After surrendering eight quarterback hits, two sacks, and plenty of pressure on quarterback Jordan Love on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line is still a problem. The Packers rarely go through this. They always invest heavily in the offensive line, and it’s typically a team strength.
However, that hasn’t been the case this year. Therefore, as the page turns to the second half of the season, it’s fair to ask whether the Packers should try a different combination.
General manager Brian Gutekunst has never been shy about discussing Green Bay’s approach to building its offensive line. The Packers prefer drafting or signing players who can play multiple positions up front. However, it’s one thing to preach it. It’s another thing to practice it.
Gutekunst and the Packers have stuck to their word when it comes to procuring offensive linemen who play in different spots along the formation. It’s something Gutekunst has talked about often:
Historically and with our group right now, we’ve worked really hard to be versatile so that whatever comes – whether it’s injuries or we’re going through this period of time and we have to make some decisions – we have a lot of guys who can play multiple positions.
The Packers have already had to put it to the test recently, with center Elgton Jenkins going down for the year. Sean Rhyan was Green Bay’s Week 1 starter at right guard, but they moved him to center, replacing him with Jordan Morgan.
Now that struggles across the board persist, will the Packers stick to their guns and trot out the same group? What other options do they have?
Morgan, a first-round pick two years ago who primarily played left tackle in college at Arizona, has looked everything but the answer at right guard. Morgan was one of three Packers offensive linemen to allow double-digit pressures against the New York Giants. That tape is the farthest thing from a highlight reel for Morgan.
He was in a battle during training camp for the starting gig at left tackle. Rasheed Walker won that battle and has kept that role throughout the year. In what was likely a scenario where Green Bay felt a bit of pressure to get its 2024 first-round selection in the lineup, the Packers moved Morgan to right guard and shoved Rhyan out of the way.
At left guard, Green Bay’s signing of Aaron Banks has been a disaster. Sunday provided some optimism with by far his best performance in a Packers uniform. PFF reflected that with his 83.4 grade, his best of the year outside of the nine snaps he played against the Carolina Panthers.
Perhaps it’s a turning of the corner for Green Bay’s left guard? Time will tell.
Instead of complaining about the obvious, let’s at least brainstorm what the Packers could do, even though they probably won’t.
In what would be a pretty radical move, the Packers could move Zach Tom to center, Rhyan back to right guard, and plug rookie Anthony Belton or Darian Kinnard in at right tackle.
Belton and Kinnard have seen snaps at right tackle for Tom this year due to injury. Kinnard started in Week 4, and Belton played 48 snaps in Week 2 and 31 in Week 3 at the position. Tom is Green Bay’s best offensive lineman and, while he hasn’t started a game at center in the NFL, he did so 14 times in college at Wake Forest.
Again, this is super unlikely and would be a fairly bold move by the Packers. However, it would bump Morgan out of right guard and away from the lineup for the time being. His spot at right guard appears to be the weak link at the moment.
Another option would be trying Belton at right guard, putting Rhyan back at guard, and giving Jacob Monk a go at center. Again, neither is likely to happen. Still, when Green Bay drafted Belton in April, Gutekunst noted his versatility.
Anthony (Belton) is a huge man, he is versatile. He’s got the ability to play all four positions. He’s never really done any center but he can probably play both tackles and both guard spots. He’s a mauler in the run game. He’s very athletic.
Green Bay will more likely wait it out and hope for steady improvement. Banks looked fine last week after an abysmal season to date. Will that be a blip on the radar or a sign of things to come? The Packers hope to see the same from Morgan while expecting Rhyan to settle in at center as he gets more reps.
Sticking with the status quo might be the best option for now, but if problems persist, will the Packers live by their favorite word, “versatility,” and show it with changes to the offensive line?
