As the 2018 Green Bay Packers head into mandatory minicamp this week and look forward to training camp in a little over six weeks, questions remain on what the offensive line will look like once the season opens up in September.

While the left side of the offensive line remains intact and rock solid with David Bakhtiari holding down left tackle, Lane Taylor at right guard and Corey Linsley at center, the big question remains on the right side of the line at the guard and tackle positions.  These questions must be answered as the team progresses throughout the summer if they want to win the war in the trenches during the season and keep their franchise quarterback upright for the entire season.

Beginning at right tackle, incumbent Bryan Bulaga still holds the starting position for now.  Bulaga started his career with the Packers in 2010 and took the field by storm, eventually becoming the youngest player to start in a Super Bowl.  But, as his career has progressed, injury after injury has seemed to pile up for the ninth year pro.  The most recent injury was a devastating ACL tear last November that he is still rehabbing and the rehab process is expected to take him all the way until the start of training camp.  While being signed through the 2019 season and taking a large chunk pay for his services, rumors were swirling this past offseason that he could be a victim of a cut by the Packers.  But, the team did no such thing and Bulaga appears to be in the plans for the Packers for the 2018 season.

Should Bulaga’s rehab take longer than expected or see a setback, the next in line to start for the Packers line may come down to the battles in training camp and throughout the preseason.  Kyle Murphy started the first three games of the 2017 season and looked promising at both left and right tackle positions before going on season-ending injured reserve due to a broken foot.  Jason Spriggs, once pinned with high potential, is in a make or break year heading into the fourth and final year of his rookie contract.  The recent signing of Byron Bell is an indication that the team is looking to bolster depth and make stiff competition for the right tackle position should Bulaga not be able to perform at the start of the season.

Moving on to right guard, where seasoned veteran Jahri Evans held down the fort last season, Justin McCray appears to be the number one contender for a starting position.  McCray served admirably as a backup in 2017 when he was forced into the lineup in multiple positions while being a guard by trade.  He showed a lot of grit and attitude while starting at tackle and his experience could translate well into the right guard position as a permanent home.  Behind McCray sits Lucas Patrick, Kofi Amichia and Cole Madison.  Patrick enters his third season in the NFL after spending 2016 on the Packers practice squad and playing in 12 games for the team during the 2017 season.  Amichia was drafted by the team in 2017 and spent last year on the practice squad.  Madison was the Packers lone offensive line draft selection from this year’s class and will be driven to compete for a role on the 2018 team.

Should the Packers staff not see a definitive answer at right guard, all signs point towards Jahri Evans still being an option if the team opted to bring him back.  In April, Evans stated that he enjoyed his time in Green Bay and wanted a shot at winning another Super Bowl.  But the Packers M.O. hasn’t traditionally been to hang on to guys for one-year contracts as they near the end of their career.  He would more likely be an option should the staff not see starting potential out of what they have.

Beyond the starting five along the offensive line, the importance for depth is extremely high and we don’t need to look any further back than the 2017 season to realize that.  While the line suffered many injuries throughout the season last year, most of the players that stepped up into starting roles performed well and those players are returning to hopefully have a greater impact on the team moving forward.

Knowing just how important that having a cohesive, well-oiled offensive line is in today’s NFL, watching how the 2018 Packers unit develops and progresses should be fun to watch this summer.  I am reserving predictions for the starting five, for now, knowing that a couple of positions could come down to heated battles during training camp and the preseason.  When the pads come on in July, the battle on the offensive line will only be compounded by the likes of Kenny Clark, Mike Daniels and Mo Wilkerson lining up across from those fighting for a spot on the team.  I can’t wait to watch it unfold.