The Green Bay Packers made changes to their offensive line last season in an attempt to improve the offense. Unfortunately, the changes the team made did not work out as planned and the offensive line as a unit failed to meet expectations. They even took a big step back as compared to their performance the previous season. Today we examine the reasons why this happened as we analyze the failed move that had a negative effect on the Packers offensive line in 2025. We also ask whether the team can improve the line in 2026.

The Failed Move that Had a Negative Ripple Effect on the Packers Offensive Line: The Plan

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst decided to make changes to the way he built the offensive line. His goal was to have the line get bigger and stronger to help improve the running game. Head coach Matt LaFleur has always emphasized the run. In 2024, when Jordan Love played despite several injuries, running back Josh Jacobs became the focal point of the Green Bay offense.

With that in mind, the Packers made moves over the offseason. Starting left guard Elgton Jenkins moved to center to replace the departed Josh Myers. Gutekunst spent a lot of money to sign free agent guard Aaron Banks to take over Jenkins’ former spot. The Packers also drafted a big physical lineman in the second round in Anthony Belton.

The thought was that this new lineup would make the offensive line stronger, open up more holes for Jacobs and still do a good job protecting Love because despite their larger size, the linemen the team was bringing in were still mobile. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.

What Went Wrong

Unfortunately, Murphy’s Law applied to the Packers offensive line in 2025, whatever could go wrong seemingly did.

The initial catalyst that caused things to start going off the rails was the disappointing play of Jenkins at center. While Myers was average at best, Jenkins’ strong play at guard didn’t translate to strong play at center. Part of the problem was likely related to the time Jenkins missed in training camp due to injuries. That didn’t allow him reps to make the adjustment to center including the extra responsibilities a center has that a guard does not.

Injuries also felled Banks. That resulted in a drop in his play. Even when healthy, it’s doubtful that Banks would have been a better left guard than Jenkins had been, but when you added the injuries, Banks struggled to keep up initially at left guard. His play did improve later in the season when he was healthier.

The falloff at left guard made life harder for left tackle Rasheed Walker. Walker played well his first two years as the starter, but he had help from Jenkins whose strong play simplified things for Walker. Suddenly, Walker was getting beaten by inside moves which was not an issue the previous two seasons.

Starting right tackle Zach Tom, the team’s best offensive lineman, also struggled through an injury-riddled season and missed several games.

The Failed Move that Had a Negative Ripple Effect on the Packers Offensive Line: Looking Ahead

The offensive line remains unsettled. The Packers will likely part ways with Jenkins who has a high cap number and doesn’t seem to be the answer at center. Walker will likely leave via free agency with Jordan Morgan expected to be the favorite to take over at left tackle.

A healthy Banks would upgrade the left guard position. Belton finished the season at right guard and will likely start training camp at that position. Getting Tom healthy again and playing to his previous level makes a big difference at right tackle.

Center remains a big question mark. The Packers could decide to sign Sean Rhyan, who took over as the starter after Jenkins suffered a season-ending injury, to a reasonable new deal or they could let him depart in free agency. They will also likely select a center in the 2026 NFL Draft or sign a moderately-priced free agent to replace Rhyan.

The poor offensive line play was largely responsible for the decline in the running game’s effectiveness and some of the inconsistency in the passing game. The Packers offense needs the offensive line to be better in 2026 if they hope to make a Super Bowl run.

 

 

 

 

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