Evan

Smith

Initially due to make $2 million this upcoming season, Smith returned from surgery on both hips to play 26 snaps with Tampa Bay’s second-string offense before getting cut. Veteran Earl Watford or Josh LeRibeu will take Smith’s job as a top reserve for the Bucs in ’19.

Sounds painful. This is more of a bookkeeping update, as the nature of Smith’s injury wasn’t previously known. The 32-year-old has one year left on his deal in Tampa Bay but could easily be calling it a career.

Smith made seven appearances as a reserve this season. The 32-year-old is signed through 2019.

The most likely scenario is Lang moving to center with Dietrich-Smith taking over at left guard. Reserve/future signee Sampson Genus is a dark horse candidate. Wells, who signed with the Rams on Friday, had been the Packers’ starting center since 2005.

Sherrod is done for the year. Starter Bryan Bulaga sustained a knee sprain of unknown severity as well on Sunday, leaving the Packers suddenly thin at the tackle spot. Evan Dietrich-Smith came on at left guard, pushing T.J. Lang out to right tackle.

Sitton was matching up with and containing Ndamukong Suh early on. He’s considered questionable to return and is standing on the sideline with an icepack on his knee. Evan Dietrich-Smith has come on at right guard.

Bulaga has been sent for extra tests during the bye week, though we’ve yet to hear specifics on the injury. After going eight games without a starting lineman missing a snap, the Packers will now move LG T.J. Lang to tackle with Evan-Diedrich Smith at guard. Both players graded out well versus the Cardinals in Week 9.

“Like last year, the steps he’s made from a professional standpoint are coming to the front for him: leadership, energy, very smart, understands everything,” OL coach James Campen said. Dietrich-Smith took over for a fading Jeff Saturday last season, starting the Packers’ final four games at center. The 2010 undrafted free agent also made four starts at left guard.

This news comes just one day after the Packers announced they were reshuffling their offensive line with Evan Dietrich-Smith replacing Jeff Saturday at center. If Barclay is unable to go, the Packers may need to swing T.J. Lang back to tackle, Dietrich-Smith back to guard and Saturday back to center. With Barclay at tackle, the Packers have rushed for 152, 140 and 113 yards in three division wins.

This may be the end of the line for Saturday, who turned 37 in June and is owed nearly $4 million in 2013 salary and bonuses. The Packers had not been pleased with his run blocking. As NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal has noted, Saturday currently leads all NFL offensive linemen in Pro Bowl voting, which strongly reinforces the notion that Pro Bowl voting is a complete sham.