Replacing a 1st Team All Pro is a tall order for just about any player. The Packers drafted Josh Myers in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft to do just that however, and early indications show that he just might be up to the task.
Corey Linsley left the Packers as a free agent after the 2020 season. In doing so, Linsley became the highest paid player in the NFL at the center position. The Packers couldn’t afford Corey, and the high price tag combined with his lengthy injury history led the team to the conclusion that it was best to let Linsley walk. Green Bay decided to look to the draft to find a new starting center.
Enter Josh Myers.
The Packers selected Josh with the 62nd pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. This selection stunned some fans and analysts alike. Creed Humphrey was generally considered to be the better center prospect in the draft, and he was available when the Packers were up with the 62nd pick. Brian Gutekunst believed that Myers was the better choice however. Josh called the protections for one of the nation’s best offenses at Ohio State. Myers’ intelligence, athleticism, and leadership were also contributing factors in Gutekunst’s selection.
But did Brian Gutekunst make the right call in selecting Josh Myers? Will he be able to replace a 1st Team All Pro? Let’s take a closer look to decide.
A Closer Look
The sample size for Josh Myers leaves something to be desired unfortunately. Myers missed a total of 11 games due to injury in the 2021-2022 season. Josh was unable to play in the week five matchup against the Bengals due to a finger injury, and in week six at Soldier Field he went down with a knee injury that kept him sidelined until week 18. Given Linsley’s extensive injury history, it seems that Myers may well be on track to replacing the 1st Team All Pro…
All jokes aside, in the games that we did get to see Josh play, he proved to be a very capable starter. Myers did not allow any sacks in his six regular season appearances, but he did slightly underwhelm by allowing eight pressures during the same span. Josh only had one blown block in the run game per si.com, giving him a blown-block rate of just 0.9%.
Pro Football Focus evaluated Myers a bit more harshly, giving him an overall grade of just 58.3. PFF shows him as a better pass blocker (65.5) than run blocker (54.1), which I believe to be an accurate OVERALL assessment, but I feel those numbers are a bit on the low side.
My own personal evaluation is that Myers is a very good pass blocker, and a well above average run blocker. The only criticisms I have are that he did get confused on blitz pick-ups on a few occasions, and sometimes looked lost when getting to the second level on outside zone runs. As Josh develops, and hopefully stays on the field more, these issues will likely become non-issues.
Can Myers Replace A 1st Team All Pro?
I do believe that Josh Myers will develop into a more than adequate replacement for Corey Linsley. Yes, it may be a bit early to make a statement like this, but it seems likely. One of the best ways to tell if a center is going to pan out is to watch the chemistry they have with the quarterback. If Aaron Rodgers felt that Myers wasn’t up to the task, you can rest assured that you would have seen some heated exchanges on the field. Add the chip on Josh’s shoulder from the inevitable comparisons to Creed Humphrey to the mix and I think you have the formula for a pretty good center.
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