Future of the Packers O-Line

[texaspackerbacker]

You want to make Aaron Rodgers laugh? Tell him David Bakhtiari isn't very good. Bakhtiari dealt with injuries much of last year and didn't have his best year although he played very well at the end of the year. In 2018 he was the best LT in the NFL. Period. You're the only one who doesn't seem to realize it.

What I see is Aaron Rodgers forced to run for his life virtually every pass play, most of that pressure from the edge, not up the middle, and way more from Bakhtiari's side than Bulaga's. And I think a lot of other Packer fans see the same - why would they not? It's happening. And even though Bakhtiari was good (not as great IMO as some think) in 2018, he was nowhere near as good in 2019 due to injuries or whatever, and back injuries have a habit of lingering and getting worse.

Obviously Aaron Rodgers isn't gonna say anything against anybody in his O Line. But I assume he sees and can compare the blocking most QBs get with what he gets and silently wishes it was better.

As I said, I hope those 3 6th rounders plus Patrick and maybe Madison (who I also don't like) get cross-trained to be interchangeable parts in the O Line. None of those 3 are exactly road graders, but they are strong and stout blockers, as I would want, even if it means a bit less mobility.

[mraynrand]

What I see is Aaron Rodgers forced to run for his life virtually every pass play,

Maybe if he ran the play as scripted and didn’t hold the ball looking for the ‘big strike’ he wouldn’t have to run for his life ‘every play’

[mraynrand]

If they sign Bach and Clark, not sure Linsley is in the budget. Think that is why Lucas Patrick was signed and at least one of the O lineman in the sixth.

Detroit will be in the market for an overpaid center anyway.

[texaspackerbacker]

Maybe if he ran the play as scripted and didn’t hold the ball looking for the ‘big strike’ he wouldn’t have to run for his life ‘every play’

This reminds me a lot of what you posted and I just countered in the other end of the forum hahahaha.

What you are saying - here too - is the same old whine. Take what I say on the one hand - Rodgers being forced out of the pocket almost instantly on virtually every pass play and often from edge rushes, versus what you say - Rodgers intentionally departing from scripted plays and looking for the "big strike" ...... I have to ask, do you seriously believe what you're saying? Is that what any objective observer sees? Not many, I expect.

[Joemailman]

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-offensi...regular-season

6. GREEN BAY PACKERS
The perception of the Packers’ offensive line doesn’t always meet reality. Aaron Rodgers consistently holds onto the football with one of the longest average time to throws in the NFL. As PFF Data Scientist Timo Riske explored with offensive line survival rates, that significantly increases the chance for quarterback pressure and sacks. Their 22nd-ranked pressure rate allowed isn’t all that impressive, but their average time to allow a pressure of 2.62 seconds (best in the NFL) is much more so.

In other words, the Packers OL was the best in the NFL at initially giving their QB time to throw. The high pressure rate is due to Rodgers holding the ball for a long time. But just about everybody who watches the Packers already knows this.

[bobblehead]

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-offensi...regular-season



In other words, the Packers OL was the best in the NFL at initially giving their QB time to throw. The high pressure rate is due to Rodgers holding the ball for a long time. But just about everybody who watches the Packers already knows this.

Couple this with the video Red posted about Flower being done with Rodgers and his maverick ways along with the videos that Pb posted of Love and I am thinking that Rodgers days are numbered indeed.

The first thing I noticed about Love was he makes 2 reads and unloads the ball. Almost David Carr like. TOO fast for my taste sometimes. But Flower O is based on making the fast rhythm play and taking what the D allows until you tighten them up and then going downfield. I only watched a small sample size, but man did it look like Love gets rid of it quick.

[pbmax]

Maybe some of ya'all who think they won't prioritize Linsley will turn out to be correct. I hope not, though. Think about it ...... where did the Packers run most successfully? through the middle. Where did LaFleur prefer to run? those outside zones - running over Bakhtiari and Bulaga. Most of the time, those plays turned to shit - blown up for loss or no gain. Similarly, where did most of the pass rush pressure come from against the Packers? the edge, that's where, seldom over Linsley and the Guards. And I think Bakhtiari seemed worse than Bulaga most of the time.

