Rasheed Walker is solidifying his status as the long-term starter at left tackle and Zach Tom — while still recovering from an offseason pectoral injury — is entrenched at right tackle. So, where is first-round pick Jordan Morgan going to play for the Green Bay Packers in 2024?
Right guard looks like the spot. And more and more, Morgan looks like the favorite there.
While Morgan played primarily left tackle at Arizona, and left tackle is the premium offensive line spot, consider the following:
— Walker was excellent down the stretch in 2023 and has appeared to use his strong finish to create an excellent start to training camp in 2024.
— Tom was one of the NFL’s best right tackles in 2023. He’s one of the best young tackles in football based on his first two seasons.
— The Packers want Morgan on the field as a rookie in 2024.
— The weakest spot on the offensive line is either right guard or center. Based on experience level of the competition, it’s right guard.
— Morgan has the athleticism of a left tackle but the body type of a guard. Many saw moving inside as the best way to maximize his performance in the NFL.
So, it comes as no surprise that Morgan has settled in at right guard. He was the first-team option throughout practices during the second week of training camp and should probably be considered the leader in the clubhouse entering Family Night.
The Packers know Morgan has a lot to figure out as a young player at a new position, but the early returns are positive.
“He’s done a really nice job. Every day, he’s learning something new. He’s taking his lumps along the way, as to be expected,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “He has everything you look for in a guy who can play in this league for a really long time. The athleticism. He just has to learn how to compete down in and down out against really good competition.”
Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said the Packers wanted Morgan focusing mostly on one position as a rookie in camp. When deciding Morgan’s best pathway to the field, the presence of Walker and Tom at the tackle spots made right guard the easy pick.
“I think with that with young guys, you want to start them at a spot. You don’t want to move them around as much just so they can hone in on the techniques and the assignments and all that stuff,” Stenavich said. “And when you look at the big picture, where we think he would compete best this year for a starting role, we looked and we thought the right guard position was the best spot. As of now, we’ll focus there. As he grasps it and gets better there, we can move him around if we want to or he does a great job there and we’re good to go. Right now, we’re focusing on keeping him at one spot that way he can really hone in on it and be the best he can be.”
Even if Morgan is the preferred option at right guard to start the 2024 season, the Packers still believe he can play tackle in the NFL, raising his value as a depth piece behind Walker and Tom. It’s possible Morgan would be the first or second option at left tackle in the event of an injury to Walker, even if the majority of his training camp reps have come inside at guard. Morgan has also received snaps at right tackle, where the Packers are holding a multi-player competition for backup spots.
While Morgan becoming a Pro Bowler at left tackle right out of the gates might have represented the best case scenario, the current situation looks like a fine consolation prize. The Packers’ first-round pick is likely to start at a weak point on the offensive line, solidifying the best five while also giving the Packers much-needed depth at the tackle spots.