Packers aren’t abandoning one offensive line philosophy that’s worked for years
The coaching staff is testing new offensive line formations at practice as cross-training ramps up.
The Green Bay Packers continue to shuffle their offensive line during training camp, and Tuesday’s practice offered the most intriguing reshuffling yet. With right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (formerly known as Zach Tom) and left guard Aaron Banks sitting out of team drills, the coaching staff seized the opportunity to cross-train several linemen at new positions, giving younger players reps with the first-team unit.
New look up front
The absences of Bako-Bewele and Banks opened the door for a reshuffled starting five: Jordan Morgan at left tackle, rookie Jager Burton (back in team drills) at left guard, Sean Rhyan at center, Jacob Monk at right guard, and Anthony Belton at right tackle.
That combination differs from what Green Bay had been running earlier in camp. With Bako-Bewele out of team drills over the past few days, the Packers had been using Darian Kinnard at right tackle. Testing Belton there instead signals a deliberate effort to expand the versatility of the group, even though Kinnard was back there later in the same practice.
Belton has been solid at right guard throughout camp and remains the projected starter there. But his history suggests tackle is a natural secondary home. Last year during training camp, the preseason, and the early weeks of the regular season, Belton practiced and played exclusively at tackle on both sides. The Packers are now giving him the chance to handle both guard and tackle on the right side, which could prove valuable if injuries force a midseason adjustment.
Monk and Burton add interior flexibility
Monk is the most intriguing piece of the interior puzzle. He is primarily a center, but the Packers have deployed him at both guard spots throughout camp. When Banks was in the lineup and Burton was out last week, Monk took first-team reps at left guard. On Tuesday, he slid to right guard. He also started at center in last year’s meaningless Week 18 game against the Minnesota Vikings, giving him experience at all three interior positions.
Burton, the fifth-round rookie, adds another layer of versatility. He can play center, took reps at both guard spots during the offseason program, and on Tuesday practiced at left guard with the starters. For a Day 3 pick, earning first-team reps this early in camp is a promising sign.
The ideal starting offensive line remains Morgan, Banks, Rhyan, Belton, and Bako-Bewele. None of Tuesday’s shuffling changes that projection. What it does change is the depth picture. The Packers are stress-testing combinations to determine which backups fit best at which positions, and which linemen can credibly slide to a second or third spot in an emergency.
That approach is consistent with how the coaching staff has built the roster. Versatility along the interior has been a priority, and players like Monk and Burton embody it.
