Nijman’s development a luxury for line
GREEN BAY – On the sideline, Yosh Nijman stood next to Luke Butkus each snap as he waited his turn, absorbing all the information he could.
He charted each Tampa Bay Buccaneers play in his mind, closely watching their defensive front. He noticed whether Buccaneers outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka lined up wide or inside, his tendencies on first, second and third downs, how he attacked blocks.
Because Nijman knew Troy-Shoyinka
would be attacking his blocks the same.
The Buccaneers didn’t adjust their game plan when Nijman trotted onto the field every other drive. So after each possession, he and starter David Bakhtiari went over their notes. Like a hitter talking a pitcher’s fastball, slider and changeup with his teammate on deck after an at-bat.
“We’d sit down,” Nijman said, “and go over a few things that we saw and just communicated.”
Bakhtiari wasn’t the only Green Bay Packers left tackle in a rotation during Sunday’s road win. The other half, Nijman entered last week with a game plan unlike any he’s ever had. Half the drives, starting with the second, a crutch helping nurse Bakhtiari back to full strength.
It’s a testament to how far Nijman has developed since his first NFL start, exactly one year before Sunday’s trip to Tampa. Nijman was a wild card when the Packers traveled to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3 last season. A mystery. The game was spinning then. Nijman’s thoughts raced as he broke the huddle between plays, into his stance, adjusting to the flow of a game he waited two full sea