After drafting Jordan Morgan, the Green Bay Packers praised his versatility to play across the offensive line. Despite Morgan playing exclusively at left tackle in college, GM Brian Gutekunst said he could "probably play four positions for us."
Yet anytime one of the five offensive line doors opens for Morgan, it's almost immediately slammed in his face.
He failed to win the left tackle job ahead of Rasheed Walker or unseat Sean Rhyan at right guard. Elgton Jenkins' season-ending injury should've changed that, in theory, as it forced Rhyan to shift to center, leaving the right guard job wide open. But just as that door opened, it once again slammed shut on Morgan.
Packers' switch to Anthony Belton makes their stance on Jordan Morgan painfully obvious
Morgan started at right guard in the first game after Jenkins' injury, the Packers' Week 11 win over the New York Giants, but Matt LaFleur had clearly seen enough. Morgan hasn't looked comfortable at guard, and LaFleur made the switch to rookie Anthony Belton a week later against the Minnesota Vikings.
It started as a rotation in the first half, then a full-on benching for Morgan in the third quarter. Belton then played every snap in the Packers' win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, with Morgan getting zero.
Belton has no experience at guard. During his four years at NC State, he logged 2,123 snaps at left tackle, nine at right tackle, and none at any interior position. He then worked exclusively at tackle during his first training camp in Green Bay.
Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said the Packers started giving Belton practice reps at guard a few weeks before he got his opportunity against the Vikings. It's likely his best long-term position, too. He showed promise at guard during the Senior Bowl practices last offseason.
What's next for Morgan?
The guard experiment failed, and that likely makes his future in Green Bay tackle-or-bust. Like Belton, he was a college left tackle, and it's where he's looked the most comfortable.
"He's going to keep competing," Stenavich said last week, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. "Just like any young player going through your ups and downs, just trying to find your best spot. But he's going to keep competing. We're going to keep working him in there and he's going to be a good player for us."
In his post-draft press conference in 2024, Gutekunst praised Morgan's "left tackle feet," and it's that footwork that could make him Walker's long-term successor. Walker is a free agent in the offseason, and it seems increasingly likely that he will move on.
The Packers clearly lost confidence in Morgan at guard, but the left tackle door may finally open in 2026. This time, he has to push through and make the position his own. It could be his last opportunity.