Packers Center Josh Myers Viewed as ‘Ascending’ Starter
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The “armchair” offensive line experts that populate the platform formerly known as Twitter think Green Bay Packers center Josh Myers is terrible.
General manager Brian Gutekunst disagrees.
“I think Josh Myers is playing the best football since he’s been here,” he said unprompted this week.
Offensive coordinator and former offensive line coach Adam Stenavich disagrees.
“From a locker-room standpoint, he’s really taken a big leadership role in the offensive line, he said on Thursday. “As the center, that’s a very, very important thing. He’s done a really good job getting the table set, calls, all that stuff. From a leadership standpoint, that’s been awesome.
“And then on the field, he’s been playing with good physicality, he’s moving really well, doing a better job in pass pro, using his hands and playing in good phase, so he’s doing a good job.”
Offensive line coach Luke Butkus disagrees.
“He’s building some confidence,” he said this week. “Josh is a prideful guy. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s tough. Now he’s starting to build some confidence in his balance, his footwork (and) everything about understanding the game plan. The confidence that he’s playing with, it’s been good to see because there are flashes – again consistency is the big thing for us and he needs to do it – but he is flashing.”
A scout who watched the Packers recently disagrees.
“Average, probably above-average. Ascending,” he said via text message this week.
Right guard Jon Runyan disagrees.
Myers made his 30th career start last week against Minnesota. When the Packers host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Myers will line up next to Runyan for the 27th consecutive game.
“I think Josh is doing great,” Runyan said. “He’s really stepped up. He’s the vocal leader of our offensive line and he rarely makes mental mistakes out there. When he’s on it, he gets us all set. He’s doing really well. We see the results. I don’t really know too much about the social-media aspect of it.”
Informed that many fans think Myers is a bust, Runyan replied that there are a lot of “armchair O-line experts” out there. While he disagrees with them, he understands the genesis of the criticism.
“I think most of that comes from him and the center that got drafted right after him,” Runyan said.
That player is Creed Humphrey. Myers was the first center off the board in 2021. Taken one pick later by the Kansas City Chiefs, Humphrey was all-rookie in 2021 and second-team All-Pro in 2022.
“People always like to compare and contrast. They do that at every position,” Runyan said. “Josh is a big center and he’s got a nice mean streak to him and he’s playing really well. He makes my job a lot easier with how well he plays. We have a lot of combinations with each other and it’s really fun playing with him.”
Last year in 17 starts, Myers allowed two sacks and 11 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. In seven games this year, he’s in the same ballpark with one sack and six pressures. Notably, in the run game, he went from 19 blown blocks last year to six, according to Sports Info Solutions.
For his part, Myers agrees with the assessment that he’s playing his best football.
“That being said, there’s a long way for me to go still, and I know that. No doubt about it,” he said. “I think I’ve gotten better at honing in on the fine details of our offense and have a really good understanding of the whole picture. I think that’s helped me a lot as I’ve gone.
“There are plenty of things” to improve on, he continued. “I could bring up dang near endless scenarios or situations. I feel like the deeper you get into it, the more detailed it gets, it becomes minute things [to improve on] at a certain point.”
Myers and the entire Green Bay offensive front will face their biggest challenge this season against Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The 32-year-old’s streak of seven consecutive All-Pro seasons was snapped last year, when an injury limited him to 11 games. He’s been back to his game-wrecking ways this season.
After games against the Rams, Steelers and Chargers, the Packers will host the Chiefs. That will put Myers and Humphrey on the field together.
“I haven’t thought about it in that way too much,” Myers said of the expectations that came with being the first center off the board. “I have my own expectations for myself and I like to think I set them pretty high. I try not to think about that as much as what I expect from myself every day.”
The expectations are simple to state and almost impossible to meet. Be right mentally for every play and win every block.
“The play will never be perfect, no matter what,” he said, “but I try to come as close to it as I possibly can every day. Just trying to be as consistent as possible.”