The Green Bay Packers enter the 2026 season hoping to be healthier and more effective than they were a year ago. Most of the improvement this team hopes to realize will have to come from within. Particularly players in their second and third seasons must realize more of their potential and stepping into larger roles. That will be especially true of the team’s offensive line next season. As a result of changes to the roster, these two former high draft picks will play critical roles for the Packers in 2026.
Two Former High Draft Picks Will Play Critical Roles for the Packers: The Former First Rounder
The Packers parted ways with former starting left tackle Rasheed Walker this offseason. The former Penn State star signed a one-year contract worth up to $10 million with the Carolina Panthers.
The favorite to replace Walker at left tackle is former first-round pick Jordan Morgan. The Packers selected Morgan with the 25th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The former Arizona star must step in and protect the blindside of quarterback Jordan Love.
The Packers cross trained Morgan at both tackle and guard and he has played both positions thus far with the team. He has also alternated between the left and right sides of the line. All of this movement has probably slowed down his development as a pro.
Morgan started games at right guard and at tackle last season. For the year, he played in all 17 games and started 12 of them, splitting his starts between tackle and guard. He graded out better in pass protection than at run blocking according to Pro Football Focus. Morgan also played better at offensive tackle, than at guard.
This season, he will need to step up and assume the starting left tackle position, arguably the most important position along the offensive line.
The Second Rounder
The Packers added Anthony Belton in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was part of a plan by GM Brian Gutekunst to help make the offensive line bigger and more physical.
Like Morgan, Belton was drafted primarily as a tackle but was cross trained at guard at times. When injuries struck the offensive line last season, Belton eventually was moved to right guard, the spot Morgan had played before he had to move to right tackle to replace the injured Zach Tom.
For the season, the former North Carolina State star played 14 games and started seven. He finished the year as the team’s starting right guard.
Belton struggled at first, showing potential at times while still making his share of rookie mistakes. He did not grade out well according to Pro Football Focus, but by the end of the season, the coaching staff saw enough progress from Belton to make him the incumbent starter at right guard.
The Packers will need Belton to take a step forward in his second season to solidify the overall play of the offensive line.
Two Former High Draft Picks Will Play Critical Roles for the Packers: The Keys to Success
The Packers offensive line’s struggles last season definitely impacted the offense. The line’s pass blocking was good, aided by Love’s ability to evade the rush. The run blocking, however, proved to be a major problem especially after Elgton Jenkins’ move to center didn’t work out as expected. Top runner Josh Jacobs continued to make tacklers miss and gain yards after first contact, but that contact was often happening at or often behind the line of scrimmage.
The Packers starting five is set assuming everyone is healthy. Morgan will be the left tackle with a hopefully healthy Aaron Banks returning at left guard. The team re-signed Sean Rhyan and he will be the favorite to start at center. Belton will start at right guard while Tom should be healthy and starting again at right tackle. Depth remains an issue, especially along the interior.
The offense will count on Belton and Morgan to step in and play well enough to upgrade the offense. The running game must improve while the pass protection must continue to be consistent. They cannot accomplish this unless Morgan and Belton realize their potential and provide strong play as starters. If they do, the team could improve this season. If they don’t, they could easily take a step back.
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