Another week, another new offensive line configuration in Green Bay. This time, the Packers had three different starters than in their last game, featuring new or different faces at all three interior line spots.
Aaron Banks made his long-awaited (or, perhaps, long-feared, depending on your opinion of Banks) return to his left guard spot, finding his way into the lineup for the first time since he played 22 snaps in Week 2.
Laken Tomlinson flipped from left guard to right guard, making his first start
on the right side since the Obama administration.
And John Williams made his first ever NFL start at the position he played where he played game snaps for the first time ever last week.
But, you know, other than that it was basically a normal week up front.
Why this configuration, though? John Williams at center makes logical sense; he played there last week and is the only remaining player the Packers seem to like at the spot with Jacob Monk on injured reserve, although Jager Burton may end up there eventually. But at the guard spots, Matt LaFleur offered little explanation for the moves he made.
“Well I just think when you look at it, you know, the way Laken’s been playing, you can’t take him out of the lineup. And I thought Aaron Banks coming back…so we went with that route,” he said postgame. “That’s not to take anything away from [Kevin] Zeitler. Certainly we feel good about him as well. But we thought that was the move.”
There’s plenty to unpack there, assuming LaFleur is being completely forthright (and that’s a big assumption, given he has no incentive to shoot straight with us).
First, LaFleur asserts Tomlinson has been playing well. “Playing well” might be a bridge too far for me, but he’s at least better than Donovan Jennings, Jager Burton, and Jacob Monk, so I’ll concede the point. He’s at least been okay in pass protection (and LaFleur praised the Packers’ pass protection later in his postgame remarks).
Second, LaFleur seems to take it as a matter of course that Banks deserves to be in the lineup. But Banks was active last week and didn’t play. Travis Glover started at right guard and Tomlinson was at his familiar left guard spot. The lineup math there would seem to indicate LaFleur thinks Banks is worse than Glover and better than Zeitler (who was inactive against the Lions).
And what of Zeitler? The Packers signed him to a one-year, $4.05 million deal on September 30, but he hasn’t been on the field for a single snap on offense so far, though he’s played 15 snaps on special teams. His contract includes heavy playing time incentives and he stands to reap some not-inconsiderable financial rewards if he hits certain playing time thresholds, but it’s hard to believe the Packers would really be pinching pennies that hard. So what gives? Is he not in game shape? Is he really not better than Tomlinson or Banks (or Glover, for that matter)? It’s a mystery, and LaFleur didn’t give us any significant explanations after the Packers’ Thursday night win.
In fact,he muddied the waters even further, pointing out when asked that Tomlinson was not getting regular reps at right guard before the Packers installed him there this week.
“It’s definitely a challenge and he answered the bell,” LaFleur offered of Tomlinson’s sudden appearance on the right.
That may be so, but it appears to be a challenge of the Packers’ own making. But that describes a lot of their offensive line issues this year, for what it’s worth. Until the Packers can get out of their own way, it seems doubtful the offensive line will improve much more.
