BREAKING: Packers coach sends blunt message to Jordan Morgan after losing snaps to Sean Rhyan
It’s a classic mid-season storyline in Green Bay: a guard battle that’s unexpectedly stealing the spotlight from even Aaron Rodgers and the Jets’ saga. Packers fans are diving deep into offensive line stats and forming all kinds of opinions as a fierce competition unfolds at right guard.
Through the season’s first half, Jordan Morgan, Green Bay’s highly-touted 2024 first-round pick, has yet to lock down the starting role. Draft experts praised the selection, with The Athletic ranking Morgan as the 29th-best prospect in last year’s class. However, third-year guard Sean Rhyan continues to hold his ground, having logged nearly 300 more snaps than Morgan this year. The two rotated early on, with Morgan playing 38 snaps to Rhyan’s 40 in Week 6. But in the most recent game, Rhyan played 45 snaps while Morgan saw just 13.
Normally, this wouldn’t sound alarms. But offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich’s recent comments suggest that all’s not well at right guard, and it’s enough to stir a little unease among the Packers faithful.
Packers OC doesn’t hold back on how Jordan Morgan is playing this year
You’re right—it’s not a great sign that Jordan Morgan, with all the hype from draft analysts, hasn’t managed to outshine Sean Rhyan at right guard. According to Pro Football Focus, Rhyan ranks as the 38th-best right guard, which isn’t stellar but still places him well above Morgan, who doesn’t have enough snaps to earn a ranking yet. Morgan’s rookie season hasn’t started well; his PFF grades for both run and pass blocking are below 60, which isn’t promising. Rhyan, on the other hand, has been solid in pass protection, posting a 70.6, although his 58.9 run-blocking grade could use improvement.
Adam Stenavich on Sean Rhyan/Jordan Morgan: "I think Sean definitely is playing better than him right now."
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) October 24, 2024
Overall, it’s been a rough start for the Packers’ line, with only Zach Tom performing consistently well. While it’s disappointing for Morgan not to take over the role, it does reflect positively on Rhyan’s development this season; he’s showing a marked improvement over his previous two years. Fortunately, it’s only been seven games, so there’s time for Morgan to earn more snaps, whether at RG or another spot. And having multiple capable linemen is never a bad problem to have.