Green Bay finally reveals its hidden draft gem as LaFleur has no choice but to unleash a secret weapon months in the making.QQ

The Green Bay Packers followed the Philadelphia Eagles’ blueprint by adding Aaron Banks and Anthony Belton this past offseason, two offensive linemen they believed could set the tone in the run game.

“We want to be physical. We want to be able to overwhelm with size and physicality. That’s what attracted us to (Belton),” said vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan following April’s draft. “He’s a good football player, and he happens to be a huge man, as well.”

The Packers may need to steal another move from the Eagles’ playbook: Move Belton to guard.

Philadelphia made a similar decision a year ago with veteran lineman Mekhi Becton. With Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata locked in at the tackle spots, the Eagles experimented with Becton at right guard.

And it worked to perfection. Considered a draft bust after a four-year stay with the New York Jets, Becton moved inside and allowed fewer than half as many sacks as the year before, becoming a key piece in a dominant Eagles offensive line.

The Packers have played Belton, their second-round rookie, exclusively at tackle. That’s where he lined up in the preseason and again when coming off the bench in the regular season. But with Jordan Morgan’s struggles and Elgton Jenkins’ injury creating an opening at right guard, Matt LaFleur should give his rookie an opportunity.

Packers should allow Anthony Belton to compete with Jordan Morgan at right guard

It couldn’t have gone much worse for Morgan. The Packers insist he can play at left tackle, but he has yet to unseat Rasheed Walker. That has forced LaFleur to use him at guard, even with increasingly underwhelming results.

Take the crucial 4th-and-1 from Monday Night Football that effectively ended the game. Yes, Jalen Carter is one of the best interior defensive linemen in football, and yes, the Eagles called out the play before the snap, but the ease with which Morgan got blown off his block was alarming. By the time Josh Jacobs received the handoff, he had to stiff-arm his right guard to get him out of the way.

According to Pro Football Focus, Morgan’s run-blocking grade ranks 55th among 79 guards. His overall blocking grade is good for just 54th.

Belton is untested at the NFL level, but there’s reason to believe he could help ignite the Packers’ run game with a shift to guard. He needs an opportunity.

While the rookie hasn’t gotten any snaps there in a meaningful game, Belton did impress when moved to guard at the Senior Bowl. Jack Gilmore, who is the director of football operations for the game in Mobile, Alabama, believes Belton’s highest ceiling is at guard, not tackle.

“He was really good at guard at the Senior Bowl,” Gilmore told Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated in May. “I think athletically he fits more at guard. He’s got 33 7/8(-inch) arms, which is good enough, but I think he’ll struggle against the more elite pass rushers there at right tackle. He can play right tackle at the next level, no doubt, but I think he’s more of a guard.”

“He’s a massive human. I can’t emphasize that enough. This guy is completely filled out throughout his entire body. He’s very dense. He’s a really good run blocker. Just covers guys up and engulfs people at the second level.”

That’s exactly what the Packers need. Their inability to run the football is crushing the entire offense, and teams play umbrella coverages to eliminate the explosive passing plays. They know the Packers can’t run the football, so they invite it by practically begging LaFleur to take a heavy run-the-ball game plan.

All he’s doing is falling into their trap. The Eagles shut down the Packers’ rushing attack — Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson averaged a pedestrian 3.46 yards per carry on 22 attempts. That ain’t it.

“You have to be able to run the football,” LaFleur said on Wednesday. “If you’re not as efficient at that, or getting big gains versus lighter boxes, it’s going to be more difficult on everybody as an offense. That’s just the numbers game.”

Belton is unproven and it might not work, but the Packers need to allow their second-round pick to show what he can do.

The rookie has seen limited game time during the regular season, but he showed off his run-blocking ability in the preseason, albeit at tackle. Penalties were an issue, as Belton was called for eight across the three exhibition contests, but his potential in the run game is undeniable.

And don’t worry about the pass protection suffering. Belton hasn’t allowed a single sack this season, not in the preseason or the regular season.

The Packers might not believe he’s ready, especially due to his lack of reps. But he has the talent to play there, as he proved during the Senior Bowl. Jenkins’ injury means Sean Rhyan will step in at center, ending the competition with Morgan at right guard.

But with Morgan looking completely lost in the run game, it’s time for the Packers to give Belton an opportunity. They drafted him in the second round for a reason. It is time.