1:02 pm | September 5, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:
GREEN BAY, Wis. — When healthy, the Green Bay Packers think they have a stout offensive line anchored by two-time second-team All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari.
Don’t tell that to Chicago Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks.
“I know those five guys can’t block Khalil Mack,” Hicks said on a conference call with reporters at Lambeau Field. No doubt buoyed by Saturday’s trade for Mack –– a player the Packers also inquired about when the Oakland Raiders put him on the market — Hicks spent most of the call talking about his new teammate.
However, Hicks’ statement might not have been as much trash talk as it was a message for Mack, whom Hicks said just happened to be getting stretched out right next to him in the Bears’ training room during the conference call.
“I think the question every team is going to ask is how do you block Khalil Mack?” Hicks said. “So him being there, it just gives me more freedom to have one-on-ones.”
“Can you tell how excited I am to have my new teammate?” he added.
In fact, he ended the call with this: “You guys be great, and remember this: Khalil Mack, Khalil Mack, Khalil Mack, Khalil Mack.”
Mack’s late addition added another layer to Sunday night’s season opener at Lambeau Field. The Packers devoted an entire practice during camp to working on the rival Bears. That’s something coach Mike McCarthy does annually regardless of the Week 1 opponent, but that late August session did not include anything about Mack.
“There’s a lot of videotape that’s crunched; that was really our process as a coaching staff on Sunday when we realized that the trade was final,” McCarthy said Wednesday.
Mack has played one game against the Packers in his career, in 2015. He beat right tackle Bryan Bulaga with a spin move for a first-quarter sack. Bulaga is coming off an ACL tear last November that ended his season. He played only 12 snaps this preseason — all in the finale — but is expected to start on Sunday night.
“I think it affects guys when they come back from an injury, especially older guys like Bulaga,” Hicks said. “But I don’t think he had a chance to block Khalil Mack in the first place.” Mack practiced with the Bears for the first time on Wednesday and expects to play against the Packers, although given that he skipped the entire training camp and preseason in Oakland his playing time could be limited.
“I know I want to try and get to Aaron [Rodgers] on Sunday,” Mack told reporters in Chicago on Wednesday.
The Packers’ starting offensive line also includes guards Lane Taylor and Justin McCray plus center Corey Linsley. All but McCray are established veterans, but even McCray started eight games last season (including five at right tackle). The backup tackle situation, however, has been problematic. Kyle Murphy, who could have started the season as the No. 3 tackle, went on injured reserve with an ankle injury, forcing the Packers to keep undrafted free agent Alex Light on the roster. Jason Spriggs, a former second-round pick, is now the No. 3 tackle but has not been consistent when called upon, and veteran offseason signing Byron Bell struggled at tackle and moved to guard midway through the preseason.
Last season, the Packers started 11 different offensive line combinations. McCarthy had hoped to build continuity in practice this summer but with Bulaga limited by his rehab and an ankle injury to Bakhtiari, the projected starters did not take a single snap together in preseason games.
“I’m the optimist,” McCarthy said when asked about his line. “I think you have to just believe in the men, and I think it’s obvious that we haven’t practiced a whole lot together, the offensive line that’s projected to start in this game. So hopefully the good Lord has touched us and we’ve got our injury phase out of the way. That’s all part of the challenge. These guys, they have a lot of playing experience, they just don’t have the volume of reps in this particular training camp that you’d like going into it, but those are things you can’t control. They’ll have a great week of practice, and we’ll be ready to go.”
ESPN Bears reporter Jeff Dickerson contributed to this report.
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