The Green Bay Packers signed veteran right guard Kevin Zeitler between Week 3 and Week 4. While Zeitler admitted that his body feels good and that he would play in Week 4 if the team needed him to, the Packers decided to make him inactive before the game.
Head coach Matt LaFleur made it clear that the team did not feel he had enough time to acclimate to the NFL conditioning, which is why they did not ask him to play.
“The guy just got here this week,” admitted LaFleur. “I think it was unfair to him. We got to ramp him up, give him a ramp-up period. That was our decision. We just got to get him acclimated with what we’re doing. I think it would have been pretty unfair to put him in these conditions today with three practices under his belt.”
When asked if another week would be long enough to determine if Zeitler would be up to speed, LaFleur admitted he did not know. The Packers coach stated that the team plans to take things one day at a time with his recovery.
Green Bay Packers Make Kevin Zeitler Inactive In Week 4
Laken Tomlinson signed with the Packers just a few days before Zeitler did. Tomlinson would end up playing every snap in the Packers’ Week 4 win over the Buccaneers. However, he had been on the Cowboys‘ practice squad. He was in NFL condition and was fully healthy.
On the flip side, Zeitler was working out at home when the Packers signed him. He was also recovering from a quadriceps injury, which is why he was unsigned so late into the season.
So, the team trusted Tomlinson from a conditioning standpoint, even if he was picking up the playbook as well. The Packers trusted that Zeitler could pick things up mentally. However, if they ended up playing him and he got hurt, they would feel responsible.
Packers Offensive Line is Coming Together
The offensive line looks nothing like expectations before the season. However, if they can get Zeitler into the lineup in the next week or two, the line will look a lot better than it did in recent weeks. They shuffled a lot of things, but Anthony Belton appears to be locked in at right tackle after stepping in at the position in Week 2.
Jordan Morgan and Sean Rhyan have had left tackle and center locked down. Tomlinson was the Packers’ fourth starting left guard in as many weeks. He was also the Packers’ best starter so far. Given he is so new to the team, the thought is that he should only get better.
The last question is right guard. Jacob Monk started the first three weeks, but struggled. He was hurt and missed Week 4. Travis Glover started in Week 4, but he looks like more of a stopgap. If they can slot Zeitler in for Week 5, it would be the best five they have on paper all season.
Tomlinson and Zeitler should only improve, giving them their best five moving forward.
Packers HC Matt LaFleur Gets Candid on Kevin Zeitler’s Status