​Green Bay’s offensive lineman Anthony Belton had a rocky rookie year. For his first NFL action, he started seven games at right guard to close the season, a position newly unfamiliar to him after he spent college as a left tackle and spent training camp largely working on the outside. He moved from right tackle in two early-season games to guard, where he finished the year.
His guard play showed some struggles when measured against his peers at the same position. Taken as a whole, his body of work at guard offered few clear positives for the future. The two bright spots were penalties and the absence of sacks. He drew nine penalties and then trimmed that number notably, with only one penalty in his guard appearances, and he did not give up a sack all season. Beyond that, however, the picture wasn’t favorable. Belton ranked last in pressures per snap and in PFF’s pass-block efficiency among eligible guards, suggesting he faced a high volume of pressure and allowed a lot of pressure to be generated. He was prone to missing blocks or getting whipped too easily on too many plays, though those issues diminished as the season progressed.
Two of his worst pass-block grades came in his first two starts at guard, around 20.4 and 23.8. From there, his numbers improved steadily, never dropping below 46.6, and peaking with an 84 in the regular-season finale. The expectation entering the season was for Belton to bring a stronger, more physical presence at guard than some teammates, but his run-blocking grades didn’t reflect that impact either. It’s likely he was overwhelmed by the dual challenge of adjusting to a new position and learning a new scheme, and he didn’t display the aggressive, finishing demeanor Packers fans hoped for based on his pre-draft reputation.
Yet there were encouraging signs in the game-by-game PFF grades. When he first saw guard action in Week 12 against the Vikings, he posted a 39.5 run-blocking grade. Week by week, his run-blocking grade rose to 45.5, then 58.1, 60.4, 60.6, 62, and finally 71.5 in the regular-season finale. His playoff-grade dip to 42.6 in the loss to Chicago was a setback, but overall his late-season stretch suggested progress and potential.
Packers coaches have acknowledged how tough it was for Belton to be thrust into guard duties without prior practice at the position during training camp, offering some context for the rough start. His late-season trajectory provides a measure of optimism for the future, and while it’s not guaranteed, there are reasons to think Belton can stabilize and improve in his second season rather than revert to the uncertain rookie form.