Sports
Packers bring Waukesha-born guard Kevin Zeitler in as offensive-line search continues
Green Bay hosted the 36-year-old former Wisconsin Badgers standout as it looks for stability at guard after a shaky 1-2 start. The visit does not mean the Packers have signed him; the team also has been evaluating other veteran linemen ahead of Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay.
GREEN BAY — The Packers hosted veteran guard Kevin Zeitler for a visit Tuesday, adding a Wisconsin native and former Badgers All-American to their search for help along an unsettled offensive line.
No agreement had been announced. Zeitler, 36, grew up in Waukesha, attended Wisconsin Lutheran High School and played at the University of Wisconsin before Cincinnati selected him 27th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft.
Green Bay’s visit comes after a series of moves to address the line. The Packers recently added guard Cordell Volson to their practice squad, signed veteran Laken Tomlinson from the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad and brought in Mekhi Becton. Volson was released from the practice squad Tuesday, though that move alone does not confirm the team plans to sign Zeitler.
The Packers are 1-2 and have rotated through three players at left guard in their first three games: Aaron Banks, Donovan Jennings and rookie Jager Burton. Jacob Monk has started at right guard. Green Bay faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.
Coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that Tomlinson and Becton could be options, but the team needed to see them on the field before deciding whether they were ready. Both joined after missing offseason workouts and training camp.
Zeitler brings extensive experience: He has started 220 games, including playoffs, across 14 NFL seasons with six teams. Last season, with Tennessee, he allowed 16 pressures in 909 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
A consensus first-team All-American at Wisconsin in 2011, Zeitler has played for Cincinnati, Baltimore, Cleveland, the New York Giants, Detroit and Tennessee. He said in June 2025 that he continued to play because he loved football and intended to keep going while he could do it well.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst had described the team’s offensive-line depth as strong after final roster cuts on Sept. 1. Since then, the team’s search for reinforcements has included multiple veteran evaluations as it tries to settle its guard positions.