Most Green Bay Packers fans were high on Graham Barton, an offensive lineman from Duke, heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. However, Green Bay selected Jacob Monk, another offensive lineman from Duke, with the 163rd-overall pick.
Monk is the typical versatile offensive lineman Green Bay values. In five seasons at Duke, he played 759 snaps at right tackle, 2,301 at right guard, 473 at center, and 18 at left guard. He allowed 12 sacks and 14 QB hits over 1,916 pass-blocking snaps.
Green Bay’s offensive line has its tackle positions set with Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker, so Monk will primarily serve as a backup this year. Tom has played 952 pass-blocking snaps in his NFL career, allowing only three sacks and six QB hits. Aside from Trent Williams, Walker was the best left tackle in football last year in pass-block win rate. Additionally, Elgton Jenkins allowed no sacks in 544 pass-blocking snaps last year and is unquestionably the starting left guard on the team.
Right guard was the most wide-open position for competition entering training camp. However, Jordan Morgan has looked comfortable during first-team drills and might start his career at right guard. The Packers listed Josh Myers as their starting center on their first unofficial depth chart of the year. This is a make-or-break season for Myers, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal and has yet to give Green Bay a solid reason to extend him after this season.
The Packers can move Monk around. If Zach Tom or Rasheed Walker gets injured, they could move Morgan to tackle and insert Monk at guard. Green Bay’s guard depth is concerning. Royce Newman has had an underwhelming career. The Packers used a third-round pick on Sean Rhyan, but they still don’t know his potential. Lecitus Smith has never had a career snap. Andre Dillard can shift inside if necessary, but Rashan Gary has cooked him in training camp.
Monk is more likely to get his first career snaps inside as a backup and as a starter. The Packers have unofficially listed Monk as a backup center, meaning he will probably take over if Myers goes down. However, LaFleur could move Jenkins to center and insert Rhyan at guard.
Green Bay will probably be careful with Monk before inserting him into the lineup, even if he ultimately proves to be a reliable starter. The center usually sets up and adjusts the pass protection at the line of scrimmage, and the Packers would likely allow Jenkins to handle these duties if Myers goes down. Moreover, we don’t know how Morgan will play at right guard, given it’s a big adjustment for a rookie to line up on a different side of the offensive line in a position he didn’t play at Arizona. If Morgan struggles to start the year, Green Bay could decide between Monk and Rhyan to take over at right guard.
The Packers have a recipe for finding offensive linemen on Day 3 of the draft. David Bakhtiari, Josh Sitton, and Zach Tom were all fourth-round picks, Corey Linsley was a fifth-round pick, and they took Rasheed Walker in the seventh round. Adam Stenavich knows how to develop offensive linemen. Under his coaching, Monk could become Green Bay’s next steal at the line of scrimmage.
