The Green Bay Packers invested heavily in Sean Rhyan this past offseason, locking the versatile offensive lineman into a three-year, $33 million extension after he stepped into the starting center role midway through the 2025 season.
That decision reflected internal belief in his growth and leadership, yet a recent national ranking from Pro Football Focus has raised fresh questions about whether the commitment carries more risk than reward.
PFF placed Rhyan 30th among the league’s 32 projected starting centers in its rankings released this week. Only two other projected starters ranked lower.
The evaluation highlighted a glaring weakness that matters most to the Packers’ passing attack: Rhyan’s 37.8 pass-blocking grade ranked dead last among 40 qualifying centers in 2025. While he performed solidly as a run blocker with a 71.2 grade, the protection concerns stand out. PFF noted that his ground game keeps him viable but cautioned that Green Bay could struggle to handle interior pressure if he does not improve.
Rhyan’s path to the starting job was anything but conventional. Selected in the third round of the 2022 draft, he established himself as the full-time right guard by 2024.
Competition with Jordan Morgan in 2025 rotated him out of the preferred lineup until Elgton Jenkins suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 10 against Philadelphia.
With little prior experience at center, Rhyan finished the year in the middle of the line and impressed the coaching staff enough to earn the long-term deal. Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich later praised how Rhyan steadily improved, particularly in making calls and setting protections.
The gap between Green Bay’s optimism and the external grades is clear. Jenkins, the previous starter, ranked 18th on the same PFF list and had consistently posted strong pass-blocking marks throughout his career. Rhyan, by contrast, learned the position on the fly while facing weekly defensive schemes.
That context matters. He now has a full offseason and training camp to refine his technique, build chemistry with quarterback Jordan Love, and address the protection issues that dragged down his ranking.
At 6-foot-5 and 321 pounds, Rhyan brings the size and physicality the Packers value in the run game. His experience at both guard and center also gives him a broader understanding of how the offensive line fits together.
Still, the central challenge remains stopping defensive tackles from collapsing the pocket and disrupting timing. Green Bay has already made its choice.
With the contract and the starting job secured, Rhyan must now prove the investment was sound by delivering more consistent protection when the season begins.
