For the Green Bay Packers to take the next step, they need significant internal growth on the offensive line, especially from Anthony Belton.
As a group they underperformed, partly due to injuries and O-linemen playing out of position, and then they lost starting left tackle Rasheed Walker in free agency. They didn’t spend significant resources on the offensive line. Former first-round pick Jordan Morgan will be in the spotlight in his first year playing at left tackle, his preferred position. Still, the stakes are nearly as high for 2025 second-round pick Belton.
Belton trained mostly at tackle before settling in at guard, with mixed results. But with more clarity on his best spot, Belton could take a massive Year 2 leap at guard. ESPN’s Ben Solak named Belton as Green Bay’s breakout candidate for 2026. If the Packers give Belton a chance to grow as a guard, can he live up to this lofty expectation?
Solak’s analysis perfectly summed up Belton’s predraft assessment and rookie year.
I never liked the idea of Belton as the developmental tackle — I just didn’t see enough foot speed there to survive against top-tier edge rushers. But now that the Packers have finished experimenting with Belton as a swing tackle and committed to playing him at right guard, I see a rosy future. Sure, Belton’s play was largely up and down when he was in the lineup at guard as a rookie, but that was expected because he was a college left tackle and didn’t really practice on the interior until the regular season. I’m willing to wash most of that down the drain.
Belton manned the left tackle spot in college and moves well for a 6’6”, 336 lb. bruiser. The Packers generally don’t go that big on their tackle prospects. Still, after adding Aaron Banks, a hefty guard, they started to break their traditional size thresholds.
The Packers want to get bigger and meaner, especially to assist the run game. Belton could move to guard, which would mitigate some of his limitations. He wouldn’t be the first tackle-to-guard prospect the Packers have invested in.
Still, CheeseheadTV and the Green Bay Draft Guide viewed Belton as a tackle. The Packers agreed, focusing his training at that position. Belton looked much more comfortable at guard than tackle despite a lack of dedicated training there, something the coaching staff noted. With Zach Tom still in the rehab group, Belton took snaps at right tackle during organized team activities, so they’re still cross-training him. But he’s played more frequently at his new spot of right guard, and hopefully that continues into training camp.
As much as the Packers value positional versatility on their offensive line, we saw that extensive cross-training isn’t always good for the player. And it looked like an extra burden on Morgan and Belton last season. Solak’s request to wash most of Belton’s rookie season is fair, as the analytical data was kind. PackersWire’s Mark Oldacres broke down Belton’s first season and found that, compared to his peers, he wasn’t among the better NFL guards.
But the journey looks better than the destination. After rough showings in Belton’s first two starts, he steadily improved, even notching an 84 PFF grade in the regular-season finale.
Belton certainly had some rough moments. Still, for a rookie playing a position he had little dedicated training in, I’m willing to take the optimistic approach. Here’s Solak:
Belton has the size, flexibility, and power to be a defining force in the running game — something the Packers desperately need, as they typically run the ball from shotgun and need big-time vertical displacement. Aaron Banks, who was a free agent disappointment in Year 1, was supposed to be that linchpin player. With a full offseason of prep, I believe it can be Belton instead.
Even beyond last year’s overall poor line, Green Bay’s offensive line has been much better with pass protection than run blocking. And since Josh Jacobs joined the Packers, he’s done well despite not having open lanes to burst through. Given how Matt LaFleur wants to play the offensive line, bigger maulers can theoretically open a new dimension in the run game.
The Packers saw enough from Anthony Belton to enter the 2026 season with him as the prospective starting right guard. Belton is undoubtedly in a better position to succeed there than last season. Even with the offensive line struggles last season, the Green Bay offense was still a powerhouse. If Belton can take that projected leap, better protect Jordan Love, and create holes in the run game, it can be even more dangerous.
