Packers must take different approach at key position group to unlock better offensive results in 2026
Offensive line had serious issues last year.
No issue was bigger for the Green Bay Packers’ offense in 2025 than the offensive line’s underwhelming performance. Part of it was inevitable unluck: right tackle Zach Tom missed five games with multiple injuries, center Elgton Jenkins fractured his fibula and hurt his ankle.
But part of that was also the Packers coaching staff’s delay in finding the so-called best five. Jordan Morgan did enough to win the left tackle job, as general manager Brian Gutekunst himself said, but had to move inside to guard because of injuries. Anthony Belton didn’t cross train, so he only moved from tackle to guard during the regular season.
And this stat shows exactly the lack of continuity that affected the offense. The most-often used offensive line combo for the Packers played only 17.62% of the offensive snaps, the third-lowest in the entire league. The group had Rasheed Walker, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Anthony Belton, and Zach Tom.
Establishing the top group early
The first point about this stat is that the Packers have to establish their preferred group earlier. The cross-training is good for depth, but the staff has to consolidate the starting five and move forward with it. Next year, Jordan Morgan will presumably move to a full-time left tackle; Aaron Banks and Anthony Belton will retain their guard jobs; and Zach Tom is still the right tackle. They still need to find a center (today, it would probably be Jacob Monk) and confirm that the guards won’t change.
And outside of injuries, there should be no great reasons to keep moving guys around.
Offensive line depth
The graph also shows why offensive line depth is key in the NFL. Only nine teams had their most-often used group playing at least 50% of the snaps. Eventually, the big guys will get hurt and there’s no way around it.
Presuming that Elgton Jenkins will get cut and Monk as the starting center at the moment, the Packers’ backup linemen are Travis Glover, John Williams, Brant Banks, Karsen Barnhart, and Dalton Cooper. That’s simply not enough to keep everyone comfortable for a full season.
The Packers had an obvious regression in offensive line play this past season. Adding talent, whether it’s via free agency or the draft, and making sure that there’s some type of continuity throughout the season are the Keys for a better offensive performance next season.
Green Bay Packers News
Packers utilize All-Pro veteran to begin creating needed salary cap flexibility ahead of 2026 free agency
Packers restructured Xavier McKinney’s contract.
