Michael Cohen

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The trickle-down effect of NFL free agency resembles a waterfall more than a babbling brook. In the minutes it takes star players to ink their way to millions somewhere else, the lives of teammates left behind can change just as swiftly.

Such may be the case for the Green Bay Packers, whose tight-fisted grasp of cap space enabled the departure of starting right guard T.J. Lang to a division rival. The Detroit Lions secured Lang’s services with a three-year deal worth $28.5 million with $19.5 million in guaranteed money.

Predictably, the identity of Lang’s replacement has emerged as the No. 1 question hovering over the Packers in advance of next month’s draft. Will general manager Ted Thompson search for a plug-and-play offensive lineman straight from the college ranks? Will the Packers trust their youth and cede the position to someone already under contract? Or maybe the answer is floating in the third wave of free agency.

Should Thompson turn inward, former sixth-round pick Kyle Murphy would likely receive a look at right guard. An offensive tackle at Stanford, Murphy was inactive for 15 games last season and played only eight snaps. But Murphy began taking reps at right guard during the second half of the season — after Lang broke his foot — and would gladly make the switch if it meant consistent playing time sooner rather than later.

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Murphy discussed his rookie season, the importance of positional versatility and Lang’s departure in a recent interview with Packers beat writer Michael Cohen.

Q. When you think back on your rookie season and sort of the first experience of training camp and then going through the season when you were inactive most of the time, how do you sum up your first year?

A. It kind of felt like you were thrown back into your freshman year of college again. That’s kind of the best comparison I can put to it as far as trying to figure everything out. … It was a little different for me (because) when I came to college I started playing right away. Obviously in the NFL it’s a different competition level and there’s great players around you, so you’ve got to earn your stripes and earn your way on the field.

Obviously we’ve lost some great players through free agency, so it’s going to be even more imperative to step up for myself and for the team to be able and ready to be a solid contributor. I think I was ready to play last year. I think I could have stepped in any game and been a viable option. I don’t think I would have been a liability. I think I would have gone out there and played to the best of my ability and played well.

Q. Does anything different go through your mind in terms of preparation for next year knowing that right guard T.J. Lang is gone and there is going to be an opening on that line?

A. We’re just being real: You see a vacancy and that’s going to turn your motor up a little bit more. … Obviously there’s a vacancy at the right guard position, and that’s a position that I was sprinkled in there throughout the season, especially in the middle and latter parts of the year, starting to get some reps in there and get my feet wet, get used to the feel for it because I’d never experienced playing inside before. Obviously that’s going to be a challenge to get used to that.

Last time I talked to the coaches was kind of just to debrief on the season and what I needed to work on. It wasn’t really a ton of, ‘You’re going to play this. You’re not going to play that.’ It’s just kind of more, ‘Get stronger, be the best version of yourself you can coming back.’

Q. Would you like to win that right guard spot, or would you prefer stay at tackle?

A. I want to play. I want to play as soon as possible, whether that be right guard, left guard, center, whatever. Obviously the vacancy is at right guard, so that’s why I play football: to play, to contribute and to compete. … I don’t label myself as a tackle, I don’t label myself as a guard. I just figure at this point in my career I’m an offensive lineman.

Q. When a big change happens in free agency, like T.J. Lang leaving, do you get any sort of a call from offensive line coach James Campen or anybody in Green Bay saying, “Hey, this is kind of our plan now that T.J. is not here,” or “Hey, we’d like you to focus more on guard because there might be a chance there.” Does any of that happen?

A. The coaches kind of have their evaluation process and their scouting that they’re kind of preoccupied with right now. They kind of let us do our thing as far as training and preparing and guys going on vacation and all that. I didn’t get a text or no one told me, ‘Oh, be ready to go.’ I think that’s just one of those things that it goes without saying that if I don’t show up to OTAs being super eager to get after it and work and compete with whoever, then I’ve got to look at myself in the mirror and try to figure it out.

Q. What do you want to come back at weight-wise? What do you think is a good number for you?

A. I knew they wanted me to get stronger, whether I was playing tackle, guard or whatever. That was just something I need to improve on in my game. So I was trying to get some details on what they thought would be the best playing weight for me. It was one of those things where they just said eat a lot, eat healthy, work out and just try to be as strong and physically imposing as possible while not losing your movement and all that. I was actually talking to (left tackle David) Bakhtiari about this the other day, just texting back and forth. Obviously you do come back and you want to look the part, you want to be feeling well, you want to be ready to go. But there’s still a long time before you actually put the pads on and are ready to go. I don’t have to show up to OTAs at the weight that I want to play at during the season. I can still kind of take some more time to make sure the weight I’m putting on is good weight. … I don’t see myself getting above 320 this year. Maybe somewhere in the 315 (area) or a little higher range is doable.