Anthony Belton, the Green Bay Packers' offensive lineman, experienced a tumultuous yet ultimately hopeful rookie season in 2025. Thrust into an unfamiliar role at right guard after primarily playing left tackle in college, Belton's initial performances were marked by significant struggles. However, despite the difficulties, his resilience and gradual improvement, particularly in the latter part of the season, offer promising signs for his future development within the team's offensive line.
Belton's journey began with a positional shift, moving from his collegiate left tackle role to right guard, a position he had not extensively practiced during training camp. This transition presented a steep learning curve, as evidenced by his percentile rankings among NFL guards, which indicated a challenging adjustment period. Early in the season, he even saw action at right tackle in two games before settling into the guard position where he made seven starts. The data from his time at guard underscored the difficulties he faced, reflecting a general struggle to adapt to the demands of the new role and scheme.
Despite the overall tough start, Belton showcased a few commendable aspects. Notably, his penalty count remained impressively low, with only a single penalty incurred during his appearances at guard. This suggests a growing discipline, especially considering some prior issues during the preseason. Furthermore, he managed to avoid surrendering a single sack throughout the season. However, this statistic requires context, as PFF's metrics revealed he ranked last in pressures allowed per snap and pass block efficiency among eligible guards. This implies that his clean sheet on sacks might have been more a testament to quarterback Jordan Love's ability to evade pressure than Belton's impenetrable blocking.
The core of Belton's struggles stemmed from numerous plays where he was either completely overwhelmed or swiftly beaten by defenders. These instances were prevalent in the early stages of his tenure at guard. Nevertheless, a silver lining emerged as the season progressed, with a noticeable reduction in these detrimental plays. His pass protection grades, which bottomed out at 20.4 and 23.8 in his first two starts, steadily improved, never dropping below 46.6 afterward. A particularly strong performance in the regular season finale, where he earned an 84 grade, highlighted his potential. Similarly, his run-blocking grades, initially disappointing, showed a consistent upward trend, climbing from 39.5 in Week 12 to 71.5 by the season's end, despite a dip in the playoff loss.
Belton's rookie season was undoubtedly a trial by fire, characterized by a challenging positional change and the inherent difficulties of adjusting to the NFL. However, the observable improvements in his game-by-game performance, particularly in the latter half of 2025, offer a strong foundation for optimism. While the transition from college left tackle to NFL right guard presented significant hurdles, his resilience and the encouraging trajectory of his play suggest that Anthony Belton has the capacity to develop into a more reliable and impactful player in his sophomore year, shedding the 'liability' label that might have been applied at times during his inaugural campaign.
