Cory's Corner: Offensive Line Will Have A Chip This Season
Don't fret about Green Bay's offensive line. There is plenty of talent and versatility to go around.
The most important position group on a team that never gets enough attention has always been the offensive line.
Pro Football Focus came out with their preseason offensive line rankings for 2025 and the Packers were ranked 14th. The Bears are fourth, the Vikings are seventh and the Lions are 13th.
Green Bay was ranked 14th last year, eighth in 2023, fifth in 2022 and ninth in 2021.
The Packers offensive line will be good this year. Zach Tom should be one of the best blockers in the NFC, Elgton Jenkins is one of the most versatile and Rasheed Walker is an excellent pass blocker.
“We’re always going to continue to address the offensive line because there’s just never enough of them, but right now, sitting here today, I feel pretty good about, if we had to go play, we have the guys that can play in different spots,” said Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst this past March.
If there are no major injuries, there is no reason why the Packers offensive line should be ranked 14th. Packers coach Matt LaFleur’s offensive scheme will help this unit dramatically. Misdirection and different offensive formations will make this unit’s job so much easier.
I wouldn’t worry about preseason rankings. The Packers have plenty of solid pieces along the offensive line and now they have a chip on their shoulder with plenty to prove. Everyone is bought in, especially newcomer Aaron Smith who signed a free agent deal with Green Bay this past spring.
“He’s learning our system right now and our language, but you can see him getting it pretty fast and also bringing guys along,” said Packers offensive line coach Luke Butkus on Smith.
The Packers have the pieces. The question is whether they can put it all together and make something special.
I think they can — but it all starts up front.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
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Comments (37)
GregC
July 08, 2025 at 06:53 am
Everyone is bought in? What about Elgton Jenkins? He is the opposite of being "bought in" right now.
And by the way, the Packers O-line was ranked 6th by PFF at the end of last season, which is why the #14 ranking is such a head scratcher. The only big change was replacing Josh Myers, one of PFF's lowest-rated O-linemen, with Aaron Banks, who is somewhere in the middle. And they dropped 8 places. Hard to take those rankings seriously.
Leatherhead
July 08, 2025 at 09:00 am
PFF is full of shit. Glad to see some other people see that too.
Coldworld
July 08, 2025 at 09:52 am
This is, but PFF’s ratings are ok, if looked at in combination with other metrics, stats and visible outcomes for the most part. They have deteriorated but not become useless.
The “PFF is garbage” line is very often cited to defend the untenable. More so than one hears “they must be great, PFF says so” these days.
Most of these pre-camp rankings are garbage every year, regardless of source. Just filling attempts in a void period where nothing happens, or nothing good.
dobber
July 08, 2025 at 10:26 am
"The “PFF is garbage” line is very often cited to defend the untenable. More so than one hears “they must be great, PFF says so” these days."
PFF is largely uncontested in terms of "systematic" ratings and assessments. There are a couple others, but none are as high profile. Any rating system is inherently biased in some way and whereas analytics work really well for baseball, which is primarily a one-on-one game in a team motif, they don't work nearly as well for football. That said, there are positions which are much harder to follow individually and that just don't generate clear individual stats for us to digest and compare, and in those cases something like PFF is about all you get.
Bitternotsour
July 08, 2025 at 10:36 am
I don't see any use for PFF. Their rankings don't affect rosters they just provide fodder for bitching and moaning. Watch the games, critique the team performance, use your eyes.
If your enjoyment of football is predicated on the metrics of questionable assumptions you're doing it wrong.
LLCHESTY
July 08, 2025 at 12:55 pm
The original guys that did the grading knew their stuff but most of them are gone now. I think they are still good at telling you who is really good and really bad, it's the 55-75 grades that are pretty murky. They also do an excellent job of telling you where a guy lined up in college and the pros with their snap counts.
Leatherhead
July 09, 2025 at 09:29 am
PFF is used by people to support outlandish narratives, like "It's possible to have a top offense, a top rushing offense, and the fewest pressures in the league, despite only having 3/5 of an offensive line''.
And how do you know we only have 3/5 of an offensive line? Well,PFF told you, that's how.
It's substitute for thinking.
