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How and Why The Packers Fixed Their Offensive Line
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- How and Why The Packers Fixed Their Offensive Line
| Source: Lastwordonsports.com - Sue Levine, Editor
In Green Bay, winning is the expectation, and there is little patience for problems that threaten to derail a season. Five games into their 2026 campaign, the Packers have already learned how quickly things can unravel when the fundamentals (blocking) break down. Despite a 3-2 record and consecutive wins, Green Bay's early-season offensive line struggles exposed a glaring weakness that could have put head coach Matt LaFleur's job security in question if it had not been addressed quickly.
The Packers' recent history as a franchise makes the stakes clear. After a disappointing 6-9-1 finish in 2018, Green Bay fired head coach Mike McCarthy. Following an 8-9 season in 2022, the organization moved on from Aaron Rodgers and ushered in a new era under Jordan Love.
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How and Why The Packers Fixed Their Offensive Line
Now, Matt LaFleur faces renewed scrutiny after a troubling start, but the offensive line crisis raises questions that extend beyond the head coach. If the Packers coaching staff believed the unit was strong during training camp, how did that evaluation go so wrong? And why did it take three games of disastrous blocking before Green Bay turned to veteran reinforcements? The answers reveal a costly failure in the Packers' approach to scouting, player development, and roster construction.
Aug 21, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Members of the Green Bay Packers offensive line during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos in a preseason game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Preventable Problems
During the preseason, concerns about the Packers' offensive line were difficult to ignore. Fans and analysts identified it as arguably the weakest position group on the roster , particularly along the interior. Despite multiple high draft picks and years of development, Green Bay lacked established, reliable blockers up front. Yet the organization made no significant moves to address the glaring weakness before the regular season began.
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The consequences were obvious. Donovan Jennings and Jacob Monk started at guard in Week 1, with disastrous results as Brian Flores' blitzes overwhelmed Green Bay's protection and the offense collapsed in the fourth quarter . The Packers stuck with the pair in Week 2 against the Jets, when Aaron Banks returned from injury, and rookie Jager Burton also contributed to the rotation. Green Bay escaped with a comeback victory over New York, but the offensive line's problems persisted. By Week 3, Jennings had been benched after just seven snaps, while Monk exited with a hand injury. The Falcons proceeded to expose Green Bay's lack of reliable options up front in a primetime beatdown.
Veterans Finally Bring Change
At 1-2, with one of the NFL's worst offensive lines, the Packers were running out of time to find a solution. The urgency finally got the coaching staff and front office onto the same page, inspiring Green Bay to acquire three veteran offensive linemen : Laken Tomlinson, Mekhi Becton, and Kevin Zeitler. Although Tomlinson is the only one of the three to see game action so far, Zeitler's influence has extended beyond his presence on the field. His experience and leadership have effectively made him an extension of the coaching staff . That valuable combination has helped him address problems that offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich and offensive line coach Luke Butkus had struggled to solve through the first three weeks.
Sometimes, it only takes a pair of fresh eyes to see what everyone else is missing. That seems to be the case for the Packers, as Travis Glover has stepped up in an enormous way along Green Bay's offensive line. Glover, a natural left tackle, has shifted to right guard since Week 4, while Tomlinson has taken over at left guard. With veteran voices like Zeitler's bringing a fresh perspective to the room, the coaching staff may have finally found an effective combination that had been hiding in plain sight. The adjustment has been critical for an offense that managed just 146 rushing yards through its first three games, a historically poor mark.
Dec 27, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) reacts with guard Mekhi Becton (73) after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
The Cost of Roster Mismanagement
Since the Packers have shifted Glover and inserted Tomlinson, the team is 2-0 and has 156 rushing yards. That is a tremendous increase from the team's Weeks 1-3 totals, and it is not the only impressive blocking-related number. Jordan Love has only taken two sacks in those games, and he has had significantly more time to operate in the pocket, as seen in the production of his two standout receivers, Christian Watson and Matthew Golden .
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Packers fans will need to add Glover and Tomlinson to their weekly injury prevention vigils, as the pair have become essential to keeping Green Bay's offense functional. The two guards have played 114 snaps together, respectively, alongside starting tackles Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton and center Sean Rhyan. An injury to any one of these blockers could threaten the progress Green Bay has made over the past two weeks. That leaves the coaching staff and front office relying on a fragile combination of players after their failure to adequately address the offensive line before the season began.
The Last Word
The Packers have shown they can fix their offensive line problems, but the question is whether those changes will hold up for the rest of the season. Injuries remain a concern, and losing a key blocker like Zach Bako-Bewele has only made an already difficult situation more challenging. Green Bay has finally found a more effective combination up front, but the team's lack of depth leaves little room for further setbacks. If the Packers want to make a serious postseason run, they must keep this unit healthy and continue building on the progress of the past two weeks. The early-season struggles should serve as a warning that cannot be ignored, especially with far tougher tests still ahead.
