When the Green Bay Packers signed guard Jahri Evans just prior to the draft, it was widely assumed he would step into T.J. Lang’s old spot in 2017.
Evans isn’t the player he once was — he was an All-Pro from 2009-12, but only graded as the 36th-best guard in the league by Pro Football Focus in 2017.
Evans will be 34 in August and while his skills may have declined somewhat, people have already taken note of what Evans brings to Green Bay.
McCarthy on Jahri Evans: Hell of a football player. Experience, toughness. I really like the way he fits into the room.
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) May 23, 2017
#Packers O-line coach James Campen says Jahri Evans has a presence the way he carries himself. Very professional. Excited to be here.
— Michael Cohen (@Michael_Cohen13) May 23, 2017
What you read there says one thing to us: leadership. Perhaps not of the vocal variety, but certainly of the setting-an-example variety.
That’s something the Packers needed after letting Lang walk in free agency. That may be Evans’ biggest contribution, this season.
As expected, when the Packers trotted out their first-team offense on Tuesday, Evans was there at right guard. Who knows how much Evans has left in the tank, but we’d think he could provide a valuable veteran presence for a season or two.