A seal packing guard is provided in a roller assembly of a machine, such as a track carrier roller of a track-type undercarriage. The roller assembly includes a roller mounted on a shaft and having a seal retaining lubricant between the roller and the shaft. A collar and an inner surface of the roller form a seal cavity placing the seal in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere surrounding the roller. The seal packing guard is attached to an outward surface of the roller and extends over an opening into the seal cavity to reduce the amount of abrasive material entering the seal cavity and potentially compromising the integrity of the seal.