Green Bay Packers fans, coaches, and just about everyone else have been looking for answers as to why the team has struggled so much to start the 2026 season. Dating back to last season, the Packers have lost seven of their past eight games, including a couple of late-game collapses.
Losing Micah Parsons in Denver was a major catalyst for part of that stretch. That is no secret. Chalk up the numerous injuries and the regular-season finale, which saw Jordan Love and just about every other starter resting up for the postseason. Still, there were bigger concerns.
Among the numerous injuries last season was Elgton Jenkins. Jenkins had moved to center when Green Bay signed Aaron Banks to try to address the offensive line ahead of the season. This experiment went belly up when Jenkins fractured his leg during the loss to Philadelphia, leading the Packers to cut him after the season ended.
Since then, the offensive line has been a jumbled mess with guys playing out of position to try to "get the best five on the field."
As the 2026 offseason began, the Packers had numerous needs to fill. They had to address the secondary, bolster the defensive line, and ultimately find a new kicker. The team also needed to find two new coordinators, as Jeff Hafley took the head coaching job in Miami and Rich Bisaccia "stepped away" from the team.
The Packers made numerous moves in the draft and free agency to address the on-field needs. They hired Cam Achord as special teams coordinator and Jonathan Gannon to head up the defense. While the team drafted offensive lineman Jager Burton in the fifth round, many felt it wasn't enough.
Green Bay has been making a flurry of moves to bolster the line, signing veterans Kevin Zeitler, Laken Tomlinson, and Mechi Becton. Still, some are wondering what took so long.
Did Jonathan Gannon's defense undercut the need for offensive line help?
It shouldn't need to be said, but obviously Jonathan Gannon isn't at fault for the Packers not addressing the offensive line. At least, not from a literal standpoint.
Yet, we can certainly speculate as to why Green Bay waited until after Week 3, when it felt like a big need last season and throughout the offseason. Even with the start of training camp, Family Night, and the preseason contests, the offensive line was clearly a problem.
Football is a physical game, and naturally, injuries are part of the sport. Aaron Banks and Zach Bako-Bewele were dinged up through most of camp, and while Bako-Bewele was ready enough for Week 1 against Minnesota, Banks has now missed two of the first three games. Bako-Bewele was lost for the season on the third play from scrimmage against the New York Jets, putting Green Bay's limited depth in peril.
It's fair that Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst had no way of knowing in March and April that two of their starters would each have already missed two of the first three games. Yet, both missed time a season ago, and when they did play, left more to be desired than what Packers fans have come to expect from the big guys up front.
This is where Gannon comes into play. Indirectly, of course. For one, Gannon's base defense is different from Hafley's, forcing the Packers to allocate resources to that side of the ball. The team went after Javon Hargrave and Benjamin St. Juste in free agency, and went defense with four of its six draft picks in April.
Additionally, Gannon's defense is incredibly aggressive. Though the Packers' starters got limited work in the three exhibition games, the unit looked incredible. They played downhill with a vicious ferocity that is atypical of what we usually see in the preseason. Certainly, the reps in practice could have shown that the defense was ahead of the offense in the install process.
So, with a lack of draft capital and a defense that we have seen to be excellent when the team isn't gassed, it stands to reason that some could have just chalked the Packers' offensive line struggles up to these factors. While that may seem too simplistic, or malpractice by the decision-makers at 1265 Lombardi Ave., it certainly could be a big factor.
Green Bay's schedule certainly did not do them any favors ahead of Week 3. Even if the team had made a move or two ahead of the home opener against Atlanta, coming in on a short week likely would not have been enough time to get fully installed in the offense, even for a returning player familiar with Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love.
Adding Zeitler, Becton, and Tomlinson gives the Packers enough of an upgrade if/when they play. While their best years are likely behind them, it isn't absurd to say that whatever they have left in the tank will be an upgrade going forward.
While several factors could have delayed Green Bay adding to the front five, in a roundabout way, Jonathan Gannon and the defense certainly had some impact.
Whether it was the front office needing to allocate resources to that side of the ball initially, or that unit coming into the preseason firing on all fronts, it was enough to delay these moves. Now, we just need to hope it isn't too little or too late.
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