Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
COREY LINSLEY
Chargers find new center of attention
Green Bay — There was never really any chance the Green Bay Packers were going to re-sign center Corey Linsley, not after ignoring him all last season and through the run up to the freeagency period.
So, his departure in free agency was a given.
It became a reality March 15 when Linsley reached agreement with the Los Angeles Chargers on a four-year deal, according to NFL.com. Multiple reports said the deal was for five years, $62.5 million with a $13 million signing bonus and $26 million guaranteed overall, making him the highest-paid center in the league by yearly average.
Linsley, who was voted first-team All-Pro in 2021, fell too far down the priority list to make it back on the Packers' roster.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst singled out left tackle David Bakhtiari and nose tackle Kenny Clark for in-season deals that would guarantee they would not get to free agency. He also tried to re-sign running back Aaron Jones during the season and finally got that done March 14, a day before free agents could start informally shopping themselves around the league.
It would have stressed their cap situation immensely to add Linsley at what could turn out to be $12 million or more a year. They have invested a lot in Bakhtiari and tackle Billy Turner and will have to pay big money to retain guard Elgton Jenkins in two years, so someone had to be sacrificed.
The fact Jenkins' best position is probably center may have played into the decision. The Packers also have several young interior players in Jon Runyan and Simon Stepaniak who they hope can emerge as starters this year or next.
Just to be safe, the Packers inquired about Minnesota veteran center Brett Jones, who was released earlier this offseason. Jones, 29, started his career in the Canadian Football League, played two seasons with the New York
Giants and played the last three seasons with the Vikings.
He has mostly been a backup but started 13 games for the Giants in '17.
Linsley has been a rock in the middle of the Packers' offensive line, starting all 99 games in which he has appeared. He had a streak of 68 consecutive starts broken late last season when he tore the MCL in his left knee and missed the final three games of the season.
He returned in time to play in the team's two playoff games.
Linsley rejoins former Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga with the Chargers. Bulaga signed as a free agent with the Chargers a year ago, and Linsley told SiriusXM NFL radio that was a major factor in his decision.
Linsley, who became the first Packers center to earn first-team recognition since Jim Ringo in 1963, was a fifth-round draft pick in 2014 and became an instant starter. He missed just 13 games in seven seasons and was regularly one of the most consistent players on the offensive line.
The Packers have some rebuilding to do on the offensive line with Linsley gone and Bakhtiari probably out the first six games of next season while recovering from a torn ACL. They did extend an exclusive rights free-agent tender to tackle Yosh Nijman, an athletic big man they hope to develop into a swing tackle, according to a source.