey got a few snaps here and there but nothing significant. The bright spot is the Packers seemed high on those two at the end of the year and will bring good competition for the reserve positions. Gerhard de Beer, who easily wins the best name on the team award, and Nico Siragusa were signed late in the year and will look to make some noise in OTAs and training camp. Cole Madison never reported to the team due to personal issues. Hopefully, he gets those issues taken care of and can show people why the Packers took him in the fourth round last year.OVERALL GRADE: B-minusThe Packers offensive line has some mixed results throughout the 2018 season but they were definitely not a black eye for the offense. They did struggle giving up 53 sacks this years, but they also did have Aaron Rodgers holding onto the ball longer than usual and they also threw the ball the third most times in the league. Even with the fewest rushing attempts in the league, they paved the way for the running backs to average five yards per attempt Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey White , the second highest yards per attempt in the league. Sure a lot of that might be due to Aaron Jones breaking some huge gains but he’s not getting all those yards without someone opening holes for him. While the right guard position was the weak point, the rest of the starters stayed healthy most of the year and we saw Jason Spriggs and Lucas Patrick prove to be quality backups. The future remains fairly solid for new offensive line coach Adam Stenavich. He will have to find a replacement at right guard but the rest should be around in 2019. One thing is for sure: another year of the majority of the offensive line returning means a strong cohesion going forward.
