The Green Bay Packers kicked off their 2026 offseason with a risky move, re-signing guard Sean Rhyan to a lucrative deal with the expectation of solving the team's issues at center.
Sunday morning, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that, "The Packers and OL Sean Rhyan agreed to a 3-year, $33M extension with a max value of $39M, per me and Tom Pelissero. Rhyan becomes one of the highest-paid centers after 9 starts at the position."
Green Bay is opting to pay Rhyan as if he were an established star at the position instead of simply going out and getting a proven option. Rhyan will average around $11 million annually, according to Rapoport. This nearly matches the $12.2 million that Cade Mays is expected to garner in free agency, according to Spotrac. This is nearly the same price as Rhyan, who has only nine starts at the position and yet is somehow garnering as much as one of the top free agents hitting the market.
Taking this a step further, Spotrac shows us that veteran center Ethan Pocic is expected to make $10.5 million, while the top center on the market, Tyler Linderbaum, is projected to get a deal worth $17.7 million. These numbers make it clear that the Packers were in the neighborhood of paying a proven center and could've made fans feel a bit more secure by simply locking the position down with a proven performer.
Packers Take Frustrating Risk Paying Sean Rhyan Top-Dollar Despite Limited Experience
This is a dangerous gamble for an offensive line that was already facing questions in the 2026 offseason. Fans would've felt far better if the franchise had been willing to pay what it takes to add the top center on the market. Even if the franchise couldn't justify paying this price, you could've paid nearly the same rate and added Mays or Pocic.
Either player has long-term experience at center and gives your fan base reason to believe you have a stabilizing presence being added to the lineup. Instead, you're sticking with a player who has spent the bulk of his career at guard and is going to need time to learn the nuances of the position.
It is a frustrating decision that comes with risk. Plain and simple, fans have to hope this isn't indicative of where the offseason is heading and that Rhyan proves to be worthy of the risk the Packers are taking. Regardless of the answer, the franchise has set itself to find out despite there being more obvious and established options on the market.