Report: Packers, OL Jon Runyan Jr. have ‘mutual interest’ on a return

Runyan has been a three-year starter for Green Bay, but the team played multiple players at the right guard position in 2023.

According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, there is “mutual interest” in guard Jon Runyan Jr. returning to the Green Bay Packers for 2024. Following the Packers’ playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Runyan used his exit interview time with the media to explain what being in Green Bay meant to him, stating, “I love it here. I hope I don’t leave.”

Per Scheidman, the Packers and Runyan’s representation met in Indianapolis at the combine to discuss a potential future in Green Bay for the offensive lineman. Notably, Runyan switched his representation to Rosenhaus Sports, which also reps Packers running back Aaron Jones and inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell. Both of those veterans command high cap hits going into the 2024 season, which has led many to assume that agreements will need to be made to adjust contracts for those players moving forward.

Scheidman also noted that a deal for Runyan “would have to be the right price for both sides” in his reporting. Runyan has been a three-year starter for the Packers but was rotated in and out of the lineup in 2023 as the team looked for ways to get former top-100 pick Sean Rhyan on the field last season. The question now is whether or not the team wants to make Runyan a full-time starter again, like he was in 2021 and 2022, or if they want to go down the road of making Rhyan their starting right guard.

A backup offensive lineman and a starting offensive lineman is a pretty wide gulf in the NFL, in terms of veteran pay, so that might be where the two sides of this deal may not see eye-to-eye. If Green Bay isn’t willing to pony up the cash for the former Michigan Wolverine, there almost certainly will be a team looking for an offensive line upgrade on the open market.

With that being said, this is one of the deepest offensive line draft classes in recent memory, so teams might look for cheaper, younger players on rookie deals to fill out their starting lineup. According to the consensus draft board, roughly one-third of April’s first-round picks, alone, are expected to be offensive linemen. How the depth of the offensive line class will impact free agency has yet to be seen, as we’re still a week out before the new league year begins.