Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Lane Taylor is a football success story.
After going undrafted in 2013, Taylor worked his way into becoming the Green Packers starting left guard. The team was so impressed, as it turned out, that the two sides agreed to a three-year, $16.5 million contract extension this past offseason.
But now Taylor may have to prove himself all over again next season as he is expected to be done for the remainder of this season with a biceps injury that will require surgery.
Green Bay has placed the 29-year-old Taylor on injured reserve. Though NFL rules do allow for two players on each team to be activated per year, provided they are out at least eight weeks, Taylor isn’t expected to be recovered in time to make a return until next season.
#Packers G Lane Taylor said tonight that he will need surgery on his left biceps muscle, which he injured in practice on Wednesday. Tough break for him. It means his season is over. He won’t be coming back from injured reserve.
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) September 24, 2019
As a corresponding roster move, the Packers have signed offensive lineman Adam Pankay off of the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad.
Pankey is no stranger to the Packers’ offense. He’s spent the past two seasons in Green Bay, a majority of that time on the Packers’ practice squad. Though Pankey has seen some playing time in a couple of regular-season games while on Green Bay’s active roster.
In Taylor’s place, rookie second-round draft pick Elgton Jenkins will start.
Jenkins made his first career NFL start last week when the Packers took on the Denver Broncos. He played well, as Jenkins was measured as only allowing one quarterback pressure in a game where QB Aaron Rodgers was not sacked.
