The Green Bay Packers have many questions to answer in these early days of OTAs, but one area won’t have the same level of intrigue it did in the past few seasons.
Green Bay will have a pretty confident grasp on who will be on its starting offensive line this year.
There aren’t any major positional questions or an obvious spot where the Packers must upgrade. That doesn’t mean everything is certain with this unit. Green Bay’s offensive line wasn’t good enough in 2025, and they didn’t make any major new additions. As a result, improvement needs to come from within; players must prove they’re the long-term answer at their positions. Still, their configuration is not at issue.
At this point last year, the Packers had moved on from center Josh Myers, their weakest link on the offensive line. Brian Gutekunst signed former San Francisco 49ers guard Aaron Banks to a massive deal. The coaching staff was still tinkering with the past spots for Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton. And while some believed Elgton Jenkins would move to center effortlessly, his absence during OTAs left a void that required an immediate answer. It was a summer defined by moving parts and questions.
Those questions persisted long into the season thanks to injuries, players not being in their best spots, and subpar play overall. All of that contributed to a collective slide for the group. Green Bay’s offensive line dropped from PFF’s sixth-ranked offensive line in 2024 to 19th in 2025. In the playoffs, only the thoroughly injured Los Angeles Chargers had a lower-ranked line.
While the 2024 unit was better, it still faced questions during OTAs. Even if the team didn’t want to say it, there was a strong case for an upgrade over Josh Myers at center. Sean Rhyan and Jordan Morgan rotated at right guard as the team tried to find the best spot for Morgan.
Before that, there were questions about who could fill in for David Bakhtiari after his injury, where the best spots were for Jenkins and Zach Tom, and more, depending on the season.
So, this is the first season in a while where we can comfortably state that we know what the starting lineup for Week 1 is — to the extent anyone can know that.
It’s close to the line they ended the 2025 season with, with some small tweaks.
Morgan will finally get a shot at his preferred position of left tackle, thanks to Rasheed Walker‘s departure in free agency. The Packers expect Tom back by training camp and will man the starboard side.
Banks will get another shot at left guard after injuries and stretches of lackluster play marred his first season in Green Bay. Unlike his 2025 free-agent comrade, cornerback Nate Hobbs, Banks gets another chance to prove to be a long-term answer.
Rhyan signed a three-year, $33 million contract to stay in Green Bay at center. Belton will get a full offseason to work at right guard and build on an up-and-down rookie season.
Walker and Jenkins are gone. Walker had a down year in 2025, while Jenkins didn’t adjust seamlessly to center and spent half the season on IR.
Knowing the line’s ideal construction means the coaching staff can immediately focus on getting the unit working together and ready to protect Jordan Love and clear paths for Josh Jacobs. Considering the last season’s inconsistency, that’s a boon.
With Matt LaFleur receiving an extension despite last year’s late-season struggles, he’s stressed a need to get back to basics to get the Packers over the wild-card hump.
“We’ve got to strip everything down and start like it’s Year 1 all over again,” LaFleur said, “and really get to the details of what we’re doing.”
Offensive line coach Luke Butkus made similar comments about mastering the basics and generating the internal growth for the unit to live up to lofty expectations.
Assuming no major injuries this summer or acts of god, the Packers know what their preferred offensive line looks like. Everyone knows who is playing next to them, and cross-training won’t be as rigorous.
While that’s one massive question answered, it doesn’t mean the offensive line is without its mysteries. Can Morgan be a full-time starter at left tackle? Is Belton truly starting guard material? How healthy is Tom? Is Rhyan a long-term answer at center or a stopgap? Can Banks reward Green Bay’s faith in him?
And that’s just for the starters. The Packers’ depth is filled with question marks, especially on the interior. And injuries will inevitably ruin Green Bay’s plans at some point. Who are the top backups, and will they be ready for action?
Those questions will be answered throughout the season, and teams can only do so much preparation. For now, it’s good to know that, despite long-term questions, we know who Green Bay wants on its offensive line. With that lineup set and a focus on mastering the basics, the hope is that this line can make the internal growth it needs.
