Jager Burton Is Making Things Very Interesting for the Packers
Jager Burton keeps stacking reps with the Packers' first-team offense. On the latest episode of Carry The G Radio: The Podcast, Aaron and Billy break down the latest from minicamp and highlight early offseason takeaways from Green Bay.
By PackerAaron
Comments (28)
Leatherhead
June 11, 2026 at 12:35 pm
Nobody's wearing pads yet, but it's nice to hear something positive about Burton. He looks like he'll be our #6 OL when the season starts. Last year, our #6 OL was Morgan, who suited up 17 times, started 12 games ,and played 749 snaps, third most most among our Olinemen . That was our #6 last year. Belton was our #7, and Kinnard was our #8 with 285 snaps. Monk was #9, with 57 snaps.
#6 Morgan and #7 Belton were both starting in the playoffs because of injuries to Jenkins and Tom.
Guam
June 12, 2026 at 07:45 am
Better positive than negative feedback from OTAs, but I don't get too excited about offensive or defensive line play until the pads are on. Non-contact practices don't disclose much about the big guys.
SicSemperTyrannis
June 12, 2026 at 08:49 am
Nope but the reps to get used to the playbook and playing together can't hurt, even if it's little different than an install for these guys. Of course with our starting RT and LG out due to injury that adds a wrinkle. 17 out total! Holy cow hopefully that's because of "an abundance of caution" and not serious stuff we don't know about.
SicSemperTyrannis
June 12, 2026 at 08:44 am
I didn't realize Jordan Morgan got the third most snaps among all our O linemen! That's surprising, but with injuries everywhere that had to have been behind only Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan. Hopefully playing everywhere else doesn't keep Morgan77 from playing his best at LT ...
golfpacker61
June 11, 2026 at 01:01 pm
Maybe our OL depth is going to surprise us this year. That would be a huge bonus to not have to spend more $$$ on a FA. I wonder how the Illinois and Auburn UDFAs are doing?
Coldworld
June 12, 2026 at 07:44 am
Wade seems to be doing quite well. He’s been getting consistent time at G with the seconds. He seems to be the leader in the UDFA OL stakes. The other unheralded guy who is getting consistent action with the 2nds is a SFA, Barnhardt, not Gesky.
SicSemperTyrannis
June 12, 2026 at 09:47 am
Barnhart has played all 5 positions, so our coaching staff will love that. Which is he best at?
Dressing 8 O linemen, if Jager is one of them and they're confident he's the best backup anywhere on the inside, then we get 2 backup tackles who can specialize at their best side.
There's got to be some way to get the best out of everyone ...
Coldworld
June 12, 2026 at 04:35 pm
He was picked up last season and wasn’t really in my radar. If I had to guess it would be G. He seems to lose balance in space and his hands are his best asset. I’m happy that they’ve moved Glovef back to T more often and Barnhardt inside. (They are now listed that way on the roster). I hope that continues consistently. LT has pretty co distantly been Brant Banks (though he was a RT in college. .
I’m also hoping Glover can push to be the RT behind Tom. I really don’t think Kinnard is the answer at RT. He does not have the length or agility. I’d like to see him at G actually. That’s where the Eagles thought he was best suited. Please, please keep Belton at RG! That’s where he’s best and he can let loose his mean streak.
Snap the ball
June 11, 2026 at 04:01 pm
That’s t.he o linemen we need. Crew cut and square jaw……needs to get a crew cut though…
golfpacker61
June 11, 2026 at 06:49 pm
Or a mullet. John Williams is finally healthy again and turning heads as well as Burton. Williams has been moved inside permanently from LT in college. Has anyone heard any talk about Wade and Gesky? GB has enough options inside now that Anthony Belton could move back to backup swing tackle. Our OL group is starting to take shape, maybe it won't be a weakness this year.
TKWorldWide
June 12, 2026 at 06:16 am
Mullet > crew cut.😊🏈
MilkCan44
June 12, 2026 at 12:26 am
Scouting report I read was that Burton had above average mobility, but not the power enough to move DLs
Waiting to see how Dillon Wade and Gesky do with the pads on.
GreenandBold
June 12, 2026 at 06:22 am
Needs a year in an NFL weight room like many rookies . That might solve that problem .
dobber
June 12, 2026 at 07:37 am
He benched 28 times at his pro day, which is not too shabby, but you're right: just because he can push the bar 28 times doesn't mean he can push DTs around. He may never develop much power game, but if his technique is good he'll be fine.
Coldworld
June 12, 2026 at 07:48 am
Remember though, athletic style OL are flattered in shorts and no contact, particularly ones that are more finesse style too. I’ve seen enough of these coaches to not trust their assessments of promise based solely on technique. Remember how good Royce Newman was as a rookie, until the games became real?
SicSemperTyrannis
June 12, 2026 at 08:57 am
Exactly. We know nothing right now, which is kinda anxiety inducing. For all the quick footwork of our WRs and new CBs, that doesn't translate into many Ws without dominant (or at least competent) line play. Looks good on paper and in mini-camp though, which is better than the opposite ...
LambeauPlain
June 12, 2026 at 07:53 am
Last best C in Green Bay was another 5th rounder. In fact, after Linsley left in 2020, it seemed to mark a steady decline in OL unit cohesion and player availability.