So if somebody is gonna be let go in free agency, I'd say it should be him. In addition, Bakhtiari seems to have a chronic maybe degenerative back injury - another reason I'd hate to see a long term investment in him.

With the various possible combinations, I would think they could try a lot of those and groom whoever seems to work out best for the future. As I said, IMO it wouldn't take much to replace or upgrade Bakhtiari at LT going forward.

This is all more like what I wish than what I expect, though.

There is some truth to this. Bach had a wobbly first half of the year in pass pro. He's not a great run blocker but solid. Bulga just doesn't have the agility anymore to cut people off regularly.

But I think part of the outside zone issue was TE blocking and the RBs. Jones is a better runner inside. Wiliams is a more natural one cut runner but he normally gets what is blocked and then fall forward.

And Linsley did not have a great year to my eyes. The coordination in the middle looked poor and he let a few slip by unblocked (but its hard to day was it him or the rookie or up and down Turner or a RB who missed an assignment). More problematic, I saw he get driven backwards on more than a few pass plays.

[Joemailman]

When they made the move to more inside runs last year, I thought it was more due to the RB's than the OL. I thought the sense was that Jones was not executing a lot of outside zone runs effectively. I wonder if MLF will accept that reality or try again to establish the outside zone runs. I would think play action and misdirection is more effective if opposing defenses have to respect the outside run threat.

[pbmax]

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-offensi...regular-season

In other words, the Packers OL was the best in the NFL at initially giving their QB time to throw. The high pressure rate is due to Rodgers holding the ball for a long time. But just about everybody who watches the Packers already knows this.

I haven't read it, but I suspect even that number includes Rodgers ability to bounce inside the pocket. And he seems to prefer that more these days than running.

[texaspackerbacker]

Based on body type and skill set, Jones should be a good outside runner too. I think he just didn't get much blocking there like he got from Linsley and Jenkins.

[pbmax]

Based on body type and skill set, Jones should be a good outside runner too. I think he just didn't get much blocking there like he got from Linsley and Jenkins.

He good at getting the corner, but that isn't what outside zone is about. Outside zone is getting everyone flowing to the field side and then cutting up or back into one of two lanes. Jones always wants to get to the corner instead. Some of this could be blocking, but it also seems like his preference.

[RashanGary]

This reminds me a lot of what you posted and I just countered in the other end of the forum hahahaha.

What you are saying - here too - is the same old whine. Take what I say on the one hand - Rodgers being forced out of the pocket almost instantly on virtually every pass play and often from edge rushes, versus what you say - Rodgers intentionally departing from scripted plays and looking for the "big strike" ...... I have to ask, do you seriously believe what you're saying? Is that what any objective observer sees? Not many, I expect.

Yes Tex. A lot of people seriously view it that way.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Tex is delusional. The Packers OL was one of the best in the league last year. Three plus OL in Bakh, Bulaga, and Jenkins + two serviceable OL in Turner and Linsley.

[texaspackerbacker]

The only two I'd label "plus OL" would be Jenkins and Linsley. Bulaga stayed fairly healthy and rose to the level of serviceable in his contract year. Bakhtiari, charitably IMO degraded down to marginally serviceable. Turner was a disappointment, but they did have success running inside, and he was part of that.

Some of ya'all seem surprised that I don't think much of Bakhtiari; I have to ask, why do ya'all have such low regard for Linsley?

[Joemailman]

The only two I'd label "plus OL" would be Jenkins and Linsley. Bulaga stayed fairly healthy and rose to the level of serviceable in his contract year. Bakhtiari, charitably IMO degraded down to marginally serviceable. Turner was a disappointment, but they did have success running inside, and he was part of that.

Some of ya'all seem surprised that I don't think much of Bakhtiari; I have to ask, why do ya'all have such low regard for Linsley?

I don't have a low regard for Linsley. But good C's are easier to find than good LT's. Packers likely have Linsley's heir apparent on the roster. Not so Bakhtiari.