The Green Bay Packers sat most of their starters in Week 2 of the preseason, so we got an extended look at the depth at multiple positions, including a few snaps against the Indianapolis Colts’ starters. Some, like Jordan Morgan, continued to build on an excellent summer. However, others, like second-round rookie Anthony Belton, had a much tougher day at the office.
Belton held up well against the New York Jets, despite incurring a penalty. But the rookie lineman had a much rougher showing in Indianapolis. He was flagged five times in the first half alone, including back-to-back illegal formation penalties. It prevented the offense, for the second consecutive week, from generating any positive momentum. Belton also allowed five pressures, a team high.
Still, he cleaned things up in the second half, delivering a devastating block to make way for Amar Johnson’s fourth-quarter touchdown.
Despite the nightmarish first half, Belton bounced back quickly and showed what he brings to the table long-term. Saturday’s struggles were emblematic of life as an NFL rookie. After two preseason games, what should we be concerned about, and what was encouraging?
At halftime, the Packers had already racked up 11 penalties for 85 yards, most of which the offensive line committed. That’s almost a touchdown’s worth of yardage. Even with most of the starters sitting, it’s not an encouraging sign seeing the offensive line depth continue to make the same mistakes that tormented the Green Bay offense last season, and again last week against the Jets.
Of those 11 penalties, five were on Belton, including ending the half with the back-to-back illegal formation penalties.
Packers HC Matt LaFleur on O-line's post-snap penalties:
"I love the effort, but you got to be smart in those situations."
— Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) August 16, 2025
Matt LaFleur wasn’t happy with the rookie. The two had a heated exchange at the end of the first half.
“We didn’t give ourselves a chance,” LaFleur said on the half. “Every time we make a play, there’s a penalty. It’s hard to get excited about that.”
“It’s just underperforming,” Belton said following the game. “Getting penalties like that, that’s not the standard that I hold myself to. You’ve just got to bounce back from it.”
But the Packers turned things around and left Indianapolis with a 23-19 win, with Belton being a difference maker on the second touchdown.
After a penatly-filled first half, Anthony Belton with a massive block. https://t.co/2m6SP3Sv1Q
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 16, 2025
When Belton is asked to block, he blocks. He’s been a powerful blocker and a mauler in the run game, playing with the physicality Green Bay needs. When he’s playing well, it’s easy to understand why Brian Gutekunst drafted him in the second round.
Giving up five pressures is obviously not ideal. However, it isn’t something that has historically been a problem in Belton’s football career. Via PFF, in his final year at N.C. State, in 428 pass-blocking snaps, Belton allowed one QB hit and three sacks. So, this one preseason game saw him falter more than his entire final season in college. That’s not uncommon for rookies, and it’s why they play in the preseason.
Belton has struggled with his technique and penalties. Belton is surprisingly athletic and mobile for a player of his size, but he often displays sloppy technique and aggressive hands. He had 24 penalties in four years at N.C. State, and his undisciplined play has bled into his NFL career.
In fairness to Belton, some of his penalties were ticky-tack, and LaFleur put some of the fault on the illegal formation penalties on the guards.
“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.”
Packers HC Matt LaFleur on Anthony Belton's illegal-formation penalties:
"I don't want to put it all on him. On some of those alignment things, the guard's got to move up."
LaFleur might have a point: pic.twitter.com/Beon3OFGN1
— Jason B. Hirschhorn (@by_JBH) August 17, 2025
It’s frustrating to see a team already suffering from offensive line penalties adding fuel to the fire. And, at 24 years old, it’s fair to wonder if Belton can be coached out of the problem.
Still, if Belton can contain his hands, his playstyle brings a lot to the table. However, he doesn’t need to learn aggression. That’s a hard trait to coach, and the Packers need more physicality in the trenches to compete with the NFC’s best.
It wasn’t an ideal showing for an early draft pick looking to become a starter. Belton needs to clean up his game to avoid killing offensive momentum. But seeing Belton in action makes it clear what the Packers see in the rookie. He brings a new type of build and playing style to Green Bay’s offensive line, and he’s already been a key factor on some of the preseason’s better runs.
Ideally, he’ll look better in this weekend’s preseason finale. The ups and downs we’ll see from Belton are just life as a rookie. Hopefully, he can blossom into the player he’s shown flashes of becoming.