Packers face major concern ahead of Cowboys game as new issue emerges at a position already under pressure
Anthony Belton has an ankle injury.
The offensive line issues don’t seem to end for the Green Bay Packers early on this season. On Friday, head coach Matt LaFleur revealed that backup right tackle Anthony Belton won’t be available to play the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday due to an ankle injury.
[Belton] got hurt in practice,” LaFleur said. “I don’t think it’s long term. No, but he will not be playing this week.”
Sequence of problems for the offensive line
Belton would likely start the game if healthy because the main starter, Zach Tom, is not expected to play due to an oblique injury that has limited him through the first month of the season.
“Yeah, it is what it is,” LaFleur added. “Just next man up and you got to adjust and adapt and try to put these guys in the best spot possible.”
Alternatives
The big question now is if starting left guard Aaron Banks will be available, which doesn’t sound promising. He has a new groin injury suffered against the Cleveland Browns and didn’t practice the entire week.
If Banks can’t play, the first right tackle option, Jordan Morgan, will have to move inside. The former first-round pick would once again start at left guard, with recently-acquired Darian Kinnard stepping in at right tackle. If Banks can play, however, Morgan would be available to play at right tackle.
“I think [Kinnard] has done a nice job,” LaFleur mentioned. “I think he gets better every day, gets more comfortable with what we’re asking him to do. And I think even in the limited snaps that he’s played for us, he’s done all right.”
The Packers acquired Kinnard from the Philadelphia Eagles for a sixth-round pick right before final cuts. Considering how many injury issues the Packers have had early on this season across the offensive line, that looks like an inspired move in hindsight.
Depth
The Packers have an insane amount of offensive line injuries at this point. Zach Tom and Anthony Belton won’t play, and Aaron Banks will probably not play either. Besides those three players, interior offensive lineman Jacob Monk started the season on injured reserve with a designation for return, and rookie seventh-rounder John Williams is on the physically unable to perform list. They can’t return before next week. Moreover, tackle Travis Glover is out for the season.
That sequence forced the Packers to make moves this week. The team promoted undrafted rookie tackle Brant Banks to the active 53-man roster and signed veteran Lecitus Smith to the practice squad.
If the starting offensive line in Dallas has Rasheed Walker, Jordan Morgan, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, and Darian Kinnard, the only other healthy linemen on the active roster would be Brant Banks and guard Donovan Jennings. The Packers would likely elevate Lecitus Smith or rookie tackle Dalton Cooper from the practice squad for gameday to have eight available linemen.
Green Bay is tied for second in the NFL with eight offensive linemen playing through the first three weeks of the regular season.
Position-by-position snaps
LT: Rasheed Walker (178), Anthony Belton (4)
LG: Jordan Morgan (108), Aaron Banks (74)
C: Elgton Jenkins (182)
RG: Sean Rhyan (167), Jordan Morgan (15)
RT: Anthony Belton (84), Darian Kinnard (36), Zach Tom (31), Jordan Morgan (30)
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