# Bill Huber: Huber argues Green Bay's late free-agent guard signings salvage the season: Kevin Zeitler will take over as the undisputed starting right guard, Laken Tomlinson gives them a real starting-level option at left guard and should be ready for Sunday against Tampa Bay, and they rate the Packers' chances of returning to the playoffs a 10 and of winning the NFC North an 8. **Claimed:** Oct 1, 2026 **Pundit:** Bill Huber — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/bill-huber **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/onsi/confidence-meter-did-packers-save-season-by-signing-kevin-zeitler-laken-tomlinson 4 checkable claims — 1 availability call, 1 depth chart call, 1 division winner and 1 playoff pick — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room. > Zeitler, meanwhile, is the real season-changing addition because he’ll be the no-doubt-about-it starter once he’s ready physically and mentally. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Kevin Zeitler to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kevin Zeitler, Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - “Tomlinson signed to the Cowboys’ practice squad a few weeks ago, so he should be ramped up physically and ready to go on Sunday against the Buccaneers, so long as he can learn the playbook.” - Kind: Availability Calls · About: Laken Tomlinson, Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Green Bay Packers to win the division** - Kind: Division Winners · About: Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Green Bay Packers to make the playoffs** - Kind: Playoff Picks · About: Green Bay Packers - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Kevin Zeitler — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kevin-zeitler - Green Bay Packers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/packers - Laken Tomlinson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/laken-tomlinson ## What others said about the same people - Pete Prisco on Green Bay Packers: Prisco gives score predictions for every Week 9 NFL game, picking the Bengals to rout the Falcons in Madrid, the Cowboys to rebound at Indianapolis, and the Jaguars to win in Baltimore without Lamar Jackson. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/dc43909b-bc7f-47aa-b208-5cf7c95844bc (scored 64.29) - Derek Brown on Green Bay Packers: Brown picked the Bengals to beat the Falcons in Madrid, the Packers to win outright in New England and the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night. They were bullish on Jonah Coleman's rest-of-season value, expected Jonathan Taylor to play for the Colts, floated a Breece Hall trade, and did not expect DJ Reed to play in Week 9. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b4014405-6764-427e-9708-679baf6b06de (scored 100) - Danny Parkins on Green Bay Packers: Parkins named the seven AFC teams they believe are already set as the playoff field, expects Chicago, Buffalo and Kansas City to win this week, took Green Bay over New England and Atlanta over Cincinnati outright, and kept Bills–Bears as their Super Bowl matchup with the Giants still winning the NFC East. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/272d1f8a-06f7-4b8b-8480-94d370ae5e6f (scored 100) - John Middlekauff on Green Bay Packers: Middlekauff declared the AFC South over and the Jaguars the division champs, while listing several clubs they expect in the playoffs and pegging the Jets for a top-five draft slot. They also leaned Packers and Bears in Week 9 games, predicted roughly five or six wins for Washington, said Brandon Aiyuk is not coming back, and called Tyson Bagent's current deal the biggest they'll ever sign. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5fbf1f78-2f2a-49cf-8052-89897c9a1ff8 (scored 100) - Matt Harmon on Green Bay Packers: Harmon picked the Packers, Bears, Bills, 49ers and Broncos in Week 9, predicted Justin Jefferson would top 100 receiving yards with two touchdowns against Buffalo, and said Minnesota would lose and then trade for Jonathan Taylor. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f6e687e7-59f9-430a-90a5-b3c0da4e3e20 (scored 100) - Jared Dubin on Green Bay Packers: Dubin predicts a lopsided Jaguars win over the Ravens on Thursday night and takes the Packers to upset the Patriots in Week 9. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3c0440d3-fd3d-45e1-bef8-c67da14bf25b (scored 71.43) ## More depth chart calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Jeremy Brener on Drew Lock: Brener picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in Week 9 by a multi-score margin, giving a final score of 27-13, and expressed confidence Seattle would be fine with Drew Lock starting at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7eb2d245-63d0-4be0-80ba-3f60197e2b16 (scored 100) - Jeremy Brener on Jalen Milroe: Brener suggests Seattle may turn to rookie-contract quarterback Jalen Milroe for their first career start in Week 9 against the Cardinals, with Sam Darnold ruled out and Drew Lock dealing with an elbow injury. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/42d1bd81-5e19-456e-9f68-b3b135170ec0 (scored 0) - Michael Moore on Shedeur Sanders: In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e26319a3-10aa-49a6-a24d-a257521363f0 (scored 100) - Zachary Pereles on Shedeur Sanders: Pereles writes that if Deshaun Watson can't clear concussion protocol in time, the Browns would likely turn to second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders to start Week 9 against the Saints. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6dad75dd-1818-4a6a-91ea-832f491c2530 (scored 100) - Nic Bodiford on Joe Fagnano: Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a13b9f29-bb76-4c56-b226-aca74b21f5b7 (scored 100) - Garrett Podell on Carson Beck: Podell argues the Cardinals have maxed out with Jacoby Brissett and that rookie Carson Beck should be ramped up to replace them as starter, targeting Week 8 at Dallas for Beck's regular-season debut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2f499498-ebbe-41f8-8ea3-41fe96f79432 (scored 0) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=bill-huber