Green Bay Packers third-year offensive lineman Sean Rhyan knew what he wanted to bring to the table in his first preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.
“I’m a pretty good right-back,” Rhyan said ahead of Saturday’s match.
With Jordan Morgan sidelined with a shoulder injury, a ecstatic Rhyan was named right guard in his absence. While Rhyan did a solid job in his 15 starts at right guard, that wasn’t where he spent the majority of his time on the field in Cleveland. He also played 33 starts at center, a position where the team hopes to find a primary replacement for Josh Myers.
Although Rhyan struggled to establish himself as a right-back, he ultimately made a robust impression with his play through the centre.
“I thought he did a good job,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said Monday after reviewing the tape. “It’s not an easy thing to do. It’s kind of underrated, to be able to go out there and make decisions, get the ball to the quarterback and not have any issues with the handoffs, things like that. … I was pleased with what I saw.”
#Packers OC Adam Stenavich was pleased with Sean Rhyan’s work at center on Saturday.
Here he shows off his ability to move up the pitch as a ball carrier for running plays. photo:twitter.com/IAUmAiLPLV
— Brandon Carwile (@PackerScribe) August 12, 2024
While center isn’t exactly unfamiliar territory for Rhyan, it’s a position that requires different skills than guard, especially when it comes to making blocking adjustments and catching the ball cleanly. While Rhyan doesn’t have much experience in the center role, he handled those challenges well against the Browns.
Since arriving in Green Bay, Rhyan has been searching for his best position. Coaches believe it’s somewhere deep. Rhyan has spent time at left guard and center in training to show he can step into multiple positions when needed. If Rhyan doesn’t win the right guard spot, coaches want to keep his options open, developing him as a versatile backup.
“I think now, obviously, he’s competing for a starting position, and the biggest thing for us is to get him ready for multiple positions in case he’s not the starter,” Stenavich said. “We want him to be a versatile backup who can play any of those three interior positions.”
Matt LaFleur said they should know more this week regarding Morgan’s health. The Packers hope he’ll be available for their next preseason game against the Denver Broncos so they can get a better look at their first-round pick.
It will be a tough reality for Rhyan if he loses the right quarterback position to Morgan, but all hope is not lost if he can be the primary backup at three different positions along the offensive line.
