Packers Free Agent Proposal Has Them Add Short-Term Competition

The Green Bay Packers are looking to finally make a run at the Super Bowl in 2025, after coming perilously close to competing in the Big Game on numerous occasions under Matt LaFleur.

LaFleur is 0-2 in NFC Championship Games, having been beaten by both the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 season, and perhaps slightly more embarrassingly, the Jimmy Garoppolo-led San Francisco 49ers the year prior.

After the Micah Parsons trade, much was being made about the team’s viability to win it all. But, as was clearly on display last weekend against the Cleveland Browns, one thing remains a clear issue: the offensive line.

When everyone is healthy, the Packers have one of the better offensive lines in all of football. However, with right tackle, Zach Tom, out with a torn oblique, and guard, Aaron Banks, also facing some injury issues of his own, Green Bay has had to look to their young backups to step in.

However, this has not gone well, with both ex-first round draft pick, Jordan Morgan and rookie second rounder, Anthony Belton, struggling mightily against the Browns’ powerful pass rush – with both receiving grades in the 40s from Pro Football Focus.

As such, the franchise may need to look elsewhere; to some short term veteran replacements; whilst the young talents continue their development and Tom stays out.

Packers Could Turn To A Veteran Face To Solve Offensive Line Issues

So in this proposal, the Packers make a move for – ironically – former Cleveland Browns right tackle, Chris Hubbard.

Hubbard has been one of the more underrated-but-steady offensive tackles in football over the past half decade, putting in continuously but unspectacular performances on mostly below-average teams, yet rarely being the clear reason for an offensive line struggling.

Although last season was not the best of the 34-year old’s career, the season before with Tennessee had him as one of the more solid and under-appreciated tackles in the league, generating a 67.8 pass blocking grade and 64.2 run blocking grade from PFF.

Chris Hubbard Could Help To Stabilize The Right Tackle Position In The Short-Term

Hubbard is hardly the sexy free agent pickup that fans dream of, but right now that is- and should be – the biggest concern of the Packers faithful over the next few weeks.

It is not clear how long Tom will be out for with his torn oblique – there were reports that he was trying to play through it, but ultimately Green Bay did not want to take the risk.

If the fourth year right tackle, who recently signed a 4 year, $88 million extension with the team this past offseason, will miss the forthcoming weeks, Green Bay will need either Morgan, Belton, or Darian Kinnard – whom the team traded for a 2027 sixth round pick last month – to substantially improve and pick up the slack.

Right now, the addition of Hubbard takes that pressure off the rookie and second year pro, and gives Green Bay a much needed floor and safety net of decent, experienced play as they look to challenge hard in the NFC.

Daniel Arwas Daniel Arwas is a sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com. Daniel began his career in sports writing in 2022 and has covered the NFL and college football for Gridiron Heroics and The Hammer. More about Daniel Arwas