The Green Bay Packers’ pursuit of the Lombardi Trophy has taken a blow, and it has come at one of the worst possible places: the offensive line. Just two weeks into the season, Green Bay has already lost an offensive lineman for the remainder of the year after a Week 2 injury.

The setback is especially familiar because the offensive line was already a major problem during the Packers’ 9-7-1 run last season, when injuries sidelined Zach Bako-Bewele, Aaron Banks, and Elgton Jenkins at different points.

“#Packers RT Zach Bako-Bewele (formerly Zach Tom) suffered a torn patellar tendon on Sunday and will miss the rest of the 2026 NFL season, he told reporters,” reported NFL insider Ari Meirov on September 22. “A gut-punch loss for Green Bay’s offensive line.”

Bako-Bewele suffered the injury during the first quarter of Sunday’s 20-17 overtime road victory over the New York Jets. It took place when the player was blocking David Bailey during a third-down incompletion. But the 2022 fourth-round pick was surprisingly unaware of the reason behind his injury.

“I mean, I don’t think the turf helped,” Bako-Bewele said. “Yeah, I don’t know. Just something that happened, so I’ve just got to move forward.”

While the Packers were initially unsure of its severity, head coach Matt LaFleur said after the game that the offensive lineman could be out “for a long time.”

When it comes to Bako-Bewele, no doubt he is one of the best offensive linemen in Green Bay. However, his excellence comes with a disclaimer: when he is healthy. Since being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Wake Forest product has made 53 starts. But just as excellence has followed the offensive lineman, so have injuries.

The Packers have already gone through the pain of losing him to injury last year. Quite surprisingly, he had partially torn his patellar tendon in the same knee last year against Denver and missed the rest of the season.

Owing to that, ahead of the 2026 Week 1 game, Bako-Bewele was a limited participant in practice after an offseason surgery for last year’s injury. However, he was determined to make a comeback and perform at an “elite level.”

This time around, as reported by Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Bako-Bewele will undergo surgery and will need nine months to recover.

It goes without saying that it is not a good time for Green Bay to lose Bako-Bewele. Standing at 1-1, the Packers face the Atlanta Falcons in their home opener Thursday night at Lambeau Field.

All that said, the Packers have been dealing with injury concerns since Week 1. Left guard Aaron Banks missed the season-opening loss at Minnesota because of a knee issue. Even though Sunday’s game ushered in some hope with Banks starting, the good times did not last long. He left in the first half with a toe injury.

Green Bay’s offensive line has been a significant concern through two games, and Bako-Bewele’s absence could make immediate improvement seem like a far-fetched dream. ESPN Analytics ranks the Packers last in pass-block win rate through two games, while RotoWire’s Ian Hartitz shows quarterback Jordan Love is facing pressure an average of 2.36 seconds after the snap, the fastest mark in the NFL.

The Green Bay Packers have another reason to worry about!

After Zach Bako-Bewele left the Jets game, Anthony Belton stepped in at right tackle and was called for holding on two occasions. The 2025 second-round pick worked almost exclusively at tackle during the summer, stepping in for the limited Bako-Bewele. The decision raised questions at the time, especially since he was viewed as a contender for the starting right guard spot, which went to Jacob Monk. However, it now looks like the Packers made the right call.

While Green Bay was in search of a backup tackle, Belton’s skill set made him a logical choice. The 6-foot-6, 336-pound lineman also played left tackle in college, giving him experience at the position. He entered the 2026 season having played just 86 snaps at right tackle as a rookie and 56 after filling in for Bako-Bewele.

With the veteran out, it’s time for Belton to make the most of the experience he gathered during training camp. But turns out the situation might not be in his favor to give his 100%.

On Tuesday, the Packers added Belton to the injury report, listed as a limited participant with an elbow injury.

“I would anticipate him being out there, but we still got 48 hours,” said Packers head coach Matt LaFleur about Belton ahead of Thursday’s Week 3 game against the Falcons.

The Packers would need Belton to be ready for Thursday. If not, both fans and LaFleur will be losing sleep over the right tackle depth issue.