Current State
- David Bakhtiari is one of the most important Packers. First, he’s awesome and he plays at one of the most valuable positions. On top of that, he’s already signed his 2nd contract and that contract is very manageable.
- Bryan Bulaga is an absolute stud at RT. The problem is that he can’t stay healthy. I think the Packers cannot expect him to be healthy going forward. In the last 6 years, he’s only made it through all 16 games once. He played in only 5 last year, and the clock is ticking on his career.
- Jason Spriggs has disappointed me. I was very excited when the Packers drafted him, but he just hasn’t adjusted to the NFL game. His athleticism is off the charts, but he needs to play better.
- I also like Kyle Murphy. He was never going to be flashy, but I think he is the exact mold of what I expect from a backup RT.
- The Packers still have Adam Pankey. He has long arms and is still in play as a backup, but he a fringe guy that can be beat out.
Draft Outlook
This year’s tackles don’t really impress me. I probably like Connor Williams as my favorite, but I’m not sure there is a guy that is worth a first round pick. With the scarcity of getting one this year, the top guys will probably get overdrafted.
Both Kolton Miller and Brian O’Neill remind me of Jason Spriggs. They are guys with huge athleticism that probably are never going to be great players. With the fact that the Packers already have Spriggs, I really don’t see the point of getting one of these guys. Let someone else overdraft them like the Packers did with Spriggs.
The opposite of Miller/O’Neill is Orlando Brown. He had an all-time bad combine. He lacks athleticism, but has never given up a sack. Part of that is the way Oklahoma gets the ball out quickly, but he still did well overall. With his damaged reputation he is probably going to drop. With the Packers other priority needs, I can’t see spending a high pick on him. But, if he were there in the 3rd, I’d strongly consider it.
Some mid-rounders to keep an eye out are Chukwuma Okorafor, Tyrell Crosby, and Jamarco Jones.
The one guy that intrigues me is Brett Toth. He seems like he could be the eventual replacement for Bulaga. He is in the Army though, and it appears that if drafted this year, he still wouldn’t be able to play for another year. That’s an investment, but one I would make late 6th-7th.
For our complete draft coverage, please visit our 2018 Draft Central page.