The Green Bay Packers offensive line and pass protection units were a disaster in Week 1, allowing Jordan Love to be hit 15 times officially and 18 times unofficially (via Adam Stenavich) while giving up pressure on the quarterback on over 50 percent of dropbacks (per PFF) in a 39-22 loss to Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings.
The offensive line was filled with question marks entering Week 1, and the nightmare scenario played out at U.S. Bank Stadium.
So, where does the Packers offensive line go from here? Was this a blip on the radar, the result of the perfect storm? Or will the Packers struggle to protect the quarterback all season long?
Let's run through something like a best case scenario, and a worst case scenario:
Best case scenario
Season-opening games
can lie, and it's easy to look at Week 1 and see a truly perfect storm for the Packers offensive line. New starting left tackle. Starting left guard hurt. New starting center. New starting right guard. Starting right tackle coming off a major injury and clearly not 100 percent. Throw in the challenge of facing Brian Flores' unrelenting blitz packages, and the crowd noise at U.S. Bank Stadium, and a lack of time on task together during training camp, and everything crumbled up front. It was a predictable result given all the factors in play.
The Packers will not be playing Flores every week, although teams will likely blitz this offensive line at a higher percentage than normal until the Packers prove they can block it consistently. And few road stadiums will be as loud or disruptive as U.S. Bank Stadium the rest of the way.
Zach Bako-Bewele will likely play better as he inches closer to 100 percent. Veteran starter Aaron Banks will eventually return at left guard. Jordan Morgan and Sean Rhyan are talented players who should settle into their respective positions. And the bench has options if Jacob Monk or Donovan Jennings can't get the job done; rookie Jager Burton can play any of the three interior spots, and Anthony Belton was one of the offensive line's best five to end last season. Burton and Belton might get a chance to crack the starting five as soon as this week.
The Packers got it all wrong in Week 1, but 16 games remain, and this storm will subside. The performance will level out across the line, and while the offensive line is not going to be a strength in 2026, it won't be a disaster most weeks. The Packers will learn to manage with what they have, continuity among starters will build and the offensive line will settle in as an average or slightly below average unit. Again, this is the best case scenario.
Worst case scenario
You are what you put on tape, and the tape was a nightmare for the Packers in Week 1. Given weeks and weeks to prepare for what was coming against Flores in a loud environment, the Packers failed up front over and over again, and fixing the problems will be far more difficult than just playing a different defense in a different stadium.
The talent and coaching just might not be good enough.
Jordan Morgan had poor reps against Dallas Turner. Donovan Jennings did not look like an NFL-caliber player. Jacob Monk did not look like an NFL starter. And Zach Bako-Bewele getting back to his former level of play might not be realistic given the injury he's returning from. The Packers didn't trust Jager Burton to play in Week 1, and Anthony Belton, who got most of his reps at tackle this summer, wasn't a factor in the guard competition to open the season. A disappointing offensive line coached by Adam Stenavich and Luke Butkus from a year ago carried right over to 2026.
How does this all get fixed? Players have to be better, obviously. But that's easier said than done. The offensive line is often a "you're only as good as your weakest link" unit, and the Packers have A LOT of weak links coming out of Week 1. Finding a realistic fix from outside the building for your offensive line is difficult in a league starved for capable blockers.
The Packers didn't just get beat 1-on-1 up front, but they often let free runners at the quarterback. Without a quarterback as tough and elusive as Jordan Love, Sunday's showdown might have been ugly for all four quarters.
What if the problems persist, and the Packers are one of the worst offensive lines in football for 2026? That's a possible scenario given the personnel and Week 1 result. Keep in mind, this wasn't some highly touted offensive line entering the season. Real question marks were obvious two weeks ago. Two months ago. Smart football people ranked the Packers offensive line as one of the league's worst entering 2026. So it's possible the Packers just don't have what it takes to get the job done consistently along the offensive line this season. And if that's the case, it's going to be a long, frustrating 2026 season in Green Bay because controlling the line of scrimmage is always one of the most important parts of playing winning football.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Best and worst case scenarios for Packers OL coming out of Week 1 disaster
