Packers left guard Lane Taylor fighting for job
Matt LaFleur didn’t play many of his starters in Thursday’s preseason opener. The only member of the No. 1 offensive line to see action was left guard Lane Taylor.
There’s a reason for that. Taylor, who has started 45 of a possible 48 games the past three seasons, is fighting for his job.
“That’s a competition and, as long as that’s going to be a competition, we want to see those guys go at it,” LaFleur said after a 28-26 victory over the Houston Texans. “I thought Lane did an excellent job and handled himself the right way and, again, it’s always going to be about competition.”
Taylor played the first two series before giving way to Justin McCray.
The Packers used a second-round pick on Mississippi State’s Elgton Jenkins, who got the start at right guard for Billy Turner. Jenkins played right guard for the first half before moving to center for the third quarter.
While Taylor has been a dependable starter, he doesn’t have the ideal physical skill-set for LaFleur’s zone-based offensive system. The Packers clearly believe Jenkins has the requisite athleticism. If Jenkins continues his upward trajectory after a slow start to training camp, the battle with Taylor could go deep into August.
Other than Taylor and receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison, none of the Packers’ key offensive players dressed for the game. Two days of practices against the Texans allowed LaFleur some latitude with the rest of his front-line players. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the team’s healthy starters figure to play at Baltimore next Thursday, LaFleur said.