Packers’ Former 5th-Round Pick Closing In on Starting Job Over 2nd-Rounder

No. 11 Notre Dame topples No. 1 Miami

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Packers’ Former 5th-Round Pick Closing In on Starting Job Over 2nd-Rounder

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 20: Brandon McManus #17 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with Daniel Whelan #19 and Jacob Monk #62 celebrates after his field goal against the Chicago Bears during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field on December 20, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Getty

Duncan Day · HEAVY

Wed, Aug 12, 2026 ·

4 min read

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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 03: Jacob Monk #OL51 of Duke participates in a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 03, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) Getty

CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 21: Anthony Belton #71 of the Green Bay Packers plays against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on September 21, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) Getty

The Green Bay Packers came into training camp with Anthony Belton appearing to have the inside track at right guard.

By mid-August, a fairly unexpected challenger from the roster had moved to the front of the line.

Jacob Monk , a fifth-round pick in 2024, is now "well on his way" to becoming Green Bay 's starting right guard ahead of Belton, per Sports Illustrated's Bill Huber. The development gives the Packers an intriguing offensive line decision before Thursday's preseason opener at Pittsburgh .

Monk's surge is intriguing considering how little offensive work he received through his first two NFL seasons.

Belton, meanwhile, was the No. 54 overall pick just last year and finished his rookie season in the starting lineup.

Monk Has Flipped Packers' Right Guard Battle

GettyINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 03: Jacob Monk #OL51 of Duke participates in a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 03, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Monk arrived in Green Bay as the No. 163 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft after starting 58 games at Duke, including 34 at right guard . That versatility gave him value, although it didn't immediately usher him into offensive snaps.

Huber reported that Monk played zero offensive snaps as a rookie and remained off the field on offense through the first 15 games of 2025. He finally received six mop-up snaps against Baltimore in Week 17 before starting the regular-season finale at Minnesota .

Even then, his future was hardly secure.

Green Bay added fifth-round rookie Jager Burton this spring, creating another option on the interior. Huber wrote that Monk entered camp closer to the roster bubble than the starting lineup after logging only 57 offensive snaps across his first two seasons.

The direction has changed quickly.

Monk worked with the first-team offense at right guard for three consecutive practices entering Monday, while Belton shifted outside to right tackle. Huber's latest assessment went a step further, reporting that Monk is now well on his way to winning the job.

Monk has kept the development in perspective.

"It's nothing right now. I feel like our end goal is get better each and every day," Monk said after Tuesday's practice, via Sports Illustrated .

That approach matches what Matt LaFleur has seen from the 25-year-old. The Packers coach praised Monk's playing style earlier this week, referring to the physical edge he brings to the position.

Belton Could Shift Back to Tackle Role

GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 21: Anthony Belton #71 of the Green Bay Packers plays against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on September 21, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Monk's rise creates an alternate reality for Belton.

The 6-foot-6, 336-pound lineman played left tackle at North Carolina State before Green Bay selected him in the second round of the 2025 draft. The Packers initially kept him at tackle as a rookie before moving him inside during the season.

Belton eventually made six regular-season starts at right guard. His transition produced shaky results.

In a June breakdown , Huber cited Pro Football Focus in reporting that Belton allowed 19 pressures over those six starts, with zero sacks charged against him.

Green Bay has already begun exploring another possibility. Belton has taken reps at right tackle while Monk handles first-team work inside, potentially positioning the former second-round pick for a swing-tackle role.

LaFleur has stopped short of declaring the competition finished.

"We have many more opportunities for these guys to showcase what they can do," LaFleur said, adding that the Packers expect to make a final decision after the preseason .

The urgency isn't just regarding a single starting spot.

In addition to Pro Football Focus recently ranking the offensive line 28th (out of 32) in the NFL, Green Bay slipped from sixth in rushing yards per attempt in 2024 to 24th last season, while Jordan Love 's pressure rate increased from 34.4% to 38.9%, according to Huber.

The Packers need more stability up front in 2026.

So far, Monk has taken the biggest step toward providing it — and he has turned what looked like a roster fight into a legitimate push for a starting job.

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This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Packers' Former 5th-Round Pick Closing In on Starting Job Over 2nd-Rounder appeared first on HEAVY .

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