Packers 2014 OTA Weigh Ins Reveal Progress for Second-Year Players

One of the most important elements of OTAs is the incoming weigh in figures for the players. For some, going over a weight threshold can trigger a penalty in their contract. Others try to bulk up to better deal with the wear and tear of the oncoming season.

While these numbers are not made publicly available, a league source tells Acme Packing Company of several weigh-in numbers for some Packers entering their second season.

David Bakhtiari reported to Green Bay at 308 lbs. This represents a marked increase over last year when the left tackle played the majority of the season in the 290-300 lbs. range. While Bakhtiari proved capable in pass protection as a rookie, he struggled in run blocking. Accordingly, the added weight should assist him as he strives for a year-two jump in play.

While officially listed at 285, Datone Jones played much of the 2013 season below that figure. By the end of the year, Jones' weight had dipped into the 270-275 lbs. range. That weight loss accounts for why he played so few snaps the final quarter of the season. The good news for the Packers is Jones came in at 286 lbs. at OTAs. During the draft process, the former UCLA Bruin drew comparisons to Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan, a 6-4 287 lbs. five-tech pass rusher. If Jones can also keep himself in the 285-290 lbs. range an uptick in playing time is likely to follow. That he already finds himself there with over three months before the start of the regular season is a good sign for Green Bay.

Few positions on the Packers roster have garnered more attention than center. Ted Thompson allowed 2013 starter Evan Dietrich-Smith to depart for Tampa Bay leaving J.C. Tretter as the presumed starter going forward. It's believed part of reason Thompson allowed Dietrich-Smith to walk is an organizational shift towards bigger interior offensive lineman and a focus on power scheme over zone blocking. Tretter's weigh in seems to confirm that reasoning, as he reported at 317 lbs. If he wins the job, Tretter would become perhaps the heaviest player to start at center in Packers history. The last time a Green Bay player listed at 310 or above started at the position was Grey Ruegamer from 2004-05. [Ed. note: see update for this paragraph below.]

Josh Boyd played only 117 snaps as a rookie, seeing most of them at left end. Acme Packing Company's source did not provide a number for Boyd's weigh in but said the defensive lineman, "Got a lot bigger. He's grown significantly." Boyd was officially listed at 310 lbs. last season and looked the part. If his weight has indeed risen well above that, it's fair to assume the Packers plan to give Boyd more snaps at nose tackle. As such, the team could consider him as a potential replacement for B.J. Raji after the 2014 season.

UPDATE: Since the publishing of this article, Acme Packing Company has been told that the weight listed for J.C. Tretter above is actually T.J. Lang's weigh-in number. Tretter's actual weight when he reported for OTAs was 303 lbs. Additionally, we've learned that Josh Boyd came in at 328 lbs.