GregC
July 08, 2025 at 10:54 am
I'm skeptical of PFF. I've done some googling to learn about their methodology, but most of the info out there comes from PFF itself, and they may not want to reveal too many trade secrets. They say they have a team of people who watch games, who they say have a lot of football knowledge, and that's probably true. They explain some of the things those people base their scores on, but I still have a lot of questions. I doubt that their analysis is as good as what a typical NFL scouting team can do, but I really don't know.
Alberta_Packer
July 08, 2025 at 11:47 am
Who precisely is this team of people who watch games? How many are there? And how much time do they spend on per player per team for analysis? And how is a divergence of opinions measured? So many questions for an emorphous group of individuals with unpublished qualifications. However, their strength may be more data processing than scouting analysis - which can still be useful - although not to be primarily relied upon.
GregC
July 08, 2025 at 12:00 pm
Those are some of the same questions I have. I also wonder a lot about how plays are judged to be positive or negative for particular players. Just to give a couple of examples:
1. If a linebacker drops back into a passing lane and the ball is thrown to another part of the field, does the linebacker get credit for making a good play?
2. If a defensive lineman gets blocked and does not make the tackle, how do you know that he did not do exactly what he was supposed to do on that play, by defending that part of the field so his teammates could make the tackle?
So many questions.
Alberta_Packer
July 08, 2025 at 12:17 pm
I would use PFF if I want to superficially argue about a player with a chum. Much less so for a deep-dive scouting report.
LLCHESTY
July 08, 2025 at 12:51 pm
And yet just about every team in the league subscribes to their service. Funny that.
GregC
July 08, 2025 at 01:20 pm
Are teams using PFF to evaluate players or just to keep track of snap counts and stuff like that? (Assuming it's true that most teams subscribe to their service. I hadn't heard that. It's not hard to believe, though, considering how much statistical info PFF compiles.)
TKWorldWide
July 08, 2025 at 07:03 am
One of the fallacies of rankings is to assume the same gap between each place. What if there is a 0.1% between 4th and say 12th? And what if there’s a 10% gap between 1st and second, etc?
And
Seriously
Who cares?
And how can you rank the Bears with a bunch of guys who’ve never played together yet?
But we’re in the Dead Zone right now, so, any port in the storm, says I.
GPG!
LeotisHarris
July 08, 2025 at 08:35 am
There must be rankings. There must be listiciles. There must be takes to drive clicks. So it is written, and so it shall be done.
You won't believe this one simple trick that drives other commenters crazy...
pantz_bURp
July 08, 2025 at 08:39 am
"There must be rankings. There must be listiciles."
And, after memorizing the listiciles...don't forget to study up to ace the testicile at the end.
Peace and carrots,
Pantz
Go Cryptorchid Go!
Go Nads Go!
Leatherhead
July 08, 2025 at 09:02 am
I would pass out quizzes to my students and say "This is a little quizzie." One time, I passed out a 25 question quizzie and a student said, "If this is a quizzie, I'd hate to see one of your testies". The room erupted, and she turned a shade of red that I never knew existed.
pantz_bURp
July 08, 2025 at 09:23 am
I love it LH! I was at a Brewers game years ago on a first date. The Brew Crew were getting shelled that day. So, to liven up the game a bit...I mentioned we should play a game. When the Brewerz pitcher takes the mound the game unfoldz like this:
I will kiss her on the strikes...and she will kiss me on the balls.
Never saw or heard from her after I dropped her off,
PB (smh)
*reminds me: what do you do when you have an elephant with 3 balls? Walk him, and pitch to the rhino.
HawkPacker
July 08, 2025 at 10:25 am
Dizzy Dean quote ?
Coldworld
July 08, 2025 at 07:23 am
Even if Jenkins were to hold out, Banks is pretty close to a like for like replacement at LG, if a tad better in the run game while a tad less so in pass pro. Myers is a player we have candidates that are unlikely to be less stout even without Jenkins. Myers is currently looking like he will be a back up in his new team.
So even on the very worst scenario, I don’t fear a huge drop off unless injuries decimate us. Since I expect Jenkins to sort things out, I expect a significant upgrade as long as we have our best in terms of current play LT on the field.
Guam
July 08, 2025 at 07:37 am
I like the Packer O-line now and I think it has better starting talent (Banks versus Myers) and better depth (Morgan and Belton versus Glover and Telfort) than last year. Now let's hope they can stay healthy.
And Cory, you might want to get the new guy's name right - it is Aaron Banks, not Aaron Smith.
