The Green Bay Packers have hit on plenty of major moves in recent years. But their hot streak may have finally cooled in free agency last March.
Whether through the draft, free agency, or trades, general manager Brian Gutekunst has been rolling. Over the past three years, he’s added Carrington Valentine, Dontayvion Wicks, Colby Wooden, Tucker Kraft, Jayden Reed, Lukas Van Ness, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Edgerrin Cooper, Jordan Morgan, Matthew Golden, Josh Jacobs, Xavier McKinney, and Micah Parsons.
Unfortunately, Aaron Banks is threatening to become the outlier.
Green Bay inked Banks to a four-year, $77 million deal this offseason, with $27 million guaranteed. Only four non-quarterbacks signed bigger per-year contracts with a new team—defensive linemen Osa Odighizuwa and Milton Williams, wide receiver Davante Adams, and offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley.
That’s a steep price tag considering the Packers already had a Pro Bowl-caliber left guard in Elgton Jenkins, who was making $17 million per year. By signing Banks, they shifted Jenkins to center and let former starter Josh Myers walk in free agency.
Two Games In, Aaron Banks Looks Like Packers’ Most Expensive Mistake
Banks had been a solid but unspectacular guard for the San Francisco 49ers. At 6-foot-5 and 325 pounds, he’s a load in the trenches and does his best work in the run game, using his frame to move bodies. But he’s always struggled in pass protection, where quicker defensive tackles can expose his heavy feet.
Through two games in Green Bay, the Packers have gotten the worst of both worlds.
Banks missed time in training camp with recurring back issues, then picked up ankle and groin injuries in Week 1 that forced him to sit out Week 2.
When he was on the field, the results weren’t encouraging—PFF gave him a 44.0 overall grade, ranking 62nd out of 67 eligible guards. Ironically, he held up fine in pass protection but was a major liability in the run game, the area he was supposed to excel.
The Packers have invested heavily in their offensive line, and with Banks sidelined, 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan has stepped in at left guard. Morgan hasn’t been flawless, but he’s already looked slightly better than Banks. More importantly, at just 24 years old and with limited game reps under his belt, Morgan has room to grow. The same can’t really be said for the 28-year-old Banks.
Financially, the Packers are tied to him for at least two more seasons. Cutting him in 2027 would cost $13.5 million in dead money, though that number drops to $6.75 million in 2028. That’s a long wait if his injuries and inconsistency continue to pile up.
If Morgan keeps improving—or if 2025 second-round pick Anthony Belton emerges—Banks could find himself demoted sooner than later. And if that happens, the Packers might be stuck paying for the most expensive backup offensive lineman in league history.
Two weeks into the Banks era, Green Bay already has reason to wonder if this was one splash they didn’t need to make.
