What's really going on at left tackle, trade pieces, and if the Packers will see Aaron Rodgers in 2025
The Packers have opened competition at left tackle, but will the pecking order actually change?
Good morning!
Today's edition of The Leap looks at a position battle that might not shape up as cleanly as the Green Bay Packers have suggested, some pre-Week 1 trade scenarios that could come to pass, and the status of a potential on-field reunion with an old quarterback.
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Pay attention to the discourse around left tackle
Jason B. Hirschhorn: From the outset of the 2025 offseason, the Packers expressed an interest in allowing 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan to compete with Rasheed Walker at left tackle. General manager Brian Gutekunst, head coach Matt LaFleur, and other members of the staff have shared similar thoughts on the matter, and nothing that transpired during free agency or the draft has undercut that notion.
The rationale behind such a competition seems clear. Walker has provided solid play over two seasons as the starter. But the team seems to believe Morgan either could perform better or push Walker to a higher level, and the offense would benefit in either scenario. Additionally, Walker enters the final year of his rookie contract while Morgan remains under cost control through the 2028 season.
However, despite the Packers' public position on the left-tackle competition, not many beat writers or national reporters seem to believe Walker won't ultimately start. The Athletic's Matt Schneidman continues to mention right guard as a potential role for Morgan. The Athletic Football Show also recently discussed Green Bay's offseason at length and likewise landed on the idea that Morgan would factor in at guard rather than protecting the blindside.
Does that mean Morgan won't truly compete at left tackle? Not necessarily, but the disconnect between what those covering the team say and what the Packers state publicly seems notable. When Green Bay says something that the reporting doesn't mirror, that should always raise alarms. Reporters frequently know details on background that they cannot straightforwardly reveal, but they'll hint at that knowledge by framing statements as opinions. The Walker-Morgan discourse could well prove to be such a situation.
But even if Morgan does take Walker's job during training camp, don't assume that spells the immediate end of Walker's days in Green Bay. While the fourth-year pro would draw attention on the trade market, he still probably has more value to the Packers in 2025. Not only has Morgan yet to prove he can play offensive tackle at this level, but he also hasn't established that he can withstand the wear and tear of a full NFL season. Walker would provide, at worst, extremely high-level insurance should Morgan falter.
That insurance also covers right tackle. While Zach Tom has started every game over the past two seasons, that doesn't guarantee he'll do so again in 2025. And outside of Walker, Tom represents the only proven tackle on Green Bay's roster. Accordingly, the Packers will probably benefit more from keeping Walker on the roster rather than swapping him for, say, a 2026 draft pick.
Which players, if any, might the Packers look to trade before the regular season?
JBH: Even if Walker doesn't hit the trade market this summer, that doesn't necessarily mean Green Bay won't consider shipping off a player. Over the last 25 months, the team has drafted 32 players, 27 of which currently reside on the 90-man roster. With such a surplus of competition at seemingly every position on the roster, the Packers can expect to part with some talent before the start of the regular season.
Already, the rumor mill has begun to churn. Romeo Doubs, the fourth-year wideout whom Green Bay suspended last year for conduct detrimental to the team, has heard his name connected with several clubs this offseason, including the Seattle Seahawks as part of a potential DK Metcalf trade and the Pittsburgh Steelers if/when a certain mercurial quarterback lands in Allegheny County. The Packers lack any urgency to part with Doubs now, but the performance of rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams could affect the veteran's availability.
Regardless of what happens with Doubs, don't feel surprised if another Green Bay pass catcher ends up on the market. Luke Musgrave, a 2023 second-round pick who at one point seemed poised to break Sterling Sharpe's record for most receptions by a Packers rookie, has fallen behind Tucker Kraft at tight end. Musgrave has also missed more than half of the team's games during the past two seasons.
Those factors alone wouldn't make Musgrave expendable. The coaching staff values his ability to stretch the field from the slot, and no other healthy veteran currently on the roster can provide such a vertical element to the offense. Even if Musgrave plays second fiddle to Kraft among the tight ends, the Packers play enough 12 personnel to get him involved regularly.
Williams could affect Musgrave's future, however. While the rookie technically plays a different position, he spent about 21.6% of his receiver snaps in the slot during his final collegiate season. At 6-foot-4 and 223 pounds, Williams also offers similar length to Musgrave and even better speed. While the two won't compete against each other directly, the overlap in their skill set could mean they ultimately compete for the same snaps.
If Williams demonstrates explosiveness and consistency in August, the Packers might start to seriously consider Musgrave's place on the roster. The coaching staff has given meaningful snaps to backup tight ends John FitzPatrick and Ben Sims in the past, and they could plausibly handle the other elements of Musgrave's role. That wouldn't push general manager Brian Gutekunst to seek out a trade, but it might make him more agreeable to a deal.
And even after the draft, several teams don't have a clear answer at tight end. The Carolina Panthers will rely on Tommy Tremble and Ja'Tavion Sanders for an answer. The Jacksonville Jaguars currently plan to ride with Brenton Strange and Johnny Mundt at the position. The New England Patriots have Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper atop their depth chart, each on the wrong side of 30 and past their prime. Injuries could create openings as well.
That doesn't mean Musgrave doesn't have a place in Green Bay, of course. However, like Doubs, his situation looks fluid.
Chances of Packers facing former quarterback haven't evaporated, but they're falling
JBH: As of this writing, Aaron Rodgers has yet to commit to playing football in 2025. Most believe that, should he decide to continue his career, he'll sign with the Steelers who will otherwise enter training camp with Mason Rudolph as their starter. Rodgers even hinted this past week that he could land in Pittsburgh.
However, while the pairing makes sense, no agreement has come to pass. Rodgers has previously said that he has some personal matters to handle first, and that could indeed explain the delay. However, the Steelers might not feel comfortable waiting that much longer for a resolution.
This past week, team president Art Rooney II told reporters that Pittsburgh would wait "a little while longer," though what that exactly means remains unclear. The Steelers begin organized-team activities on Tuesday and start mandatory minicamp in just over a week. They would certainly like to have Rodgers for those sessions given his lack of familiarity with the roster and coaching staff. Perhaps if Rodgers doesn't start to move soon, they'll pivot to another option such as the Atlanta Falcons' Kirk Cousins.
This matters to the Packers for reasons beyond nostalgia. They travel to the Steelers for a Sunday Night Football showdown in Week 8, and Rodgers suiting up in black and gold would become one of the big headlines of that weekend. As it stands, Rodgers has beaten every team in the NFL except Green Bay.
The prime-time slot strongly suggests that the NFL expects Rodgers to sign with the Steelers, setting up an on-field reunion with his former team. However, unless something changes on the Rodgers front, that game might look far less headline-grabbing than the league hoped.