One of the biggest storylines surrounding the Green Bay Packers’ offense heading into the bye week was how far the offensive line had regressed. Injuries to Zach Tom, Aaron Banks, and Anthony Belton played a major role. Still, it was astonishing to see how a unit that was once one of Green Bay’s biggest strengths suddenly became its most glaring weakness.
Things did not look much better after the bye. In the first half alone against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Packers surrendered eight pressures — for context, they allowed only five total in their Week 1 win over the Detroit Lions. There’s still some uncertainty about whether lingering injuries are fully to blame, but amid those questions, Green Bay may have finally found an answer at right guard: Jordan Morgan.
Morgan’s early-season struggles weren’t hard to trace. For context, he allowed 10 pressures in Green Bay’s first four games — compared to just seven across six games last year. The Packers didn’t make things easier for him either, constantly moving him around the offensive line.
In Week 1 against the Lions, he played 15 snaps at right guard and five at left guard. The following week against the Washington Commanders, he logged 68 at left guard. In Week 3, against the Cleveland Browns, he split time between left guard (35 snaps) and right tackle (30), and then in Week 4, against the Dallas Cowboys, he played 83 snaps exclusively at left guard. It’s almost impossible for a young lineman to settle in and develop when he’s constantly shuffled across positions.
On Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, Morgan opened the first series as Green Bay’s starting right guard. He briefly came out in the second series for Sean Rhyan, suggesting the Packers were rotating the position. However, that experiment didn’t last long. Morgan returned on the third drive and held down the spot for the rest of the game, finishing with 82% of the offensive snaps compared to Rhyan’s 18%.
Morgan had a direct impact on Josh Jacobs’ two rushing touchdowns in the game. In the second quarter, with a first-and-goal at Cincinnati’s three-yard line, Morgan moved none other than T.J. Slaton — last year’s top interior defensive lineman in run-stop win rate — two yards into the end zone, clearing the path for Jacobs’ score. Coming from someone who saw firsthand just how big Slaton is in a São Paulo mall last year, that was an incredibly impressive play from Morgan.
Green Bay faced a second-and-seven inside the red zone to open the fourth quarter. Morgan executed a double team with Zach Tom before climbing to the second level to engage a linebacker. It was a very solid rep.
Morgan also had a strong game as a pass-blocker, allowing just one pressure and a hurry while posting his best pass-blocking efficiency of the year. In the last three games, he gave up a combined nine pressures and seven hurries, including four pressures against the Cowboys and three versus the Browns.
Green Bay planned for Morgan to play tackle long-term, which could still happen depending on Rasheed Walker’s future. But to get the best five on the field, he has to be the starter at right guard.
