When the Green Bay Packers selected Jordan Morgan in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, experts were divided as to where he would best fit in the NFL. He played left tackle in college and played it well. However, many scouts felt Morgan would be better suited to playing guard in the NFL because his arm length was a bit shorter than the ideal measurements for a tackle.

In his rookie season, the Packers had Morgan taking reps at both left tackle and right guard at OTAs. But the coaching staff quickly realized that his best chance of playing as a rookie would be at right guard. By training camp, Morgan was playing almost exclusively at right guard and battled with Sean Rhyan for that starting spot.

Injuries limited Morgan and he ended up as the backup at right guard. He rotated in for several series per game with Rhyan and even started one game when Josh Myers was out with an injury and Elgton Jenkins had to slide over to center.

Unfortunately, injuries ended Morgan’s season after just six games. He spent the rest of the year watching, rehabbing his injured shoulder and waiting for another chance to crack the lineup.

This year, Morgan has again been battling at both left tackle and right guard. But injuries to several offensive linemen impacted where Morgan has lined up in training camp and during the preseason.

Starting left tackle Rasheed Walker missed some time due to a groin injury and that gave Morgan more reps at his old college position. He played well there in both preseason games. Despite the first team offense’s struggles, Morgan has not allowed a sack or a pressure in either game. He has demonstrated the footwork and technique to play tackle in the NFL and did it against the opponent’s first-string defense.

Walker has now returned to practice. The battle for the starting left tackle spot may be the most significant competition in the final week of the preseason.

But another offensive line injury has complicated things. Starting left guard Aaron Banks, who the Packers signed to a lucrative free agent deal during the offseason, has been struggling with a back injury that hasn’t fully healed. That means that Morgan has seen some time at left guard in practice recently and has acquitted himself well there when given the opportunity.

So, Matt LaFleur and the Packers coaching staff have some decisions to make both for the short term and long term. For the short term, we still don’t know if Banks will be ready to play in Week 1 when the Packers host Detroit. Since LaFleur has often said he wants the best five offensive linemen on the field, that could mean plugging Morgan in at left guard if Banks isn’t ready to play. That would create a starting offensive line of Walker at left tackle, Morgan at left guard, Jenkins at center, Rhyan at right guard and Zach Tom at right tackle.

But for the long term, the Packers need to decide if Morgan is predominantly a tackle or a guard. If he beats out Walker for the left tackle position, he will start there. If he doesn’t, when Banks is healthy, Morgan could very well serve as the first man off the bench at every position along the offensive line except center this season. LaFleur could also continue to rotate Morgan into the lineup for several series each game, possibly even at multiple positions.

Both Walker and Rhyan are entering the final year of their entry level contracts. The Packers cannot afford to give both of them big contracts to stay in Green Bay next season after paying Banks, Tom, and possibly Jenkins. Will the Packers look at Morgan as a tackle who can also play guard, or a guard who can also play tackle? Where will he compete first for a starting job next season if he doesn’t win one this year?

The key to the answer will likely be which lineup allows the Packers to get their best five offensive linemen on the field. The versatility the team loves in the linemen will certainly come into play when they make that decision. The fact that Morgan can play four of the five positions along the line will work in his favor.

Morgan has taken a step forward in his second preseason with the team. Now, we’ll find out where he plays and how big a step he’s taken when the season gets under way.