The forever forward-looking Green Bay Packers are at it again.
They drafted Jordan Love before anyone put a quarterback on their radar, and now the Packers are stocking up on early-round bodyguards to avoid a repeat of their playoff disaster.
Investing premium draft capital on Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton in back-to-back years was music to Love's ears, as was opening the checkbook for free-agent guard Aaron Banks. But it sounded like screeching feedback to Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan, who watched their hopes of landing a second contract go up in smoke.
Matt LaFleur put Walker on thin ice by confirming Morgan would battle for the left tackle job, and that was before the Packers sent more shockwaves through the offensive line room by drafting Belton, who provides the run-blocking mean streak Josh Jacobs desperately needed.
In case they didn't hear LaFleur's comments, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich echoed them emphatically.
"The one thing about him is he has elite athleticism," Stenavich said about Morgan. "The guy moves well. He's fast. He can redirect. I think now is a just good time to put him (at left tackle) and see how he does and just watch him compete."
Another comment he made caught attention.
"We're trying to find who our best five are, however it shakes out," Stenavich added. "Left tackle. Right tackle. Obviously, the right guard position."
Obviously the right guard position? That's an interesting comment.
Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan left with uncertain Packers futures beyond 2025
Walker and Rhyan have officially entered a corridor of uncertainty. The direct danger in front of them is their loosening grip on starting jobs, but with their contracts ticking closer to zero, the pressure is mounting beyond just this season.
The Packers have signaled their intention. You don't sign a big-money free agent and draft linemen in the first and second rounds for them not to play. It has become crystal clear that Walker and Rhyan are on borrowed time.
Green Bay has zero concern with replacing linemen. Jon Runyan Jr. and Josh Myers were the latest to depart. The Packers continuously restock their depth chart to avoid problems other teams face in the NFC North.
Unlike a certain division rival in the Windy City, who watched their face of the franchise eat 68 sacks before finally finding reinforcements, the Packers remain one step ahead.
In the short term, Walker and Rhyan face a battle to maintain their status as starters along the offensive line. Even if they initially hold off the competition from Morgan and Belton, the writing is on the wall.
The Packers have made their intentions clear.