The Green Bay Packers had high hopes when they took Jordan Morgan with the No. 25 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The decision was polarizing at the time, but he looked like a potential staple to the offensive line after dominating at Arizona.
Fast forward to today, and the young offensive tackle has failed to find his footing on the team. With that in mind, head coach Matt LaFleur took the blame, and he admitted that they may have put a lot on his plate.
Matt LaFleur Says Packers Are Spreading Jordan Morgan Too Thin
“I think there’s some merit to that, for sure,” LaFleur told the media. “Especially when you look at just [how he was] playing multiple spots in one game. I don’t think that’s easy on anybody, especially a guy who’s still a relatively young player. That’s something we’ve got to certainly look at.”
Morgan has made it loud and clear that he would rather play left tackle. However, the Packers seem to be all set with Rasheed Walker there, and he's failed to beat him for that spot in his two training camps with the team.
He took snaps at left tackle and left guard in training camp and the preseason, but he was a rotational right guard in the season-opening win over the Detroit Lions. Then, he moved to left guard when Aaron Banks left with an injury.
Morgan started in Banks's place in Week 2, but he was moved again to right tackle in Week 3 when starter Zach Tom left early with an oblique injury. Versatility is important, but playing so many positions might only be hurting his development.
The Packers Need Jordan Morgan to Step Up
The Packers' offensive line might go through some major changes in the offseason. Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan will be free agents, and Elgton Jenkins' contract situation also makes him a potential cut candidate.
That leaves the door wide open for Morgan to finally establish himself as a starter. With that in mind, they should look to mold and develop him to excel at one position instead of hoping that he can be the jack of all trades for their offensive line.
The Packers' offensive line crumbled against the Cleveland Browns' elite pass-rush on Sunday, and while Morgan was certainly the weakest link there, it's not like the team has done much to put him in a position to succeed.