The 2026 NFL offseason has been a lesson in the notion that nothing good lasts forever for Green Bay Packers fans, as what was once viewed as a no-doubt contender needs to reckon with having lost impact players on both sides of the ball and making very few big-name additions to compensate.
One area that is of particular interest to fans, especially after the unit as a whole regressed in the 2025 season, is the offensive line. Green Bay chose to roll with what they had in 2026, not making a meaty free agent signing or using any of their top picks in the 2026 NFL Draft to address their departures. Not every analyst was in love with this decision.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell believes that the biggest mistake Green Bay made in the offseason was letting the offensive line wither away in the fashion that it has. Elgton Jenkins and Rasheed Walker, who signed with the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers, respectively, were allowed to leave without some rock-solid replacements stepping in.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell didn't like how Packers addressed offensive line ahead of 2026
On one hand, the Packers will let a pair of former top picks in Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton finally spread their wings after spending the early parts of their career on ice. However, with both of them moving around the offensive line and having shown little to prove they can be high-end starters, it is a major risk to entrust such a heavy responsibility to them.
Left guard Aaron Banks was paid to be an elite guard, and he has been anything but since leaving the San Francisco 49ers. He could be a game-changer if he plays up to his potential, but nothing fans have seen so far suggests that he is going to do that. Jenkins and Walker both were more consistent.
Zach Tom is the only player Packers fans can look at and have full confidence in playing at an above-average level. However, offensive lines can often function as a collective unit. If one weak link struggles, the resulting increase in pressures can make the entire unit as a whole perform worse.
Banks, Belton, and Morgan can all give this unit a boost if they hit their stride, but the Packers' inactivity has essentially positioned themselves in a way where the offense as a whole could regress if any one of them are unable to catch fire.
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