{"id":1014225,"date":"2026-09-29T21:21:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T21:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/1014225\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T21:21:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T21:21:20","slug":"packers-finally-turn-to-kevin-zeitler-as-they-search-for-an-answer-to-a-major-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/1014225\/","title":{"rendered":"Packers finally turn to Kevin Zeitler as they search for an answer to a major problem"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Home<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\/<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NFL<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\/<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/green-bay-packers-news\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Green Bay Packers<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Green Bay hosted the veteran guard for a visit on Tuesday, even though the parties haven\u2019t agreed to a contract at this point.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/zeitler-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-1280 size-1280 wp-post-image\" alt=\"Jul 27, 2022; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive guard Kevin Zeitler (70) speaks with the media after day one of training camp at Under Armour Performance Center.\" loading=\"eager\" fetchpriority=\"high\"  data-hero=\"atoz-hero\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJul 27, 2022; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive guard Kevin Zeitler (70) speaks with the media after day one of training camp at Under Armour Performance Center.<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Green Bay Packers finally showed <a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/green-bay-packers-news\/free-agents-who-could-still-help-salvage-the-packers-struggling-2026-season\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">openness to the move<\/a> that would come closest to <a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/green-bay-packers-news\/guard-problem-solution-staring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">resolving their biggest roster issue<\/a>. Green Bay hosted <a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/kevin-zeitler-free-agency-anthony-belton-benched\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">veteran guard Kevin Zeitler<\/a> for a visit on Tuesday, and that means the Packers could consider adding him to the roster to address a struggling interior offensive line.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zeitler is a 36-year-old guard and a former first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals back in 2012. Since then, he has played for the Bengals, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and, last season, the Tennessee Titans.<\/p>\n<p>A different kind of addition upfront<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Packers have already made several moves along the offensive line. They signed <a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/green-bay-packers-news\/cordell-volson-free-agent-visit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Cordell Volson<\/a>, but he has since been released from the practice squad. Green Bay also <a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/green-bay-packers-news\/laken-tomlinson-signing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">signed Laken Tomlinson<\/a> off the Dallas Cowboys\u2019 practice squad for its 53-man roster, and earlier this week, the <a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/green-bay-packers-news\/mekhi-becton-signing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">team added Mekhi Becton<\/a> to the practice squad.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zeitler is the player who could move the needle in a different dimension compared to the others. His recent production is on another level.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last season, Zeitler started at right guard for the Titans and gave up only 16 pressures throughout the entire season. In comparison, Jager Burton allowed 10 pressures in just one game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday last week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s a big difference for an offense that badly needs help at guard. The Packers rank 32nd in pass block win rate, dead last in the league. The fact that Green Bay is open to signing Zeitler is a significant development.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zeitler has been in the NFL since 2012, and he has logged 13,991 offensive snaps in the league. He has been a regular starter for several teams, mostly at right guard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His two most recent seasons show a player who has held up well. In 2024, Zeitler played for the Lions and logged 1,047 offensive snaps while giving up only 18 pressures. Then, with Tennessee last season, he kept up the same level of pass protection.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zeitler is probably not in his prime anymore. He is an older player, and the Packers would have to weigh that reality. Still, he is performing at a high level, especially if compared to what Green Bay has put on the field so far this season.<\/p>\n<p>Desperate moves to solve a huge issue<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The interior of the offensive line has been the Packers\u2019 biggest problem. Donovan Jennings, Jacob Monk, and Jager Burton have all had chances to settle the guard spots, and none of them have given the offense the stability it needs. Aaron Banks has only played 22 snaps this season because of another sequence of injuries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zeitler wouldn\u2019t need a developmental curve or time to adjust to starting in the NFL. More than a decade of experience as a regular starter means he could step in and give the offense a reliable presence right away.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tomlinson and Becton can also improve the situation, especially because <a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/green-bay-packers-news\/offensive-line-moves\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">they\u2019ve played in similar offensive structures<\/a>. But Zeitler is certainly the option with the highest ceiling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hosting Zeitler is the first sign that Green Bay is willing to consider a veteran who could reshape the position group. If the team moves forward with a signing, it would be the clearest step yet toward fixing a unit that has made Jordan Love\u2019s life impossible to start the season.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/games\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Packers.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Play A to Z Daily Games\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2025-10-21T013017Z_199359102_MT1USATODAY27377861_RTRMADP_3_NFL-INDIANAPOLIS-COLTS-AT-LOS-ANGELES-CHA.jpeg\" alt=\"Oct 19, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers guard Mekhi Becton (73) runs on to the the field for the game against the Indianapolis Colts at SoFi Stadium.\" loading=\"lazy\"   width=\"200\" height=\"200\" style=\"object-position:45% 20%\"\/>\t\t<\/p>\n<p class=\"query-card-horizontal__category is-style-eyebrow\">Green Bay Packers News<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/atozsports.com\/nfl\/green-bay-packers-news\/offensive-line-moves\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPackers\u2019 offensive line moves reveal the trait connecting three veteran additions brought in to fix a major problem\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"is-style-body-small\">Green Bay added Cordell Volson, Laken Tomlinson, and Mekhi Becton to address the NFL\u2019s worst pass-blocking unit, and all three share some critical traits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Home \/ NFL \/ Green Bay Packers Green Bay hosted the veteran guard for a visit on Tuesday,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1014226,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2072],"tags":[265,7,41,345,2514,2513,6919,6,2592,428],"class_list":["post-1014225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-green-bay-packers","tag-american-football","tag-football","tag-green-bay","tag-green-bay-packers","tag-greenbay","tag-greenbaypackers","tag-kevin-zeitler","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-free-agency","tag-packers"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/117356428662801595","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1014225","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1014225"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1014225\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1014226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1014225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1014225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1014225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}