While the Detroit Lions continue to benefit from their offensive success, other NFC North teams aren't that fortunate. The Green Bay Packers have fielded the worst offensive line in football for three consecutive weeks, and even they realized enough was enough.
That's why, now that free agency has dried up and there aren't many solid options available, Matt LaFleur's team had no choice but to go with the best of the bunch, even if that meant bringing in a familiar foe.
According to ESPN insider Rob Demovsky (via Adam Schefter), the Packers signed former Lions guard Kevin Zeitler. It was surprising to see him go unsigned this offseason, and he'll now go from friend to foe.
Former Lion Kevin Zeitler will try to give the Packers a boost
While Zeitler was in Detroit for only one season, his impact was evident right out of the gate. The team needed someone to replace Jonah Jackson, and he was one of the pillars of an offensive line that helped the team lead the league in scoring.
Zeitler was a Pro Bowl alternate that season. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he played over 1,000 snaps at right guard, allowing just 18 pressures, though he did give up five sacks and four quarterback hits.
He was instrumental in Ben Johnson's success, moving guys out of the way and climbing to the second level to open lanes for the running game. He then demanded more money in free agency, signing a one-year, $9 million deal with the Tennessee Titans.
The Lions' offensive line managed to get by without him, and while they haven't been perfect, he might've realized that he made a mistake by leaving a great situation in Detroit to join a struggling Titans team.
Now, he'll have his work cut out for him in Green Bay. The Packers have a borderline amateur offensive line, especially in the interior, and while he will likely slide into the starting right guard spot right off the bat, it might take much more than his arrival to fix what's broken in Wisconsin.
The Lions already looked like a better team than the Packers, and this shouldn't move the needle in the divisional race. Coach Campbell knows Zeitler quite well, and while he's a great player, the Lions should also have some inside intel on how to mess with his rhythm and get him out of the equation.
The Packers will continue to make desperate moves to save what's starting to look like a lost season, and that's never great news. But regardless of what they do, the Lions should still love their chances in the NFC North.
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