The writing is on the wall for quite a few of the Green Bay Packers’ unrestricted free agents: They’ll be playing elsewhere next year. Of the group, there may not be a more fascinating name to keep tabs on than offensive lineman Sean Rhyan. There’s a solid case to be made both for and against the former third-round pick.
Green Bay has handled Rhyan’s role — or roles — in a somewhat bizarre manner over the last few years. At times, it feels like he’s in the good graces of the coaching staff. At other times, it seems the staff has tried to squeeze him out at right guard in favor of Jordan Morgan and has viewed him as more of a reserve player.
All of that became moot this past season when center Elgton Jenkins suffered a broken leg that ended his season. Rhyan moved from right guard to center and looked better with the change.
The case for bringing back Sean Rhyan is pretty simple, and it starts with cost. Spotrac estimates Rhyan’s market value at $6.5 million, with a contract of approximately three years and $19 million. The Packers will be tight against the cap even with some cap casualties, but they could work Rhyan into the budget. If Spotrac’s evaluation of the contract is accurate, it wouldn’t break the bank for Green Bay.
Also, it has been well documented how much the Packers covet roster versatility. Rhyan has now shown he is more than capable of starting at guard or center. That’s a huge plus in Green Bay.
Affordability and versatility are great, but Rhyan’s deft transition to center on the fly was a bonus. There was no guarantee the plan would work, and the Packers are fortunate Rhyan stepped up in lieu of a better backup plan.
Jenkins will almost assuredly be a cap casualty this offseason. If the Packers cut ties with their veteran offensive lineman, they can save $20 million. If Jenkins is cut, as many expect, and Rhyan walks, who the hell is playing center next year for the Packers? Would they really trust Jacob Monk, who was selected in the fifth round in 2024 and has played 57 total snaps on offense in two years? That’d be quite a bold move. It makes far more sense to keep Rhyan there.
The case against Rhyan isn’t terribly compelling, but it’s a convergence of cost and good-but-not-great play. Do the Packers want to allocate the money they’d spend on him elsewhere? It wouldn’t be shocking to see Green Bay prioritize another free agent, most likely Quay Walker, before they address Rhyan’s contract. The Packers don’t have a first-round pick in this April’s draft. Still, they could select a center early as a plug-and-play option.
Rhyan isn’t viewed as the kind of free agent you must bring back at all costs. It’d be great to have him back in the mix, likely as the starting center, but he’s not a cornerstone of the team. It’s also possible that some team with a lot of cap space could throw big money his way, pricing him out of their reach. If that happens, Green Bay will have no choice but to pivot elsewhere.
Bringing back Sean Rhyan would provide the Packers with their likely center moving forward. Even if Monk figures it all out and wins the job this summer, Rhyan could plug back in at right guard or, at worst, be an incredibly versatile depth piece.
