"I feel really good about our whole group and the competition that's in that room."
Those were the words of Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst on the eve of the 2026 NFL Draft. He continuously expressed confidence in the offensive line.
And he meant it. Gutekunst had just extended Sean Rhyan and restructured Aaron Banks' deal. He would use only one draft pick, a fifth-rounder on Jager Burton, to strengthen the offensive line. Again, Gutekunst meant what he said.
It's a completely different story now. Gutekunst probably wouldn't admit it during a press conference, but he doesn't need to.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Packers have signed veteran offensive lineman Mekhi Becton. The move comes just two days after signing guard Laken Tomlinson from the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad, and a little over a week after adding veteran Cordell Volson to the practice squad.
Gutekunst is collecting guards, the clearest sign yet that the Packers are in panic mode along the offensive line.
What the Packers can expect from Mekhi Becton
It's a low-risk move with legitimate upside. Becton was considered a draft bust after three unsuccessful seasons with the New York Jets, but the Philadelphia Eagles changed that by moving him from tackle to guard in 2024.
Becton bounced back with the Eagles. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed seven fewer sacks and 17 fewer pressures than the previous season. He was Philadelphia's starting right guard all year, including in Super Bowl LIX.
It helped him land a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency, but that's where the encouraging signs end.
The veteran struggled in his one season with the Chargers, battling injuries while allowing three sacks and 39 pressures and giving up six penalties. His PFF pass-blocking grade of 47.8 ranked 72nd among 81 guards.
Becton's shoulder injury may have played a part in that, though. Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, he has only just been cleared after recovering from a torn labrum. That's why he remained unsigned until now.
The Packers are banking on the Super Bowl version of Becton returning.
Packers' offensive line moves are a sign of desperation from Brian Gutekunst
Gutekunst is in damage-control mode. It's his only option. His overconfidence in last season's starting linemen has turned into a disaster after only three games.
Per Pro Football Reference, Jordan Love has been hit a league-high 20 times through three weeks. The next closest is Daniel Jones with 11. Love has been pressured 37 times, which is also the most in the NFL, and has faced a 28 percent pressure rate, ranking second.
Will Tomlinson and Becton fix the problems?
Probably not. It's hardly T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton walking out of the tunnel. Tomlinson is 34 years old with his best football behind him, while Becton has enjoyed one good season and is coming off a significant shoulder injury.
But Gutekunst had to do something.
Aaron Banks is the preferred starter at left guard but can't stay healthy. Donovan Jennings isn't an NFL starter. Nor is Jacob Monk. Rookie Jager Burton may become that player, and his preseason performances showed encouraging signs, but it's clear he's not ready. Per PFF, Burton surrendered 10 pressures in his NFL debut against the Atlanta Falcons.
The issues go beyond the one-on-ones. Green Bay's linemen keep botching their assignments and lack any sort of competent communication. Nobody seems to know what they're doing out there.
We've seen four linemen blocking two defenders and allowing a free rusher up the middle. We've seen linemen get in each other's way. We've seen Monk standing around looking for someone to block while missing a pass rusher flying past him.
The hope is that Tomlinson and Becton can do the basics right. Line up correctly. Communicate. Give Jordan Love a chance. What happens when they try to pass-protect or open up rushing lanes is another question, but simply understanding their assignments would give the Packers a baseline they've lacked.
It's not pretty, but the Packers are doing everything they can to adjust.
Most notably, Gutekunst's actions are a clear admission that his confidence in the offensive line was a major oversight.
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