LeotisHarris
July 08, 2025 at 08:40 am
PFF says Aaron Smith is a stealth project Butkus has been working with at an undisclosed location. High ceiling, high motor guy. Total mauler.
Coldworld
July 08, 2025 at 09:57 am
I’d add Donnovan Jennings to that list of potential depth upgrades. On top of that, hopefully a healthy Morgan in year 2 and even the chance that Monk and Glover are improved after a full off season.
dobber
July 08, 2025 at 10:40 am
They've thrown a lot of resources into prepping for turnover in the OL, knowing that they'd have hard decisions coming after 2025 on contracts. It only helps if they made the right choices on developmental pieces. There aren't any long-term holdovers on the depth chart, but they're still going to be drafting OL next spring. Hopefully it will be later looking for new depth pieces and not early looking to replace misses.
Bitternotsour
July 08, 2025 at 11:55 am
crazy right, they actually plan for the future. like there is a horizon beyond the next season, it's one of the insane things Ted Thompson insisted upon. draft your successors prior to needing one. buy value. invest in scouting. who'd a thunk it.
crayzpackfan
July 08, 2025 at 08:14 am
Training camp can't come soon enough.
pantz_bURp
July 08, 2025 at 08:45 am
Excellent! So it soundz like a member from the O-line will have a lil one and name him Chip?
(With all this downtime and all, letz start a Packer dating site!)
I am off to start working on my profile......
Hi, I get told I look like Bradley Cooper ALOT! I am 6'3" with an athletic build. I am sensitive and like to watch Steel Magnolias and Thelma & Louise and Fried Green Tomatoes. Oh, and also love The Notebook. At this moment in my life, I can honestly say I am in a good place. Not financially or mentally, but I am currently standing in a liquor store.
Kiss me you fool,
Loverboy
Leatherhead
July 08, 2025 at 09:04 am
The Packers starting Oline is better than last year. Jenkins will not be a holdout. Our depth is better than last year.
dobber
July 08, 2025 at 10:02 am
A prime example of why position group "rankings" at this point make little to no sense and really don't deserve any attention.
T7Steve
July 08, 2025 at 10:14 am
Yes. Get this unit to unfold the offense. Starting out with few or no penalties and this line will already be better than last seasons. Of course, if you aren't getting penalties, you're beating your opponent.
Now onto the next most or just as important unit, the D-line.
Oxymoron 3339
July 08, 2025 at 11:05 am
Seems like we have improved the group. I would prefer to leave Jenkins at LG since he has only started 3 NFL games at C. I know he had 20+ starts in College but to me it doesn’t make sense to rob Peter to pay Paul.
Hope it works
Leatherhead
July 08, 2025 at 05:02 pm
We're not robbing Peter to pay Paul, IMO. I believe the Packers thought process on this was, when they decided to get Banks, that they'd play him at LG and replace Myers with Jenkins. And they'd draft Belton and continue developing last year's rookies....Morgan, Glover, Monk.
One FA, one premium draft pick. Three of the OL are starting in the same spot as they have the last two years. Banks is going to be a solid guy for us, so we didn't exactly rob the LG position to improve at Center.
I do not recall any Packer team since 1970 as having a stronger line at this point in the season. We had some good lines under Holmgren, and that 2003-2004 line was pretty good too, but this line could be better than both.
Alberta_Packer
July 08, 2025 at 12:09 pm
Chicago ranked 4th? While we don't not know who actually assigns the grades from PFF. I'm now deducing that there is at least one Bears fan on their work team.
Snap the ball
July 08, 2025 at 12:13 pm
Snap the ball without 1 second on the clock last year like 80 percent of the time.
The O-line will be even better.
Like the line in the movie untouchables with Kevin Costner
Take the fight to them Gentlemen
LLCHESTY
July 08, 2025 at 01:08 pm
The biggest thing to remember is that last year the starters missed the fewest number of games in the league. Those numbers tend to revert to the mean year over year, so hopefully the depth looks much better. My biggest worry for backups is the RT spot, which is why I'd like to see both Morgan and Walker get snaps there when not getting 1st LT snaps. From what I've seen Belton doesn't look technically ready to play T in the passing game.
Coldworld
July 08, 2025 at 05:03 pm
What have you seen of Belton? You are referring to college film?
PhantomII
July 09, 2025 at 05:44 am
Sounds good. Less RB and TE pass blocking and more weapons open for Love to take advantage of...GPG