Packers key position group is about to look very different in all phases next year and the shift could redefine expectations
Brian Gutekunst will have a lot of work to do over the next few months.
The Green Bay Packers will have a lot of work to do over the next few months around their offensive line. Despite spending significant resources on the position group under general manager Brian Gutekunst, regular turnover and underwhelming performances will force the team to find new solutions. It will be a real offensive line reconstruction.
“That’s part of our process right now,” head coach Matt LaFleur said on Sunday about the offensive line performance throughout the season. “You’re going to load up all the cut-ups, take a hard look at it, and try to figure out the answers to that. Is it a scheme-related issue? Is it a personnel-related issue? It’s all of the above. We all got to be better.”
Personnel
Right now, the Packers only have eight offensive linemen under contract for 2026, and it’s pretty likely that it will be seven after the team releases center Elgton Jenkins — unless he’s willing to take a massive paycut. And two of the other seven are young players without much experience (if at all) coming back from season-ending injuries, tackle Travis Glover and guard John Williams.
The other five: Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, Jacob Monk, Anthony Belton, Zach Tom. That’s, for now, the presumed starting group.
Left tackle Rasheed Walker is set to become a free agent, and most likely will be gone. Interior offensive lineman Sean Rhyan played solid football at both center and right guard throughout his rookie deal, and depending on the price, he could be back.
Swing offensive lineman Darian Kinnard, whom the Packers acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade right before the regular season, will be a restricted free agent — it’s reasonable to expect a return. Guard Donovan Jennings and center Lecitus Smith could be back as depth pieces as well, since they are exclusive-rights free agents.
Position by position, let’s discuss what’s the outlook of the Packers’ offensive line for 2026 and beyond.
Left tackle
Jordan Morgan played well at tackle down the stretch, and the coaching staff confirmed its intentions of playing him on the outside, and not at guard anymore. With Walker moving on in free agency, Morgan will immediately take over as the starting left tackle.
Depth is an obvious issue, with Anthony Belton and Travis Glover as the top options behind Morgan at the moment. But that problem would be alleviated if Kinnard re-signed.
Left guard
There’s a fair question to make if you would pay $18.1 million for one year of Aaron Banks, because that’s what he will make in 2026 and there’s no guarantees left. However, because the 2026 cap savings wouldn’t be that high, the Packers will possibly pull this trigger and keep Banks one more year. Maybe Elgton Jenkins could be an option at the position again if he takes a paycut, but then it’s a decision of one or the other — and Banks is younger.
Center
Right now, Jacob Monk would be the center. The former fifth-rounder had his first significant regular season snaps against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18 and played well in run block, not as well in pass protection. Maybe the Packers are able to extend Sean Rhyan, and that would give the team more depth along the interior.
When both Rhyan and Monk went down in the playoff game versus the Chicago Bears, Lecitus Smith entered it in the final minutes — as expected, it wasn’t smooth.
Right guard
Anthony Belton had his natural rookie ups and downs in 2025, but he’s a viable right guard option for the future. John Williams lost the entire rookie season with a back injury, but he enters the conversation as a backup option for 2026.
Right tackle
Zach Tom had a tough season injury-wise, but he’s the best and most reliable offensive lineman on the roster. Just like at left tackle, depth is the big issue — that’s why Kinnard’s return is so important for the roster.
Coaching staff
There are also fair questions to make about the staff. Adam Stenavich was a great offensive line coach, but he was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022, and the Packers just elevated assistant offensive line coach Luke Butkus. It has been some sort of Peter Principle effect, and head coach Matt LaFleur could at least consider bringing outside help to accelerate the development of young players — which, as expressed above, will be key to the offense’s success moving forward.
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