During the 2025 NFL offseason, the Green Bay Packers thought they had finally fixed two big issues. They signed cornerback Nate Hobbs and offensive lineman Aaron Banks to big deals, which signaled the team's belief that they would help solve some of the more obvious holes.
Fast forward just a year, and those hopes have all but been extinguished. After a season in which he played just 11 games (and started five) due to injury, the Packers released Hobbs after signing him to a four-year, $48 million contract. As for Banks, the situation might be even worse. The Packers signed him to a four-year, $77 million deal to play left guard, a move that came with Elgton Jenkins moving to center as a result.
Much like Hobbs, though, Banks missed time due to injury and, despite playing in 15 games, never really lived up to the deal he signed.
Instead of releasing him, though, the Packers restructured his deal, gaining some cap relief by turning his $7.7 million base salary and a $9.5 million roster bonus into one signing bonus. The move dropped Banks' cap hit by about half, but now makes his cap hits in the future even larger, essentially making it impossible for the team to realistically cut him in any of the next two years.
Aaron Banks' status on the team is in surprisingly perilous position
That's what makes Banks' status on the team currently all the more troubling. Prior to Wednesday, the guard hadn't played a single snap in training camp as he recovered from a tendonitis issue in his knee. This week, he finally returned, but now finds himself in a perilous position.
The former starting guard has been out so long that rookie Jager Burton and veteran Jacob Monk have not only been playing more, but also looking better than Banks did last year.
While a competition for the left guard starting position isn't exactly the worst thing in the world, it is when you factor in the premium Banks is getting paid. At the time of his signing, Banks was viewed as the long-term outlook at guard, a player who would not only not need to be replaced for a couple of years, but could be leaned on as the team sorted out its other issues at offensive line.
Instead, Banks has ended up being one of the biggest issues there. As it stands, the Packers' offensive line is largely one big question mark. According to most rankings and outlooks, the team has one of the most questionable units in the league, with Pro Football Focus even ranking them 28th in the NFL. With so many question marks around the line, it's not exactly reassuring that Banks is now battling for his starting job.
However, there's some reason to be cautiously optimistic. Banks being back from his injury means that he can begin building back up ahead of the regular season. Despite a rocky first year, the veteran has shown he has what it takes to play well before, and the Packers will have to hope that that version of Banks appears.
If not, then it can flush the entire 2025 free agency class down as one of the worst in the Packers' history.
Add us as a preferred source on Google