The Green Bay Packers’ offensive line play will have to be much better next year for their offense to take the next step toward becoming a Super Bowl-caliber unit. They have been one of the league’s most efficient offenses since the start of the Jordan Love era, despite 2025 marking their worst PFF pass-protection ranking of the past decade.
Green Bay will face difficult decisions in the trenches this offseason. Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan are set to become unrestricted free agents in March.
Rhyan’s situation is particularly concerning. He has been serviceable in the run game but underwhelming in pass protection, which is notable given that he is entering his fifth season in the league. He was moved to center after Elgton Jenkins suffered an ankle injury against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10, and played there for the rest of the season.
Jenkins’ future further complicates the picture. He may have already played his final snap in Green Bay. The Packers are projected to be roughly $10 million over the cap, but a release or trade of Jenkins could free up more than $19 million in cap space. With limited flexibility, multiple starters set to hit free agency, and no first-round picks over the next two years, that approach may be as practical as it is uncomfortable. It would also create the financial room necessary to pursue other options in the open market.
Two of the three players who started at center for Green Bay this year — Jacob Monk started in Week 18 when the Packers rested their usual starters — are not guaranteed to be on the roster in 2026. So, which course of action can Brian Gutekunst take to ensure that arguably the most important position on the offensive line is properly addressed going forward?
The most logical path may be bringing Rhyan back. Among the starters slated to hit the market — Romeo Doubs, Rhyan, Rasheed Walker, and Quay Walker — he’s the only one Green Bay could realistically retain on a short-term deal without materially compromising its cap structure.
Spotrac estimates Doubs could command a four-year, $48 million contract. Meanwhile, they project Rasheed Walker to land a new four-year deal worth roughly $81.5 million, or about $20.4 million annually. Quay Walker is projected to sign a three-year, $29 million contract, which would put his annual value just under $10 million but still leaves room for it to climb past $10 million on the open market.
Those price points aren’t compatible with Green Bay’s current cap outlook, which makes Rhyan the most affordable — and therefore most practical — in-house option. Spotrac estimates Rhyan to land a three-year, $19.7 million deal in free agency, roughly $6.6 million per year.
It’s easy to see Green Bay opting for a two-year deal structured with an inexpensive exit after the first season. From Rhyan’s perspective, though, the decision is more nuanced. His market may not be robust enough to guarantee long-term security. Still, another team could offer a longer deal with stronger guarantees, even if the annual value is similar. That creates a tradeoff between financial certainty and situational fit.
Staying in Green Bay would likely mean fewer guarantees but a clearer path to snaps at center and continuity in a system he already knows — both of which could position him for a stronger market in a future offseason. A more lucrative offer elsewhere may provide short-term security, but it could also come with less role certainty or schematic fit. Ultimately, Rhyan’s choice would hinge on whether he prioritizes guaranteed money now or the opportunity to leverage a defined role into a more substantial contract down the line.
The lack of appealing alternatives magnifies that uncertainty. The free-agent market at center is thin, with Tyler Linderbaum standing out as the top name. However, Spotrac projects him to command a deal in the $17 million-per-year range, a price point that effectively removes him from consideration for Green Bay, given its cap constraints.
Turning inward is an option, but it comes with its own risks. They could give Jacob Monk an opportunity. However, he has only logged 57 career snaps, making it difficult to envision the Packers entrusting such a critical position to an unproven player.
The draft does little to ease those concerns, either, because the interior offensive line class lacks many appealing prospects ranked near the top of the consensus board. Taken together, the limited free-agent pool, a thin draft board, and minimal in-house experience underscore how narrow Green Bay’s margin for error is at center moving forward.
So, perhaps the least complicated path is extending Rhyan, and the Packers will likely have the financial flexibility to do so. The real question is whether Rhyan can return the value Brian Gutekunst would be betting on.
So far, Rhyan has been a serviceable starter, which is more than enough to sustain a career in the NFL. But Green Bay needs more — not just from him, but from the entire offensive line — if the unit is going to support an offense trying to take the next step.