Linsley started as a rookie and never looked back. My hope is if Burton outperforms Rhyan or Banks (still hurt!) he gets selected as one of the best 5 and starts. Doubt it happens. But my gnawing gut tells me as the OL goes this season, so do the Packers.
The depth on the OL is deeply concerning.
SicSemperTyrannis
June 12, 2026 at 09:12 am
"In fact, after Linsley left in 2020, it seemed to mark a steady decline in OL unit cohesion and player availability."
And how!
13-3 2019, 20 & 21, less than 10 wins since. It's probably an oversimplification to pin that all on the O line, but this only further highlights its importance.
Can we combine our 16 O linemen on the roster into 8 double plus good players? Lol (I'm told "football math" does not work)
LambeauPlain
June 12, 2026 at 10:18 am
Previous to the last 4 years or so, the OL was a strength of the team. Does anyone think it is now?
Another year of OL uncertainty heading into camp. The only proven Packer starter is Tom, coming off a difficult injury. None of the other 4 are proven Packer starters. Maybe Banks can begin show out on his contract. But he hasn't shown much as a Packer...when he does play.
Morgan LT, Rhyan C and Belton RG are all unproven starters. They all have talent but as Packers they have rarely played together for any long stretch or even in the positions they are in now. And when they do, hope they stay healthy.
Then the depth. Beyond Burton, who can play well...at least plug a leak...not create a dam break?
Nonetheless, LaFleur remains confident in his coaches and his OL. I well let him show me this bad feeling in my gut is misplaced.
Coldworld
June 12, 2026 at 04:41 pm
Linsley only started as a rookie because Tretter, who had the spot locked up, got injured. Tretter was a good C in his own right. Linsley had a low center of gravity and his wrestling had made him well aware how to use it.
Burton has power in his upper body but needs more in his lower. That’s not a good profile for a C, so hopefully he’s working to change that. It’s interesting that he’s had very little work at C so far. Rather it’s been Williams behind Rhyan consistently. That may well be why. Normally, any potential C who isn’t a grizzled veteran will spend a lot of time there because it requires reading the D and other things that are part of that role unlike the other OL positions.
golfpacker61
June 12, 2026 at 09:17 am
"The depth on the OL is deeply concerning."
Yes it is LP, but all of our backup OL have little to no proven NFL experience, but they do have potential. Most of our O-Linemen played LT in college, the toughest OL position. GB has long tried to mold tackles into interior linemen with mixed results. This year seems to have more decent actual interior linemen in the mix, Burton, Wade, Gesky, & Barnhart. John Williams is also healthy and even though he was a LT in college, he seems comfortable making the switch. In fact he has played a lot at C in OTs. Monk is hurt and falling behind this group.
If these guys keep improving, one of them might be able to replace Belton at OG and then he could move to backup swing tackle, which would fill a big hole that Kinnard is occupying. If Burton was as good as advertised playing Center in college, he could win the job from Rhyan and Rhyan could move to OG in place of Belton. Either way it seems like maybe our backups are making the steps to get better and our OL depthy bcould be better than we think. Even an average OL would make our offense Top 10.
LambeauPlain
June 12, 2026 at 10:30 am
If Burton wins the C job, it would probably take Rhyan missing preseason games due to injury...similar to when 5th round rookie Linsley took over and never looked back. The Jager-meister is not getting too many snaps at C. We will see if he does in camp.
And if he would win the C job, I wouldn't move Rhyan to RG automatically. I don't think Rhyan is a very good RG and the mauler Belton should be much better in year 2 as a pro.
Could Morgan, Banks, Burton, Belton, Tom could be the best 5?
Leatherhead
June 12, 2026 at 10:40 am
I think the Packers have a plan,and it doesn't include signing Rhyan and then benching him in favor of a Day 3 rookie.
I would also point out that Belton's college history suggests he could play other positions on the line, in which case they'd need another RG.
LambeauPlain
June 12, 2026 at 01:41 pm
They didn't have Burton when they gave Rhyan the extension.
If shows he is better in camp than Rhyan, he should start. Or in Green Bay now do you start due to the size of a current contract?
If Rhyan clearly beats him out, great.
Leatherhead
June 12, 2026 at 03:45 pm
Rhyan is the starter for the Packers. I think the organization made that pretty clear with the contract. They got Burton on Day 3 and he's looked good in shorts, but he'll be challenging Monk, not Rhyan.
If he's our #7 OL, he'll almost certainly get several hundred snaps on offense, and may be our starter in the playoffs.
I don't expect rookies to come in and compete against guys who've been in place for years, who have hundreds of more hours in the weight room and hundreds of hours of more practice. Some rookies can, but most do not, and that's even more true of late round rookies.
We've been lucky with guys like Sitton and Tauscher and Walker and Tom....all day 3 guys who really became good players for us, and some of them got the door opened because of an injury. I think that's where Burton's chance is going to come from, too.
SicSemperTyrannis
June 12, 2026 at 09:50 am
#25 can't just be ignored as many fans prefer. While he's not a CB1 and we hope somebody beats him out at a starting position before the season's over, we still need him at least as depth.
SicSemperTyrannis
June 12, 2026 at 11:31 am
16 international games would just make too much sense with a 17 game season. Everybody gets 8 home games, 8 away, and one overseas.
That just has a ring of fairness to it ...
Leatherhead
June 12, 2026 at 04:16 pm
IF you put it that way, I'd like the Packers to play the last game of the season in Fiji. Buy your ticket now.