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Versatility of the O-Line Proving Crucial in Bakhtiari's Absence

With David Bakhtiari's Week 1 status still up in the air, Matt LaFleur and offensive line coach Adam Stenavich are preparing for the worst.


During the first week of of training camp, the coaches have routinely inserted next-best offensive lineman, Elgton Jenkins, into Bakhtiari's traditional left tackle spot. At the other bookend is a rotation between newly-signed veteran Dennis Kelly and third-year Packer Billy Turner.


The Packers' decision to temporarily swing Jenkins outside underscores the incredible versatility of this offensive line. Of the projected interim starters - Jenkins, Runyan, Josh Myers, Lucas Patrick and Turner - all can play multiple positions on the offensive line. Jenkins, arguably one of the most underrated linemen in the league, can play in any of the five spots.


In the past, the Packers haven't been as amendable to this mix-and-match style of offensive line assembly. Most starters have been fixed to a position and, in many cases, a side of the ball. This caused a painful "musical offensive line" when a starter would go down during the regular season.


With such a cross-functional unit on-hand in 2021, LaFleur and Stenavich appear to be content with playing the top five talents, irrespective of their primary position on the o-line. This approach would guarantee Jenkins, Turner and - from the early looks of it - Myers a starting spot both in Week 1 and after Bakhtiari returns to the lineup.


After those three players, the competition currently includes seasoned veterans Kelly and Patrick, plus second-year linemen Runyan and Ben Braden. Which of those players win the vacant starting spots may also come back to versatility. In emergency situations last season, then-rookie Runyan seamlessly filled in at guard - and has more recently shown the ability to line up at tackle and center.


The quality of offensive line depth becomes much more questionable past these first eight players, with two rookies and two second-year players hoping to crack the Week 1 roster. But, with Bakhtiari's gradual recovery from a torn ACL - plus the offseason departures of 2020 starters Corey Linsley, Lane Taylor and Rick Wagner - the coaching staff has to be pleased with the options they'll have in protecting Aaron Rodgers to begin the 2021 season.

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