The Green Bay Packers improved to 4-2 with a 23-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, yet their offensive line continues to limit the ground game.
Green Bay managed just 57 rushing yards on 26 carries against a Cowboys defense that ranked last in the NFL against the run entering the contest. Through six games, the Packers average 59.8 rushing yards per game and 2.9 yards per carry, both last in the league.
Those numbers have persisted even as the team has turned to veteran help after early-season struggles up front.
Starting right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele is out for the season after tearing his patellar tendon, while left guard Aaron Banks has missed time with knee and toe issues. In response, Green Bay added Laken Tomlinson and Kevin Zeitler, both experienced starters, along with Mekhi Becton Sr. to the practice squad in late September.
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards projected the Packers to select Notre Dame offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp with the No. 49 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
“Although those are Band-Aids to a larger issue, they reinvest in the unit through the draft,” Edwards wrote.
The projection carries extra weight because Green Bay does not hold a first-round selection in 2027 after general manager Brian Gutekunst dealt that pick, the 2026 first-rounder and Kenny Clark to Dallas in the Micah Parsons trade. That leaves the second round as the earliest natural opportunity to add a young offensive lineman unless another deal is made.
Knapp, listed at 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, is a junior who started 15 games at left tackle as a freshman in 2024 and 12 more at the position in 2025 before shifting inside to left guard this season. He earned Freshman All-America recognition in 2024 and entered 2026 with multiple preseason All-America nods, plus spots on the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award watch lists.
Notre Dame rushed for 306 yards against USC and 329 yards against Syracuse in 2025 games with Knapp starting at left tackle. His experience at both tackle and guard could give the Packers positional flexibility rather than committing a premium pick to one spot.
Coach Matt LaFleur expects running back Josh Jacobs to practice this week after six games on the sideline, though his status against the Detroit Lions remains uncertain. Jacobs’ return would restore an established back, but the underlying blocking issues have shown no signs of resolving on their own.
The Packers have stayed competitive in the NFC North while piecing the line together, yet the rushing totals rank among the league’s worst. A versatile prospect such as Knapp could address the longer-term needs if the current veteran additions prove temporary.
Green Bay’s next test comes Sunday at Detroit, where the run game will again be under scrutiny.
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