The Green Bay Packers are heading into the 2026 season with some serious reshuffling on the horizon - and not just on the sidelines. With Jeff Hafley off to Miami to take the reins as the Dolphins’ new head coach, Green Bay will be breaking in a new defensive coordinator. But the bigger shake-up might be happening in the trenches on the offensive line.
Right now, only one name feels like a lock to return as a starter up front: Zach Tom. Fresh off a massive new contract, Tom is expected to anchor the line once again. Aaron Banks is another possible holdover, but his return isn’t set in stone.
The rest? Well, it’s murky.
Elgton Jenkins, a key piece when healthy, missed most of the 2025 campaign and could be a cap casualty. Cutting him would free up $20 million - a tempting figure for a team looking to retool. Meanwhile, both Sean Rhyan and Rasheed Walker are set to hit free agency, and at least one of them could be in for a big payday.
The Packers have been proactive about building depth on the line through the draft, using early picks in recent years to bolster the unit. In 2024, they spent a first-rounder on Jordan Morgan, who was initially projected as the left tackle of the future. But when Tom went down, Morgan stepped in at right tackle and held his own - a promising sign for his versatility.
That brings us back to Walker. The former seventh-round pick had a rough go at left tackle in the final year of his rookie deal. With Morgan showing promise and Walker struggling, especially in the run game, the writing may be on the wall: Walker likely won’t be back in Green Bay.
But that doesn’t mean he’ll be without options.
One team reportedly ready to make a splash? The Los Angeles Chargers.
According to projections, Walker could command a deal in the neighborhood of $81 million over four years. That’s a big number - especially for a player who didn’t exactly light it up in 2025 - but context matters.
The Chargers’ offensive line was a disaster last season. They ranked 31st in run-block win rate and dead last in pass-block win rate.
Simply put, they couldn’t protect Justin Herbert or create lanes in the ground game. That’s a problem, and new head coach Jim Harbaugh - a guy who loves to dominate in the trenches - knows it.
Walker, for all his flaws, has logged over 900 snaps at left tackle in each of the past three seasons. He’s not a dominant player, but he’s durable and serviceable in pass protection - and that kind of reliability has value in today’s NFL, especially when your quarterback is getting hit too often.
There’s also chatter that the Chargers could reshuffle their own line to make room. With Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater both under contract, it might seem odd to add another tackle. But there’s some buzz that Slater could shift inside to center, which would open up a spot for Walker on the outside.
If that move happens, it would reunite Walker with Harbaugh and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel - a pairing that could give the Chargers a fresh identity up front.
Now, let’s be honest: Packers fans who watched Walker closely in 2025 might raise an eyebrow at the idea of him earning $20 million per year. He was among the league’s worst in run blocking and regressed in pass protection compared to 2024.
But in free agency, need often outweighs nuance. And for a team like the Chargers, desperate to protect their franchise quarterback and establish a tougher offensive identity, Walker could be a piece they’re willing to bet on.
Bottom line: Green Bay’s offensive line is in for a major makeover, and Walker’s departure is just one part of the equation. Whether the Packers can reload effectively - and whether Walker can live up to a big contract elsewhere - will be two storylines to watch as the 2026 season approaches.