Packers Roster Update: No NFL team has more offensive linemen than Green Bay

(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Green Bay Packers are using an incredible number of their roster spots on offensive linemen, as they attempt to right the ship after three straight poor performances from the unit to start the season. Just this week alone, they signed Kevi

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What is the story about?

The Green Bay Packers are using an incredible number of their roster spots on offensive linemen, as they attempt to right the ship after three straight poor performances from the unit to start the season. Just this week alone, they signed Kevin Zeitler and Laken Tomlinson to the 53-man roster, along with adding Mekhi Becton Sr. to the practice squad (which was offset by the release of Cordell Volson).

Currently, 15 of the team’s total 70 roster spots (when you include the 17-man practice squad with

the 53-man roster) are being spent on offensive linemen, good for 21 percent of the team. That leads the NFL and is 50 percent more roster spots committed to the position than the league’s slimmest offensive line room — the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have eight players on the 53-man roster and just two practice squad players at the position.

The Packers are the only NFL team that has committed 11 roster spots on the 53-man roster to offensive linemen as of Wednesday, September 30th. Here’s the league-wide breakdown:

11 linemen: 1 team (Packers)
10 linemen: 10 teams
9 linemen: 16 teams
8 linemen: 5 teams

For the full 70-man roster, including the practice squad, here’s the league-wide roster count for linemen:

15 linemen: 1 team (Packers)
14 linemen: 1 team (Ravens)
13 linemen: 8 teams
12 linemen: 16 teams
11 linemen: 5 teams
10 linemen: 1 team (Steelers)

The average NFL team is spending nine 53-man roster spots on the offensive line, a number the Packers are going above and beyond by two. Including the practice squad, the average NFL team is spending 12 70-man roster spots on offensive linemen, a number the Packers are going above and beyond by three.

So not only is the team “oversigned” on the active roster, but they’re also “oversigned” on the practice squad, too. At a minimum, the front office is giving the coaching staff options to figure out how to salvage the season. Below is the full count of the Packers’ current offensive linemen:

Jordan Morgan (preferred starting left tackle)
Aaron Banks (presumably still the preferred starting left guard when healthy)
Sean Rhyan (preferred starting center)
Kevin Zeitler (head coach Matt LaFleur stated he will be the starting right guard when he’s caught up on the system)
Anthony Belton (preferred starting right tackle)
Laken Tomlinson (worked as the starting left guard in practice on Wednesday with Banks out)
Donovan Jennings (worked as the starting right guard in practice on Wednesday with Zeitler still not caught up)
Jacob Monk (backup interior offensive lineman)
Jager Burton (backup interior offensive lineman)
John Williams (backup left tackle)
Travis Glover (backup right tackle/right guard)
Mekhi Becton Jr. (backup right tackle/right guard, practice squad)
Dalton Cooper (backup tackle/guard, practice squad)
Dillon Wade (backup interior offensive lineman, practice squad)
Josh Gesky (backup guard, practice squad)

For what it’s worth, Green Bay signed two more practice squadders on Wednesday, receiver Coleman Owen and defensive lineman David Blay. That gives the Packers the following practice squad, which is now full: