The Green Bay Packers made a significant investment in the offensive line with the addition of right guard Kevin Zeitler. While head coach Matt LaFleur did not want to get carried away on his first day with the team before he even took a practice snap, he made it clear that once Zeitler is ready to see the field as a starter, he is going to be the starter.
“As soon as he feels good and ready to go, he’ll be in there,” stated LaFleur. “We have a plan.”
He noted that he needs to see him take snaps in practice, and it is on the coaching staff to get him up to speed as quickly as possible. Still, the team has a plan in place for the 14-year veteran.
LaFleur added that Zeitler is everything the team is looking for.
“He can anchor in pass-pro; he’s really effective in the running game, whether it’s zone scheme or gap scheme; he’s done it all,” LaFleur stated. “There’s nothing he hasn’t seen or done; we just gotta get him ramped up.”
Green Bay Packers Have a Plan for Kevin Zeitler
LaFleur added that having the experience he does not only helps as an individual upgrade. He can improve the entire offensive line by calming things down across the front.
“I think it calms down the O-line, when you have veterans in there who have been through the war,” added LaFleur. “Just trying to get these guys integrated, get them up to speed.”
Jacob Monk was the Packers’ right guard before this week. He had one career NFL start coming into the season. Zeitler has 213.
More than that, Jordan Morgan is getting his first real look as the starting left tackle. Sean Rhyan moved to center last year, but this is his first full season in the spot. Then, Anthony Belton played left tackle in college and right guard as a rookie. Naturally, he is now the Packers’ starting right tackle. To add to all of that, they have started three different options at left guard already.
The line needs someone to calm things down, and it is not Monk in his fifth NFL start. Zeitler can provide that.
Packers Finally Add an Experienced Starter to Offensive Line
Zeitler has over 14,000 snaps across 14 NFL seasons. Almost all of them came at right guard. He was a first-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012. He spent his first five NFL seasons with the team before signing with the Cleveland Browns in free agency.
After two years with the Browns, he moved to the New York Giants for two seasons. Then, he played for the Baltimore Ravens for three years, where he made his first Pro Bowl.
In 2024, he was with the Detroit Lions, and last year he started 16 games for the Tennessee Titans. Overall, the former Wisconsin product has made just over $101M in the NFL from six different teams.
Now, he signed a one-year deal with a max of $5M in salary to play for his seventh NFL team.
Matt LaFleur Reveals Clear Plan For Packers’ New Guard