The Packers have agreed to a three-year extension with offensive lineman Sean Rhyan, as Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network were first to report. The deal is worth $33MM and can max out at $39MM. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Rhyan will get an $11MM signing bonus.
The Packers selected Rhyan in the third round of the 2022 draft, and after appearing in just one special teams snap in his rookie season, he saw action in 12 games in 2023. Almost all of that work came at right guard, and in 2024, Rhyan became the full-time starter at RG.
In the eyes of Pro Football Focus, Rhyan performed adequately in 2024. His overall PFF grade of 62.0 was roughly league-average, but he lost his grip on the starting job after the first few games of the 2025 slate. 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan displaced him, and as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky observes, Rhyan appeared unlikely to remain in Green Bay as of the midway point of last season.
But in Week 10, starting center Elgton Jenkins sustained a lower leg fracture, and Rhyan was thrust into the pivot for the remainder of the season. His overall PFF mark for his 2025 efforts (59.0) was below average, and his 38.5 pass-block grade was abysmal. However, GM Brian Gutekunst viewed the situation differently, saying at this year’s scouting combine that Rhyan played the center position at a “very high level” once he got his feet wet (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic).
Gutekunst backed up his comments with this deal, which makes Rhyan one of the league’s highest-paid centers despite just nine career starts at the position. The move also means that Jenkins will be released or traded, as Demovsky and Schneidman note (ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler had previously mentioned Jenkins as a trade candidate).
Morgan, who played at left tackle in college, did not keep the right guard gig for very long, as Anthony Belton took over there in Week 13. Nonetheless, with Rasheed Walker likely to depart in free agency, Morgan is in line to move back to the blindside for his pivotal third year in the pros.
From left to right, the Packers’ starting OL at the moment appears to be comprised of Morgan, Aaron Banks, Rhyan, Belton, and Zach Tom.
I don’t know why teams love spending tens of millions on backup o-linemen that have not looked great on the field
I can’t think of one of these prove-it deals to work for a backup o-linemen
Ryan played 17 games this year and started 17 games the year before.
Ryan Jensen comes to mind as a guy who only started one full season on his rookie deal and worked out great as a free agent starter.
…”Tens of millions on a backup o-lineman”? Who are you talking about, since it isn’t Rhyan?
He STARTED at center this past year and will NOT be making “tens of millions” of dollars. He is guaranteed $11 million so even if he stinks in 2026, they would only take a cap hit of 7+ million over 2027 & 28 if they cut him in 2027.
A lot of bread for a mid option. Smh
Not sure if you realize what OL salaries are nowadays, but this is NOT a lot of bread for a starting C in the NFL.
As an outsider, what are your views on intelligence?
@ohmy, When it comes to thinking, Bearmeat travels light.