Good offensive linemen are hard to find, and finding a left tackle who can play at a high level is one of the most difficult tasks in the NFL. The reality is that there are only so many big, athletic men on the planet, so when a team finds one, they typically hold onto him.
However, the Green Bay Packers have six quality offensive linemen after signing free-agent guard Aaron Banks during the first wave of free agency. Would Green Bay consider moving one of these linemen for an extra draft pick in April? If they did, one player would make the most sense: left tackle Rasheed Walker.
Would the Packers seriously consider moving off Walker?
Why would Green Bay entertain trading away their 25-year-old starting left tackle? The former seventh-round pick out of Penn State has been the team’s starter for the past two seasons and has performed well. According to Pro Football Focus, he was ranked 41st out of 141 tackles in 2024, with a 68.3-overall grade. His 79.6 pass-blocking grade ranked 21st among tackles and suggests elite-level pass protection.
Given that franchise quarterback Jordan Love spent the entire 2024 season playing on an injured leg after getting hurt in Week 1, it might seem counterintuitive to trade away his blindside protector. However, the team has made significant investments in its offensive line recently, with more moves potentially on the horizon.
The Packers recently Banks to strengthen their interior offensive line, making him one of the highest-paid guards in the league with a four-year, $77 million deal. Center Elgton Jenkins carries a $17.6 million cap hit in 2025, meaning Green Bay has over $40 million tied up in just the left guard and center positions.
How does Zach Tom figure in?
Tom is the biggest extension candidate on the roster and also an offensive lineman.
Tom has arguably been Green Bay’s best offensive lineman since taking over at right tackle. In 2024, he earned an 87.6 grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking as the fourth-highest-rated tackle in the league. He was also named PFF’s first-team All-Pro at right tackle, beating out stars like Lane Johnson and Penei Sewell. He is a core piece of Green Bay’s future, and the Packers are expected to extend him – it’s just a matter of how long and how much they’ll have to pay.
Would the Packers commit to a fourth significant contract on their offensive line by also extending Walker? It’s possible, especially considering they can get out of Jenkins’ contract in 2026 and save $20 million in cap space.
However, Jenkins is Green Bay’s starting center, and there’s no clear replacement on the roster. The Packers drafted Jacob Monk as a potential long-term center but struggled to see the field last year, not even logging a single snap on offense. Even if the Packers draft a center this year or next, do they really want Love working with three different centers in three seasons?
The quarterback-center relationship is crucial, and too much change could disrupt a young signal caller’s development. For that reason, Jenkins is likely staying put.
Then there’s the Jordan Morgan factor.
Last year’s first-round pick never got a chance to showcase his talent due to a training camp shoulder injury that lingered all season. His only start came at guard before they shut him down for the year.
While Morgan couldn’t beat out Walker for the left tackle job during camp, the Packers have made it clear they see him as a future tackle in the NFL. Given his background as a left tackle in college, it’s hard to imagine they invested a first-round pick in him without planning to give him every opportunity to play his natural position.
What might a deal look like if the Packers did decide to trade Walker or if other teams started calling?
It’s difficult to predict before the draft because most teams will likely wait to see how their draft boards shake out before making a move. However, a tackle-needy team that doesn’t want to take the risk in the draft could offer Green Bay a Day 3 pick. More realistically, if a team exits the draft without addressing its offensive line depth, it could reach out to Brian Gutekunst to gauge Walker’s price.
One complicating factor is that any team trading for Walker must also be prepared to give him a high-end contract, which could lower the trade return. Green Bay would have to weigh whether trading him now is worth it compared to letting him play out the season and potentially collecting a compensatory pick – possibly as high as a third-rounder – if he leaves in free agency next offseason.
The Packers find themselves in an interesting situation with Rasheed Walker: a young, rising player at a premium position who will soon command a large contract.
What are Green Bay’s most likely outcomes?
1. Let Walker and Morgan compete for the left tackle job in training camp, keep Walker for the season, and collect a compensatory pick if he leaves in free agency.
2. Allow the season to play out, and if Walker takes another step forward, reward him with a new contract while figuring out the roster logistics later.
3. Trade Walker this offseason and slot Morgan into the starting lineup at left tackle.
I don’t think the Packers will set out to trade Walker, at least not before the draft. If a team later presents an offer and Morgan has proven capable of handling Love’s blind spot, they should consider it.
Regardless of Green Bay’s route, having too many quality offensive linemen is a good problem.
