The heat is officially on. NFL training camp is months away, but Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur wants to set the tone early this offseason, letting his players know that they must step up if they want to stay on the field.
Speaking at the annual league meetings in Arizona, LaFleur sent a not-so-subtle message to the players who weren't happy about their roles last season. Per Packers insider Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, he said it was up to the players to do something about that.
“It’s on you to do something about that," LaFleur said when discussing any potentially unhappy players.
While LaFleur didn't name anybody specifically, it's hard for Packers fans not to think about offensive lineman Jordan Morgan. He played out of position for the second consecutive season, and now that he's in line to start at left tackle, there will be no more room for excuses.
Jordan Morgan Must Rise to Matt LaFleur's Challenge
Morgan entered the league as a promising left tackle out of Arizona. The Packers took him with the No. 25 pick of the 2024 NFL draft, but they didn't give him a chance to flourish and actually develop in his position.
The Packers have played Morgan extensively at both guard spots, even though he's clearly not cut out for that. He's a better pass-protector than the average guard, but he struggles mightily to create gaps for the running game, and that's on the coaching staff at this point.
While offensive linemen should always be versatile, Morgan played exclusively at left tackle during his five years in college, and the Packers should've known he was better suited to fill that role when he made it to the pros as well.
According to Pro Football Focus, Morgan played 748 offensive snaps last season, so it's not like he didn't have several opportunities. However, only 51 of those snaps came at left tackle. He played 358 snaps at right guard, 191 at left guard, and 148 at right tackle. That type of inconsistency hasn't helped him establish himself at any spot.
The Packers let former starting LT Rasheed Walker leave in free agency, so the door is finally wide open for the former Wildcat to show what he can do. Likewise, there will be no one to blame but him if he fails to step up and show why he was a first-round selection just a couple of years ago.
Morgan gave up just 10 sacks in his five years in college, with five coming in his third season. He never gave up more than two in his other four years despite playing over 2,400 snaps at left tackle, according to PFF.
Morgan will now be tasked with the challenge of keeping franchise quarterback Jordan Love out of harm's way and protecting his blindside, and even though he's not the only lineman who has to step up — Aaron Banks also needs to do a better job as a run-blocker — having him finally live up to his potential can make all the difference in the world for LaFleur's offense.