Jacob Monk entered Packers camp looking like a long shot, but he’s suddenly making this right guard battle a lot more interesting.
Green Bay still has plenty to work with on offense, especially in the skill group and with Matt LaFleur running the show. The issue remains up front.
Last season, the Packers struggled badly in the trenches, with Josh Jacobs and the running backs taking contact at or behind the line of scrimmage far too often. Injuries played a role, but the personnel also came up short even when healthy.
That’s why the competition along the line feels wide open now, and Monk has moved himself into the conversation. According to Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber, the former roster-bubble type has become a real candidate to start at right guard.
"After the Packers drafted Jager Burton in the fifth round and gave hefty contracts to undrafted free agents Dillon Wade and Josh Gesky, Monk’s spot on the roster appeared precarious," Huber wrote. "Instead, he is well on his way to being the team’s starting right guard instead of last year’s second-round pick, Anthony Belton."
Monk’s path has been anything but secure. A Day 3 pick, he arrived in the league in 2024 and did not see an offensive snap until the final two games of his second season, one a blowout and the other a meaningless regular-season finale.
Still, that late-season work appears to have mattered. He followed it with a strong showing in training camp and looks set for a heavy preseason workload. The Packers also listed him as the second-string left guard on their first unofficial depth chart, which would make him Aaron Banks’ backup, but Monk has been working extensively on the other side as well.
That matters because Banks carries a hefty salary, and Monk’s versatility gives him a real path to playing time.
Belton, meanwhile, has watched first-team reps go to Monk and rookie Jager Burton. The spot is clearly up for grabs if Belton doesn’t steady himself. Last season was rough for him: Pro Football Focus ranked him 72nd among 81 eligible guards with a 49.7 grade, and his pass protection was even shakier at 43.3, which ranked 73rd.
Across 487 snaps, Belton allowed 23 pressures and was penalized twice. In the middle of the line, Green Bay struggled to open lanes or create much of anything for the run game.
Monk may not be the finished product, but he’s raising the competition level and giving the Packers a better baseline. Belton now has to answer the challenge, and the player who once looked like an afterthought could end up playing meaningful snaps for Green Bay in 2026.
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