The Green Bay Packers surprised a lot of people with their performance during the 2023 season. Despite some ups and downs throughout the campaign, they were still able to qualify for the playoffs, earning the No. 7 seed in the NFC.
With that, they also made some NFL history. They became the first No. 7 seed to win a playoff game, dismantling the Dallas Cowboys 48-32 during Super Wild Card Weekend. While they were unable to get past the San Francisco 49ers during their Divisional Round matchup, the young Packers gave the 49ers all they could handle.
A 24-21 defeat at the hands of the No. 1 seed is a solid showing. While moral victories don’t count for anything in the playoffs, it has to be a good confidence boost heading into the future that Green Bay knows they aren’t as far off from contending as people thought they were.
This is an up-and-coming team in the NFC that is ahead of schedule. With a few tweaks to the roster this offseason, they will be right back in the playoffs next season and challenging the Detroit Lions for the NFC North title.
One area the Packers could look to upgrade this offseason is the offensive line. The team needs to find a replacement for long-time left tackle David Bakhtiari, who is all but gone this offseason. Green Bay can save $21 million moving him and after he played in only one game in 2023, it seems like an easy decision to make.
Finding a replacement for him, however, will have its challenges. But, ESPN’s NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. believes they will fill that need with their first-round pick. At No. 25, Green Bay lands BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia in Kiper’s recent mock draft.
“As I mentioned earlier, this is a talented tackle class, and so if Green Bay has a chance to get its blindside protector of the future, it should take it. David Bakhtiari has played just 25 games over the past four seasons because of knee issues, including one in 2023. The Packers can’t rely on him coming back.
The 6-foot-6 Suamataia started 23 games for the Cougars over the past two seasons, 12 at right tackle and 11 at left tackle. I love the potential he showed this past season when he gave up three sacks and only eight total pressures. He is a mountain of a man who can move to the second level and take on linebackers in the run game,” wrote Kiper.
With Bakhtiari likely gone and Yosh Nijman also a free agent, the Packers could use some help at the tackle position this offseason. Finding a long-term option in Suamataia would be an ideal outcome.
His versatility is ideal as the Packers can deploy him at either tackle spot. Flexibility is something this unit is built upon as they have several players, such as Zach Tom and Elgton Jenkins, that have played multiple spots along the offensive line.
That provides the coaching staff a chance to mix and match and find the best possible combinations. As a first-round pick, Suamataia would likely be in the lineup from Day 1, but the Packers wouldn’t have to throw him into the fire at left tackle. They could ease him in, allowing him time to develop before taking over the blindside of Jordan Love.
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