Logo

Packers Rookie Chooses Patience Over Spotlight, Accepts Backup Role After Making the 53-Man Roster

Green Bay, Wis. — August 28, 2025 — The Packers’ initial 53 confirmed what August practices hinted: rookie RT Anthony Belton made the team and will open the year backing up Zach Tom on the right edge. Green Bay carried all eight members of its 2025 draft class onto the first roster (two on PUP), underscoring the club’s commitment to developing its youth pipeline. Belton, a second-round pick from NC State, slots in as Tom’s primary understudy on the official depth chart. 

Belton’s path is a familiar Packers blueprint: learn the protections, master the footwork in the wide/inside-zone run game, and earn early value as a dependable swing option should injuries or game plans demand shuffling. Independent depth-chart tracking this summer likewise pegged Belton as the No. 2 right tackle, reflecting consistent second-team work behind Tom. 

Position coaches point to Belton’s length and anchor as traits that translate, while the staff emphasizes assignment reliability over immediate splash. With Green Bay’s OL mixing experienced starters and ascending youth, the rookie’s role gives the unit insurance without rushing his timeline.

Asked about his mindset, Belton kept it team-first:

“I’m not chasing the spotlight—I’m here to learn how to be a pro. My job is to help the Packers win any way I can: special teams, scout team, whatever’s needed. I’ll learn from the vets, stay ready, and when my number’s called, I’ll be prepared. Putting the ‘G’ on my helmet means putting the team first.”

For now, the assignment is clear: stack days, iron out technique with the vets, and be ready for situational duty when called. If Belton continues to build trustworthy snaps behind Tom, Green Bay believes patience and preparation will pay off when the schedule tightens and depth wins games in December.

Comments (0)

Loading comments...

Former Packers 1,400-Yard Back Released — Begs for One More Shot in Green Bay
Minneapolis, MN NFL rosters are always in flux when training camp approaches, but few moves make fans look twice like the latest headline out of Minneapolis. A name Green Bay knows by heart suddenly hit the open market—and almost instantly, calls for a reunion rippled through Titletown. The report slipped out quietly: a veteran running back was released after a grind-it-out year in a new uniform. A journey once defined by winter-tough finishes and a bond with the Lambeau faithful just took another sharp turn. Only a few seasons ago, he was the heartbeat of Matt LaFleur’s offense in the biggest moments. Aaron Jones—the spark plug of so many December drives—brought burst, balance, and a blue-collar relentlessness that felt unmistakably “Green Bay.” In 2019 and 2020, he stacked back-to-back 1,400+ scrimmage-yard seasons, piling up touchdowns and carving out a place in Packers lore. “Green Bay will always be home. I gave everything for this city, and I’d do it again. Give me the chance to finish what I started,” Jones wrote—his message racing across social media and stirring the hearts of Packers fans. Drafted by Green Bay in 2017, Jones grew into a cornerstone under LaFleur, then departed in free agency to chase a bigger role. But at his most recent stop, nagging injuries and a crowded rotation kept him from finding the same rhythm. Now, after eight uneven games up north, he’s waiting on a fresh start—or better yet, the perfect ending back where he became a star. The Packers’ depth chart has playmakers and a new lead back in place, but plenty of analysts and fans are asking the same question: could a reunion be the timely piece for those grueling, late-season yards? The answer likely comes down to roster needs, the right price, and a front office willing to bet on the heart of a player who knows Lambeau in his bones. For Jones, the dream is simple: one more chance to run with the Packers—and to finish the story on Lombardi Avenue the way he always imagined.