Mark Tauscher joins Kyle & Brust and explains what the Packers’ additions of Laken Tomlinson and Mekhi Becton really say about the state of the offensive line. Tausch describes the veterans as the type of players teams keep on their emergency lists and says Green Bay doesn’t make moves like this unless things have become “really, really dire.” He likes that Brian Gutekunst is attempting to address the problem, but says needing help at multiple positions makes this much different from plugging one temporary hole.
Tausch also puts the Falcons performance into perspective. Jordan Love is taking far too many hits, the Packers have struggled to function consistently up front and Green Bay could easily be 0-3 based on how poorly the line has played. Tomlinson and Becton don’t guarantee a fix, but their experience gives the Packers alternatives while they figure out whether their younger linemen can develop into reliable options.
Plus, Tausch turns to the Badgers after their comeback win at Penn State. He calls Saturday against Michigan State a “validation” game for Luke Fickell’s program: Wisconsin finally generated some real momentum, but now it has to prove the upset was a turning point by taking care of business as a double-digit favorite at home.