The Green Bay Packers and their fans have a lot to be happy about right now. Not only did the team clinch a playoff spot with a Week 18 win over the hated Chicago Bears, but Jordan Love, its new starting quarterback, appears to be worthy of taking the baton from Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers also have an interesting cadre of young wide receivers and playmakers, and their tag-team running back duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, when healthy, are still very capable.
But there is no doubt that if they are to recapture their old glory, they need some reinforcements.
One Bleacher Report writer urged Green Bay to go after Los Angeles Rams guard Kevin Dotson to shore up its offensive line.
“Jon Runyan is an impending free agent and hasn’t been much more than an average player throughout his career, including this season,” wrote Matt Holder. “Meanwhile, Dotson (27) is only a year older than Runyan (26) and is putting together a strong campaign with a strong 83.2 grade from Pro Football Focus heading into Week 16.
“LaFleur used to be Sean McVay’s offensive coordinator in Los Angeles and those two come from the Shanahan coaching tree, so Dotson should have some familiarity with the system in Green Bay.”
NFL News & Rumors: Kevin Dotson, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams Updates
As it is, the Packers’ offensive line has looked iffy this season, and some help there will help Love continue to develop moving forward.
Through the first half of the season, Love appeared to be little more than a replacement-level signal-caller, as he threw 14 touchdown passes but had 10 interceptions through his first nine games. But since then, he has had only one pick, and he finished the regular season with 32 touchdown passes, which is second in the NFL behind only Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys.
It is starting to look like perhaps he is the long-term answer under center for the storied franchise.
At wide receiver, men such as Romeo Dobbs, Jayden Reed and Christian Watson have shown their potential, and perhaps it is only a matter of time before the Packers are competing for the Super Bowl again.
They will have their own first-round draft pick this April, as well as a second-rounder from the New York Jets they got in the trade that sent Rodgers there. But it would perhaps make more sense to go for an offensive line upgrade in free agency than through the draft in order to make sure they get someone who is proven.