Jordan Morgan plays 100% of right guard snaps in Week 7 win over Cardinals

Last week, I talked about how Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Jordan Morgan was beginning to carve out a permanent role as the team’s starting right guard. This week, the Packers made it abundantly clear that Morgan is the guy.

Morgan played 100 percent of the offensive snaps at right guard in Sunday’s 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals while previous starter Sean Rhyan played zero. Rhyan appeared in only five special teams snaps in Week 7, which were all on field goal coverage.

This is not a good sign for Rhyan, who had started the first four games of the season. However, with Green Bay’s offensive line back at full strength, Rhyan has been demoted to a backup role.

Honestly, the writing had been on the wall for Rhyan despite starting all 17 regular season games last season, plus the playoff matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 2024 season began with Rhyan and Morgan alternating series at right guard, and it wasn’t until Morgan’s season-ending shoulder injury that Rhyan settled into the role full-time. It’s possible the plan was to have Morgan eventually take over had he not gotten hurt.

Unfortunately, it’s a tough break for Rhyan, but it makes sense.

When you draft a player with the 25th overall pick, the plan isn’t for him to ride the bench. The Packers were doing everything they could to get Morgan on the field this season by having him play multiple spots along the offensive line, sometimes in the same game. Plus, he also spent a good portion of the offseason taking reps at left tackle, which is where he exclusively lined up in college at Arizona.

Last month, Matt LaFleur finally admitted they may have been spreading Morgan too thin.

“I think there’s some merit to that, for sure,” LaFleur said on Sept. 22. “Especially when you look at (Week 3 against the Browns) 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.”

Rhyan, meanwhile, has been a serviceable starter but as a former third-round pick, his upside is limited. He’s also in the last year of his contract and unlikely to receive another contract. Morgan still has two years left on his deal plus a fifth-year option, giving the team plenty of time to tap into his development.

Now we get to see what Morgan can do when he gets to focus on one position. Obviously, that could change with injuries, but it’s a positive development for a player loaded with potential.

LaFleur may address the decision later this week, but for the time being, it appears Morgan is in and Rhyan is out.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Jordan Morgan plays 100% of right guard snaps in Week 7 win over Cardinals