Anthony Belton possesses the traits the Packers typically value in offensive tackles. He has the size – 6’6”, 336 lbs. – and the experience, with over 2,000 college blocking snaps at left tackle. Green Bay spent a second-round pick on him in the 2025 draft, and they expect him to be a contributor for years to come.
However, Belton played 75 pass-blocking snaps as a right tackle this preseason, allowing seven pressures, five hurries, and two quarterback hits. He struggled particularly against the Indianapolis Colts, giving up five pressures. Moreover, he committed five penalties in the first half alone.
“It’s just underperforming,” Belton said following the game. “Getting penalties like that, that’s not the standard that I hold myself to. You’ve just got to bounce back from it.”
A couple of days later, Matt LaFleur pointed out that the illegal formation calls were partially the guards’ responsibility.
“I don’t want to put it all on him,” LaFleur said on Monday. “On some of those alignment things, the guards have to move up. Because he’s putting his post foot off the guard’s post foot. So we have to scoot our guard up.”
Belton had his moments in the preseason, particularly as a run blocker. Still, the best path for him to earn more playing time this year might be moving to the interior.
Zach Tom signed a four-year, $88 million extension this offseason to be the starting right tackle. At left tackle, it’s a two-man battle between Rasheed Walker and Jordan Morgan. Walker has been the starter. Still, Morgan had a strong preseason, allowing just one pressure, one hurry, and no sacks over 47 pass-blocking snaps, making a solid case for the starting job.
Green Bay’s long-term outlook at tackle doesn’t work in Belton’s favor, either. Tom is under contract with the team for the next four years. Walker will be an unrestricted free agent next season. However, Morgan appears to be earning the trust of the coaching staff and is trending towards potentially being Jordan Love’s blindside protector for the foreseeable future, especially after receiving most of the first-team reps while Walker was sidelined with an injury.
The Packers could choose to let Walker test free agency next year and keep Belton primarily as a backup swing tackle, but would that be the best move to maximize the “best five” on the offensive line? Offensive linemen aren’t quarterbacks – they can’t simply observe from the sidelines. They need to get their hands dirty, push through the aches of the trenches, and work through the growing pains that come with learning on the field.
On the other hand, Green Bay’s interior depth isn’t ideal. Their starting guards, Sean Rhyan and Aaron Banks, aren’t exactly amazing, either. Belton has no prior experience playing guard in college and didn’t take any snaps at the position this preseason, so if he were to move inside, an adjustment period would be necessary. Still, a path through the interior looks more realistic for him to earn more playing time in 2025.
Belton has the natural build of an NFL tackle, but with the tackle positions likely set for the future, the best way for Green Bay to use him might be on the interior. He’ll most likely serve as Zach Tom’s backup in 2025, but the Packers could start 2026 with him either as a swing tackle or at right guard – a position that could be in flux because Sean Rhyan will be an unrestricted free agent next year.
