As the Green Bay Packers prepare for an NFC North clash with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, plenty of focus will be on the run game and the health of Josh Jacobs. The RB injured his knee during the Week 11 win over the New York Giants, raising concerns about his availability going forward and putting even more pressure on an offensive line that has struggled to open up lanes for its ground game.
One tendency Green Bay has tried to use to deal with the injuries and inconsistent play has been moving players around to different positions, something the Packers have started to do with rookie tackle Anthony Belton. According to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, offensive line coach Luke Butkus said Belton has been repping inside in addition to tackle. Although the Packers originally were only repping Belton at tackle, Schneidman noted the team expects their reserves to be able to fill in both inside and outside.
The Packers Could Be Making a Mistake with a Move We Have Seen Before
There are lots of mixed feelings about the Packers' cross-training of Belton, and most of that has to do with a similar tactic the team has used with second-year lineman Jordan Morgan, who continues to struggle after being moved from tackle to guard. That has clearly not worked for Morgan yet, and it is certainly a risky decision with Belton, considering he was drafted as a tackle as well.
Belton has not taken enough snaps to have any accurate grades from Pro Football Focus. However, each of his grades is below-average, including a run block grade of 46, which is not encouraging at all, even if the snap count is low in relation to other players. Having him learn a new position before he comes close to mastering what he was primarily brought in to do is a risky decision, no matter how it ultimately works out.
On the other side of the equation, even though Belton is listed as the backup left tackle to Rasheed Walker, the struggles by Morgan and the entire offensive line could allow him to move around and see if the performance improves at a different position. After all, Morgan's PFF run-blocking grade (55th) is not much better with more playing time, and Elgton Jenkins is sidelined with a lower leg fracture, so it could be worth taking the risk. Given how untested Belton is at this point, though, is it one that is worth the Packers taking?
The Packers have the 19th-ranked rushing offense (113.5) and are currently facing more questions than answers regarding the status of Jacobs heading into Sunday's game. For Green Bay to make a legitimate run, the protection must improve to open up some running lanes that have been relatively nonexistent all season, something the Packers are likely looking at when moving some of the linemen around to various positions.
It sounds like a viable strategy for getting reps at each position, especially if injuries continue to mount or the struggles persist. However, it clearly has not worked with Morgan, and the same could be true for Belton in due time. While the experience at multiple positions could be beneficial, his primary experience has come at tackle; anything outside of that for a player who has limited snaps this season is certainly a stretch.