The Green Bay Packers entered Week 4 short on continuity and badly in need of stability along the offensive line.
They now have 434 combined career starts worth of new veteran help, and Matt LaFleur framed the value of those additions in much simpler terms.
“I think it just calms down the offensive line when you have veterans in there who have been through the war,” LaFleur said Wednesday, per Ryan Wood of USA TODAY.
Green Bay has added Kevin Zeitler, Laken Tomlinson and Mekhi Becton over the past several days. The three have combined for 434 NFL starts.
For comparison, the two guards who started against the Atlanta Falcons, Jacob Monk and Jager Burton, entered that game with three combined starts.
That gap helps explain why LaFleur’s first reaction centered on composure.
Green Bay needs better blocking, but it also needs players who can shore up a group that has dealt with injuries, lineup changes and protection breakdowns.
LaFleur Sees Veteran Calm as Answer for Packers’ OL
The numbers behind Green Bay’s first three games made an intervention tough to avoid.
NFL.com reported Wednesday that Jordan Love had been hit on 31 dropbacks, eight more than any other quarterback.
Green Bay ranked 31st in pressure percentage allowed at 44.7%, despite Love owning the second-quickest average time to throw among quarterbacks with multiple starts. The Packers were also averaging only 0.92 yards before contact per rushing attempt.
Tomlinson brings 162 regular-season starts and a 2021 Pro Bowl selection. Becton has started 59 of his 61 career regular-season appearances and was part of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl-winning offensive line during the 2024 season.
Then came Zeitler, giving Green Bay its most experienced newcomer yet.
LaFleur’s comments put forward that the veterans are will need to win more individual matchups.
Communication and recognition become critical when a line is pieced together on the fly, especially with young blockers stationed beside veterans who have seen virtually every defensive front and pressure package the NFL can offer.
Zeitler Looks Ready to Contribute for Packers ASAP
Zeitler appears headed for a prominent role once Green Bay gets him ready.
LaFleur said Wednesday that the 36-year-old will require a “ramp-up period” after missing training camp, but indicated Zeitler will take over at right guard once he feels ready. Packers On SI reported that Zeitler owns 213 career starts and allowed four sacks and 16 pressures while starting 16 games for Tennessee last season.
Jacob Monk, meanwhile, allowed one sack and 11 pressures over Green Bay’s first three games, according to the same report.
The veteran influx doesn’t mean Green Bay has abandoned its younger linemen.
LaFleur emphasized Wednesday that the organization views those players as developmental pieces with legitimate football ahead of them. The additions instead supply the Packers more flexibility while players such as Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton continue gaining experience.
After three games of turbulence, that blend is the gamble for Green Bay, essentially preserving the upside of its young blockers as veteran players who have endured laborious snaps come to the rescue.
In the end, LaFleur’s “war” remark summed up exactly what the Packers hope they bought — fewer panicked moments and a steadier front for an offense that needs one quickly.
Packers’ Matt LaFleur Drops ‘War’ Message After Adding 434 Starts to OL