Green Bay Packers center Jacob Monk has his work cut out for him if he wants to make the roster. He barely played last season even as the offensive line absorbed blow after injury blow.
Then, the Packers drafted Kentucky interior lineman Jager Burton with the 153rd pick in this year's draft, blocking Monk's best path to a roster spot. Burton is already turning heads and is a lock to make the team. Especially after Monk missed OTAs dealing with a biceps injury, a convincing training camp will be crucial to boost his slipping stock.
In theory, moving Sean Rhyan and Jordan Morgan to full-time starting roles should have created an opportunity for Monk to emerge as a primary backup. Instead, his ticket to a roster spot may depend more than anything on how many linemen the Packers decide to carry, and even then, Monk will have to fight tooth and nail to secure a spot.
Monk won't have anything handed to him in Packers' roster battle
The Packers selected Monk 10 picks after Burton and two years ahead of him. The Duke product played exclusively on special teams as a rookie (43 snaps) and all but six of his offensive snaps in 2025 came in a meaningless Week 18 game against Minnesota, when Green Bay was locked into the seven-seed. Simply put, Monk hasn't supplied much.
That doesn't mean he can't carve out a reserve role, but after two underwhelming seasons, the deck is stacked against him. Burton will be, if not a surprise starter, the primary backup at the guard and center spots. Tackle Darian Kinnard, who appeared in all 17 games last year and started four, is a safe bet to make the 53-man unit.Â
That's seven linemen already accounted for - five starters and two reserves. The Packers may well ride with someone like John Williams, a 2025 seventh-rounder who missed his whole rookie year injured, as another backup guard. Travis Glover, who also lost 2025 to injury, offers a second option at tackle.
Assuming eight or at most nine linemen get the nod, Monk will compete among a pool of fringe roster candidates competing for one or two spots. While it would be reasonable to give him the edge over Williams or Glover, those two are wildcards after missing all of last season. There could be some untapped potential there that simply hasn't had a chance to manifest.
In the end, though, it falls most squarely on Monk's own performance. Is he guaranteed a practice-squad spot if he doesn't make the cut? That depends on whether Williams, Glover, or any of the team's undrafted free agents outplay him.Â
It may be that Monk is not only playing for his roster spot, but also his future in Green Bay. The Packers might choose to move on and give someone else a shot. Monk will have training camp and the preseason to prove he is still that someone.
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