Packers Rookie Anthony Belton Deserves a Mulligan
After Colts' first-half debacle, the tackle knows he has to step it up.
By Kevin Gibson
Green Bay Packers rookie offensive linemen has seven penalties through two preseason games. That’s by far the most in the preseason so far.
Much has been made about his debacle of a first half in Indianapolis this past Saturday – five penalties in the first half alone, including an unnecessary roughness that earned him a very public dressing down from Head Coach Matt LaFleur as they left the field at halftime.
It was ugly. And then Belton, a massive human being at six feet, six inches tall and 336 pounds, completely turned it around in the second half. The Packers, down 13-3 after an ugly first half, came back to win 23-19. Belton was pretty much flawless in the final two quarter.
Was it the tongue-lashing he took from LaFleur? Was it the clementine he was gifted during the half from fellow lineman Rasheed Walker?
Or is Belton just a rookie who’s figuring things out in real time? Frankly, I’m choosing just that.
We’ve seen mental errors aplenty. It’s baffling and frustrating. It leaves a taste in the mouth somewhere between expired milk and despair. But it’s two games that don’t count. He played an O-line high 62 snaps in the contest, so clearly the coaching staff is trying to help him get used to the NFL game.
Belton played 42 snaps the week before in the ugly 30-10 loss to the New York Jets, with two (unaccepted) penalties. But in those 42 snaps, he didn’t allow a quarterback pressure. Meanwhile, we’ve seen him plow through guys so physically that it borders on rude. In that Jets game he earned the line’s second-best run-blocking grade as well.
Back to the Colts game, and we got to watch Belton help bulldoze running back Amar Johnson into the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown to go with the solid pass protection.
Offensive line coach Luke Butkus took some blame following the first-half debacle, but told the media, “He’s aggressive. He’s playing hard, but you also have to play smart.”
Butkus credited Belton for his second-half rebound, saying the second-round pick “didn’t go down in the dumps.”
Meanwhile, LaFleur cooled off a bit following the game.
“I don’t want to put it all on him,” LaFleur said on Monday. “On some of those alignment things, the guards have to move up. Because he’s putting his post foot off the guard’s post foot. So we have to scoot our guard up.”
Five penalties is five penalties. But Belton him to bounce back like that says a lot. And on a team with potentially three starter-quality tackles in Zach Tom, Walker and Jordan Morgan, Belton can be afforded the opportunity to bring his game along slowly. Packers fans should be bullish on Belton.
“Stuff like that can't happen,” Belton said after the up and down Colts game. “I've just got to grow up. I've got to get out of those old habits. I've got to learn quick."
In the meantime, keep those clementines coming. Just in case.
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Kevin Gibson is a professional writer and author based in Louisville, Ky. He's also a former sports writer who covered high school, college and professional sports, a Packers shareholder and a fan since 1975. Even John Hadl couldn't break him. Follow him on Twitter: @kgramone
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Comments (15)
TheKanataThrilla
August 22, 2025 at 02:27 pm
So much of that bad from the preseason game is coachable. He has talent and rare athleticism for a big guy. Lesson learned and hopefully it is already in the rearview mirror and forgotten.
Leatherhead
August 22, 2025 at 03:26 pm
I think he’s a road grader McCarren likes him too. In a perfect world, he’ll get to grow into an NFL starter. Simply giving the ball to Jacob’s and getting behind Belton should be worth 5 yards.
Coldworld
August 22, 2025 at 04:16 pm
There a difference between seeing his upside and counting on him being ready. We are not going to cut him for his rushes of blood, and nor should we.
However, we should also not be gulled into seeing him as ready to start. He was, and remains, a project as a T who needs a lot of work in his feet to improve his lateral speed and balance before he will hold up as a T against teams that plan to exploit his weaknesses.
I would, however, love to see him used as a 6th OL “TE” to lead block and help in line this year. That he already does well and can do while he develops. U 71 where are you? Someone give LaFleur some old schematics. Make use of the gift horse.
LambeauPlain
August 22, 2025 at 07:46 pm
"U 71 where are you?"
What is Belton's number again?
egbertsouse
August 22, 2025 at 04:39 pm
There is no crying in baseball and there are no mulligans in football.
GregC
August 22, 2025 at 04:57 pm
I doubt that anything like that will happen again. It's better that they were not penalties that resulted from him blocking poorly and then having to hold, or making false starts because defenders were beating him off the snap.
TKWorldWide
August 22, 2025 at 05:19 pm
He so big he play can guard end tackle at the sane time. He is a linemen who is worth almost too.
Packers0808
August 22, 2025 at 05:48 pm
Huh?
barutanseijin
August 22, 2025 at 06:21 pm
“Sane” should be “same” and “too” should be “two”, i.e., he’s a big guy.
LeotisHarris
August 22, 2025 at 06:21 pm
Your full ovit, TK. He big but he know Larry Allen.
TKWorldWide
August 22, 2025 at 11:58 pm
Dare Yugo!
Sane page, oh me go!
😂
barutanseijin
August 22, 2025 at 06:14 pm
Reading Belton’s Colts game performance charitably, one might say he fixed the problems in the second half. Was that because he was up against reserves in the second half?
mnbadger
August 22, 2025 at 06:18 pm
Glad to hear that the veterans have taken him under their wing.
Line him up as a TE on day one in short yardage. C man, block man.
We've had plenty of cerebral busts on the line that lack talent and/or tenacity. Not going to go thru the list.
I'd line up next to him any day if I were a teammate.
Clearly he has great physical traits and a willingness to play hard thru the whistle.
Nuance will come.
If nothing else, make him a guard until he's "ready" to play tackle.
GPG!
LambeauPlain
August 22, 2025 at 07:58 pm
Stenovich says the plan is to rotate 6 to 7 O Linemen all season. The 7th would have to be Belton I'd guess. So maybe the Escalade gets to run at Guard too.
The coaching brain trust must believe this is the way to build OL cohesion, communication, and familiarity with your wingman's strengths and play style. Time will tell the tale.
Ferrari-Driver
August 22, 2025 at 10:35 pm
"Belton Deserves a Mulligan"
I take mulligans every time I play golf and I and it's generally more than one. That fool game drives me nuts, but I love it. When I was a kid, I played only football, baseball, and basketball and thought golf was a sissy boy sport. I was either wrong, or I turned into a sissy boy. It's fun to swing from the heels, but it's hard to find the ball.