Paul Bretl | 3/10/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers’ first free agency splash came along the offensive line, with the team reportedly signing guard Aaron Banks to a four-year deal worth $77 million, according to Ian Rapoport.
Banks was a second-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 NFL draft out of Notre Dame. Over his career, he’s appeared in 53 games and made 43 starts, all of which have come in the last three seasons.
By PFF’s metrics, Banks is at his best in the run game, which, even with Josh Jacobs’ success last season, is an area where the Packers can improve, specifically when it comes to generating explosive gains on the ground. In pass protection last season, Banks gave up only one sack and four quarterback hits over 471 pass-blocking snaps. He would rank 37th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency metric out of 80 eligible guards.
Hit like and subscribe to my YouTube Channel ‘The Paul Bretl Show’ for more Packers coverage.
“At 6-foot-5 and 325 pounds,” ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote, “the 2021 second-round pick is built for a gap run scheme, and he has the strength to anchor against interior bull rushers.”
As we discussed earlier in the offseason, the recipe for the Packers adding to the offensive line always existed this offseason- although perhaps we didn’t think it would come in the form of a big free-agent signing. But the reason the need existed was, in part, because the depth of this group was exposed against Philadelphia in the playoffs, and in this season specifically, the Packers will have to overcome losing starting center Josh Myers.
“Those big guys are hard to find, so that’s never something we’re not going to address,” said Brian Gutekunst after the season. “Like we’ve been pretty consistent in our time here. We very much believe that, with the exception of quarterback, winning in the trenches is how we need to get it done.”
Banks has spent his entire career playing left guard, and with the payday he received in Green Bay, that’s where he’s going to stay. Yet, even so, the addition gives the Packers added flexibility along the offensive line.
Now, finding a center outside the organization doesn’t have to be a priority, and hoping that Jacob Monk takes a step forward isn’t a risk the Packers have to take. Instead, they can move Elgton Jenkins over to the center spot, where he played in college and has almost 400 snaps at with the Packers in his career.
With an added interior presence, the Packers now have the option to have second-year lineman Jordan Morgan either compete with Sean Rhyan at right guard again or perhaps compete with Rasheed Walker at left tackle. While Morgan spent all last season at guard before ending up on injured reserve, he was a left tackle in college.
“Versatility is everything, right,” said Gutekunst. “And we really do have a versatile group. So we’re going to try to get the best five out there. We didn’t see him (Morgan) as much at tackle, which is obviously what he played in college, and what we vote he was drafted as, just because at the time, going into the season, and the opportunities were going to we’re going to lie inside.
“So I think this offseason, just depending on kind of how everything you know takes place, through free agency, the draft and those things will kind of probably go into it the exact same way. Wherever we think he’s going to best fit is where he’s going to see his snaps.”
Offensive line play often flies under the radar, but consistently finding success on offense starts in the trenches–just look at the Eagles. Giving the quarterback time to go through his reads and to operate within the timing and the rhythm of the play is a must, not to mention that a strong running game keeps an offense out of predictable passing situations.
The 2025 Packers now have more options when it comes to building out that unit. The play of the offensive line last season wasn’t poor by any means, but as mentioned, there are areas of improvement, not to mention that a starter had to be replaced.