It wasn't easy, and it came down to the wire, but the Green Bay Packers managed to edge the New York Jets in a 20-17 overtime win. However, they suffered a pair of key blows throughout the game.
On the second play of the contest, wide receiver Jayden Reed sustained a neck injury and had to be carted off the field. Just one snap later, right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele left the game after suffering a knee injury. Both of them could be out for a while, which would leave a pair of glaring holes on offense.
In Reed's case, though, Green Bay could lean on Matthew Golden and Christian Watson to withstand his absence. Heck, wide receiver appears to be a strength for the Packers right now. On the other hand, Bako-Bewele could leave a massive void in the offensive trenches, as Anthony Belton is far from an ideal replacement.
General manager Brian Gutekunst needs to give the Jacksonville Jaguars a call about Walker Little.
Packers have a right tackle problem with Zach Bako-Bewele potentially out for the season
In the aftermath of the win over the Jets, head coach Matt LaFleur met with the local media. He didn't sound overly optimistic about Bako-Bewele's availability in the foreseeable future, noting that he could be out for a long time. Belton is the next man up.
A second-round pick in 2024, Belton has failed to earn a consistent starting role, having played at tackle and guard. He was expected to start at right guard this season but was ultimately phased out in favor of Jacob Monk.
Having fallen behind Monk on the depth chart, Belton became the team's swing tackle. He'll start if Bako-Bewele is indeed out for the rest of the year, and that's not good. The former North Carolina State Wolfpack hasn't done anything over the past two years to make you think that he'll be able to hold the fort.
So far, he's logged 60 snaps on offense this season (all of them at right tackle) and has given up three total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
Compounding the issue is that Green Bay doesn't have anyone else (unless they plan to give John Williams an opportunity), so they're stuck with Belton. So the best way to fix the struggles on the offensive line could be to inquire about Walker Little's availability.
Walker Little could give the Packers an ideal replacement for Zach Bako-Bewele
This is still a long season, and if the Packers want to steer the ship in the right direction, they'll need to fix the offensive line. That means benching Belton and bringing in his replacement. Walker Little was a starter for the Jacksonville Jaguars last year but was benched in 2025.
That said, Little had previously played well and can line up at both tackle positions. That kind of versatility could come in handy in Green Bay, especially on the right side. Although Little was the subject of trade chatter in the offseason, Jacksonville didn't want to move him because he provided insurance while Cole Van Lanen recovered from a knee injury he suffered in 2025.
Van Lanen is healthy, though, which could lead the Jags to reconsider their stance on Little. The 2021 second-round pick has a base salary of $11 million in 2026 and $12 million next year. While that's not cheap, it's not cost-prohibitive either, and when you take into account that the Packers desperately need help in the trenches, they may not hesitate to take on his salary.
While Little gave up nine sacks last season, per PFF, he had only allowed eight sacks in his previous 1,128 pass-blocking snaps across four years.
The one last thing would be to meet the Jags' asking price for Little. Maybe a conditional fourth that turns into a third based on playing time or other factors. That would be a fair price to pay for a plug-and-play offensive tackle who could give you an immediate boost up front.
You have probably heard that desperate times call for desperate measures, and while the Packers aren't close to pressing the panic button, they need to consider trading for a veteran like Little to prevent that from happening.
