If the unofficial depth charts provided by the team are believed, the Green Bay Packers will start rookie Royce Newman on guard right on the opening Sunday of the season against the New Orleans Saints.
The Packers included Newman as a starter on the right and Lucas Patrick as a starter on the left in the first unofficial depth table of the regular season. Jon Runyan appears as a backup in both guard positions.
Newman, selected in the fourth round of Ole Miss, was the highest-scoring offensive line player in Pro Football Focus during the preseason. He played 82 snapshots, didn’t give up on pressure in passing protection and earned elite ratings in the race game. All of his snapshots were played right and he started the last two preseason games.
According to the in-depth chart, Elgton Jenkins will take over as headline left-back from David Bakhtiari, who is on the PUP list for the first six weeks. The Pro Bowl guard has been practicing left-handed all summer. Rookie Josh Myers is the starter at center, replacing All-Pro Corey Linsley, as expected.
Patrick, a returning starter, played 220 snapshots on the left guard in 2020.
The initial offensive line of the depth graph from left to right: Jenkins, Patrick, Myers, Newman, Billy Turner.
Turner will be the only starter in the Packers ’offense to start the 2021 season in his favorite position from last season.
The Packers open the season against the Saints in Jacksonville on Sunday.