The Green Bay Packers signed guard Kevin Zeitler, a former Wisconsin Badger and Pro Bowler, to a one-year, $4 million contract after the team’s poor start to the 2026 season. The team has since been able to protect quarterback Jordan Love better, but the run game hasn’t advanced much, and Zeitler has yet to take an offensive snap for the team.
After the game on Sunday, when the Packers surprisingly moved Laken Tomlinson to right guard, a position Tomlinson hadn’t played in about a decade, Green Bay
head coach Matt LaFleur stated that the team didn’t feel as though Tomlinson should have been benched, but they wanted to give Aaron Banks an opportunity at left guard. That was why Zeitler wasn’t getting burn, according to the head man.
On Tuesday, Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich spoke to the media about the Zeitler situation, where he got a little more in-depth with his reasoning. This is what he had to say:
Well, when we signed him, he was coming off an injury with his knee. So, it was kind of a question mark. It took him a few weeks to get to the point where he’s at right now, where he was kind of working his way back into it.
What happened was Laken came in and really did a tremendous job, just coming in and really helping out our team and helping out our offensive line and really, you know, helping us, you know, becoming productive in a lot of senses. So, it just was one of those things where I thought he was going to come in and play, but Laken stepped up and did a nice job and it is what it is right now.
Would I hesitate to put him in a game? No. I would not. He’s ready to play.
So that’s sort of the story on Zeitler, for those wondering. Basically, the Zeitler opening ended up going to Tomlinson, at least for now. So far, Zeitler has played just 15 snaps for the Packers this season, all coming on the field goal protection unit.
From left to right, the expected “preferred” offensive line for Green Bay moving forward is Jordan Morgan, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Laken Tomlinson and Anthony Belton — as Zach Bako-Bewele, the team’s starting right tackle, is on the injured reserve with a full patellar tendon tear. Rhyan is currently dealing with an injury, which has led to John Williams taking over at center — as the second-team option, Jacob Monk, is also on the injured reserve.
Beyond those players, the Packers also roster Zeitler, Travis Glover (missed last week with an injury), Jager Burton, Donovan Jennings and Mekhi Becton Sr. Glover, Burton and Jennings have all gotten offensive looks in the regular season this year, while Becton was just called up from the practice squad last week.
