Should Yosh Nijman start at right tackle for the Packers?

One of the biggest position battles in Green Bay this summer is right tackle. This is especially true after the team cut ties with veteran Billy Turner, who was the team's predominant starter at the position for the last three seasons. The battle for the starting position will come down to a few names, but the most likely option is going to be fourth-year offensive lineman Yosh Nijman.

Nijman signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia Tech in 2019. He started in 32 games over his four seasons in Blacksburg and played in 45 games total. He started at left tackle in 2017 and moved to right tackle in his senior season of 2018. 

Versatility is an important characteristic of the Packers. Nijman has that characteristic. He has played in all 33 regular season games over the last two seasons. With both All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari and Pro Bowl guard/tackle Elgton Jenkins out for the majority of last season with ACL injuries, Nijman started at left tackle for eight games during the 2021 season. He faced the likes of Robert Quinn (twice), T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Chandler Jones, Nick Bosa, Cam Jordan, Chase Young, among others. That is an absolute gauntlet, and Nijman allowed close to zero sacks.

Stepping in for Bakhtiari and Jenkins, Nijman put on an impressive performance during the season. 

Green Bay chose not to start Nijman in its playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Besides the special teams woes, that may have been the biggest mistake Green Bay made in their divisional round loss. 

Looking at 2022, Nijman appears to be the frontrunner for the right tackle spot. He has the track record and ability to keep that side of the Green Bay offensive line stable.