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GREEN BAY, Wis. – In good health, the Packers think they have a strong offensive line at the anchor of David Bakhtiari.
Do not tell the Chicago Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks.
"I know these five guys can not block Khalil Mack," Hicks said during a conference call with reporters at Lambeau Field.
There is no doubt that Saturday's Mack trade allowed the Packers to know when the Oakland Raiders put it on the market. Hicks spent most of the day talking about his new teammate.
However, Hicks' statement may not have been as much gossip as a message to Mack, as Hicks said he was right next to him in the Bears training room during the conference call.
"I think the question each team will ask is: how are you blocking Khalil Mack?" Hicks says. "So, here it is, it gives me more freedom to have one-on-one."
"Can you say how excited I am to have my new teammate?" Hicks added.
In fact, Hicks ended the call with this: "You are great, and remember this: Khalil Mack, Khalil Mack, Khalil Mack, Khalil Mack."
The late addition of Mack has added another layer to the opening game of the Bears-Packers season on Sunday night at Lambeau Field. The Packers devoted all their practice to the camp to work on the Bears rivals. It's something that Mike McCarthy, Green Bay coach, does every year, no matter the opponent of Week 1, but this session in late August included nothing about Mack.
"There are a lot of videotapes that have been crushed, it really was our process as a Sunday coach when we realized that the trade was final," McCarthy said Wednesday.
Mack played a game against the Packers in his career in 2015. He beat right tackle Bryan Bulaga by a spinning move for a first-quarter bag. Bulaga just made a tear at the ACL in November that ended his season. He has played only 12 times this season, all in the final, but he should start Sunday night.
"I think it affects guys when they come back from an injury, especially older guys like Bulaga," Hicks said. "But I do not think he had a chance to block Khalil Mack in the first place."
Mack practiced with the Bears for the first time on Wednesday, and he hopes to play against the Packers, although he missed training camp and pre-season in Oakland, his playing time may be limited.
"I know I want to try to go to Aaron [Rodgers] Sunday, "Mack told reporters in Chicago on Wednesday.
Neither Rodgers nor Bulaga were offending Hicks' comments or barking.
"I do not need to react to all the comments that have been made," Rodgers said. "I think I've understood."
Bulaga offered his catch.
"He looks excited to have Khalil Mack as a teammate and he should do it," said Bulaga. "It's a hell of a football player, we'll have to account for his position at all times – that's the type of guy he is."
Rodgers will not say either whether he was disappointed when Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst's effort to acquire Mack fell.
"I do not worry about this stuff, I do not need to give my opinion on it," Rodgers said. "Brian and his team are doing a good job of acquiring players and we play with the guys we have."
However, at least one Packers player, receiver Randall Cobb, was hoping to land Mack.
"I thought I had to wake up and find out we had it, some things happened, and of course he ended up in Chicago," Cobb said. "That's part of it, it's part of the business, and I went to Twitter and said," Dang, man. I have to see him twice a year now. "
The Packers offensive line also includes guards Lane Taylor and Justin McCray as well as center Corey Linsley. All but McCray are established veterans, but even McCray started eight games last season (including five at the right tackle).
The situation of Green Bay's emergency solutions has been problematic, however.
Kyle Murphy, who could have entered the season as No. 3 tackler, went off reserve with an ankle injury, forcing the Packers to keep free agent Alex Light on the line-up.
Jason Spriggs, a former second-round pick, is now the # 3 tackle, but he was not consistent when asked. And Byron Bell, the veteran of the offseason, struggled to tackle and went to mid-season.
Last season, the Packers launched 11 different offensive line combinations. McCarthy had hoped to create continuity in training this summer, but with Bulaga limited by reeducation and an ankle injury inflicted on Bakhtiari, the expected beginners did not take a single slam in pre-season games.
"I'm optimistic," McCarthy said about his line. "I think you should just believe in men, and I think it's obvious that we did not practice much together – the offensive line that should start in this game. So luckily, God touched us and we have our injury phase out of the game. It's all part of the challenge.
"These guys, they have a lot of gaming experience. They just do not have the volume of reps in this particular training camp that you would like to participate in, but these are things you can not control. They will have a great week of practice and we will be ready to go. "
ESPN Bears reporter Jeff Dickerson contributed to this report.
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