Trade rumors and roster moves are a natural part of the offseason in the NFL. This year alone, the Green Bay Packers had to handle the Jaire Alexander situation—which is still ongoing, but seems closer to a resolution that would keep him in Green Bay. Wide receiver Romeo Doubs has also been the center of rumors, especially after the team drafted two pass-catchers in the first three rounds.
However, there is a starting player that the Packers could really move, and he is none of these higher-profile names.
It's right guard Sean Rhyan.
Why he's movable
Last year, the Packers drafted Jordan Morgan in the first round. Ideally, the team sees him as a long-term left tackle, but he was moved to right guard in his rookie season as a developmental path. Morgan was on the way to beating Rhyan for the starting job, but a shoulder injury derailed his season. They both split snaps while Morgan was relatively healthy, but the rookie ended up missing the second half of the year.
Now, though, the former first-rounder is healthy and ready to fight for a starting spot once again during training camp.
Additionally, the Packers selected Anthony Belton in the second round in 2025. A college left tackle, he also has positional versatility to play guard.
The Packers will give Morgan and Belton the chance to play left tackle, and they will compete with incumbent starter Rasheed Walker. Whoever loses that battle will also have a shot at being the starting right guard.
Since Walker and Rhyan will be free agents next offseason, the ideal scenario for Green Bay is if Morgan and Belton beat out the veterans.
Good, not great
A third-round pick in 2022, Sean Rhyan played exactly one special teams snap in his rookie year, and zero on offense. In his second season, he started rotating with right guard Jon Runyan and played 16% of the offensive snaps.
Rhyan finally became a starter last year, playing the majority of snaps even while Morgan was healthy, and all of them after the rookie got hurt. For the season, Rhyan was on the field for 88.84% of the offensive snaps.
His performance was not bad, but also not consistent or impressive. He allowed 24 pressures, including four sacks, and committed six penalties. Run block was supposed to be his calling card, and there were flashes, but Rhyan finished the season with a 58.4 run block grade via PFF.
Ultimately, that's why the Packers could be willing to trade him, and why he could generate trade value. The Packers have depth with new options, but for most teams it's truly hard to find capable starting offensive linemen.
Trade value
Three years ago, the Packers were able to trade Cole Van Lanen to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a seventh-round pick. He had been drafted one year earlier, and had no real playing experience.
Sean Rhyan is entering the final year of his rookie deal, so that might devalue him to a certain degree. However, he is a proven starting-caliber player. In a league where Aaron Banks got $17 million a year and Jon Runyan got $10 million, that certainly has value.
In 2025, Rhyan is slated to make $1.363 million. That's excellent value for offensive line-needy teams, especially at this point of the calendar where most franchises have already spent most of their budgets and used most of their cap spaces.
Green Bay doesn't need to execute this trade now, by the way. They could wait until training camp to see how the young options will perform.
}If the Packers are able to get a mid-rounder (let's say, a fourth- or fifth-round pick) for Rhyan, giving the opportunity to Morgan and Belton to win the available starting jobs, it would be a smart way to take advantage of a surplus on the roster—especially when it's unclear if Rhyan will be in position to generate a compensatory pick, and even if he does, that wouldn't come before 2027.
