It's the moment Jordan Morgan has been waiting for.
Morgan's outstanding pass protection at Arizona made him a first-round pick. Not at right guard. Not even at right tackle. But at left tackle. The Green Bay Packers used Morgan's first two seasons to plug him in wherever they had an opening. Now, that opening finally aligns with his true position.
Despite many draft pundits believing Morgan's NFL future would be at an interior position due to his lack of length, general manager Brian Gutekunst believed he had the athleticism and footwork to play at tackle in the pros. And there's good reason to believe Morgan is about to prove him right.
Why Jordan Morgan is poised to become the left tackle the Packers needed
Rasheed Walker provided steady play as the Packers' replacement for David Bakhtiari, although his performances declined last season. Per Pro Football Reference, Walker allowed a team-high five sacks and 40 pressures, while also giving up only one fewer penalty (five) than every other Packers lineman combined (six).
Walker departed in free agency, finally opening the door for Morgan, and there's reason to feel optimistic.
For starters, Morgan was among the standout performers throughout the Packers' offseason program. It's always important not to overreact to spring practices, but it's still a positive step. A sign of encouragement. And it builds off other positive signs Morgan showed at the back end of last season.
While his work at guard left a lot to be desired, Morgan looked more at home after moving back to tackle.
He made a shaky start in the first game after sliding to right tackle, allowing a sack in the Week 16 loss to the Chicago Bears, but it was bound to be a challenge having spent the previous 11 games at the two guard positions. Once Morgan got beyond that rough performance, he flourished.
Morgan played two of the Packers' final three games at right tackle and the other at left tackle. Per PFF, he tallied 101 pass-block snaps in those contests, allowing one sack, zero hits, and just three pressures.
It earned him pass-blocking grades of 83.6, 67.7, and 82.3. Anything above 80.0 is considered "High Quality," the second-best tier below "Elite." Those two 80-plus grades ranked Nos. 2 and 3 for Morgan in the entire season. Two of his top three run-blocking grades also came in those games.
Morgan didn't look comfortable at guard, but his play dramatically improved at tackle, which backs up his work in Arizona.
Jordan Morgan's college production shows off his potential as a left tackle
The Packers believed Morgan offered four-position versatility, but in reality, it was nothing more than a projection. All of his work in college came at his preferred left tackle position, where he played 2,397 snaps across five seasons.
Morgan's first year as a starter in 2021 came with some challenges, with PFF crediting him with five sacks allowed, but his stock soared from that moment.
In 2022, he allowed just one sack, two hits, and 17 pressures across 443 pass-block snaps. His PFF pass-block grade of 84.2 ranked 13th among 305 tackles.
Despite tearing his ACL in November 2022, Morgan never missed a beat the following season. He bumped up his PFF pass-block grade to a near-elite 87.1 in 2023, having allowed just two sacks, one hit, and 13 pressures in 477 snaps. He ranked seventh among 319 tackles.
Morgan felt like a classic Packers pick. He won with athleticism, which his elite 9.25 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) backed up. His footwork stood out, with Gutekunst saying after the 2024 NFL Draft that Morgan had "left tackle feet."
That level of play showed up late last season, and it's why Packers fans should be hopeful that he can make it work in his preferred position.
It's taken until his third season to get this opportunity, but Morgan may have finally found his home along the Packers' offensive line.
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