The Green Bay Packers signed Andre Dillard in hopes of adding some offensive line depth. However, there’s a chance that the former first-round pick doesn’t make it through training camp.
Alex Ballentine with Bleacher Report broke down a few players at Packers training camp at risk of being cut. The list included former starting guard Royce Newman and running back Emmanuel Wilson.
Ballentine also laid out why Dillard needs to prove himself in the coming weeks.
“The Packers have a lot of questions up front, but they also have a collection of young prospects at the position,” Ballentine wrote. “[Travis Glover] is far from an elite prospect, but if it comes down to it and the Packers can only keep one, they might prefer the younger player. Dillard will have to show that he can be a reliable swing tackle in camp to have a roster spot.”
There’s plenty of time for Dillard to asset himself. But don’t be surprised if the Packers go in a different direction.
Andre Dillard’s Disappointing NFL Career
Expectations can be hard for a first-round pick. Dillard has had to find that out the hard way.
Dillard was a breakout star for the Washington State Cougars in college. He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2018 after a dominant year at left tackle.
The pre-draft process caused Dillard to fly up draft boards. Although he was a bit undersized at 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, he posted a very strong 9.81 Relative Athletic Score after recording some great scores in athletic testing.
The Philadelphia Eagles liked what they saw from Dillard, taking him 22nd overall in the 2019 draft. However, his struggles kept him from making it to his fifth-year option, which the Eagles declined.
Dillard got picked up by the Tennessee Titans in 2023. But this past season was a disaster for the former first-round pick. Pro Football Focus gave him a career-low 51.0 overall grade with 41 pressures and 12 sacks allowed.
That’s an unacceptable amount of pressure allowed by an offensive tackle. If he continues to show that kind of ability during Packers training camp, there’s a very real chance that he doesn’t make it through final roster cuts.
The Packers Have Depth at Offensive Tackle
Besides his 2023 struggles, Dillard may not making the roster because of the team’s current depth at tackle.
Rasheed Walker and Zach Tom are expected to be the team’s two starting tackles. Walker found his footing in the second half of the year, while Tom has quickly developed into a Pro Bowl-caliber starter in just two NFL seasons.
The team’s first-round pick could also play tackle. Jordan Morgan held down Arizona’s blind side in college, but could be kicked inside to guard as a rookie depending on how he does in training camp.
The Packers also took a Day 3 flier on Travis Glover out of Georgia State. While he may be an afterthought compared to the rest of his draft class, Glover’s measurables are noteworthy at 6-foot-6 and 317 pounds with 34.75-inch arms.
Other tackles trying to make the roster include Luke Tenuta and Caleb Jones. It’s an uphill battle for those guys, but the Packers will have to evaluate them on equal footing to struggling veterans like Dillard.
